Sammy Youth Long Classic

Dates: March 14-16, 2025
Divisions: 6U Coach Pitch, 8U Coach Pitch, 10U Fast Pitch, 12U Fast Pitch & 14U Fast Pitch
Number of Games: Single elimination tournament with 2 pool games
Location: Twin Creeks Softball Complex & Weatherby Park
Schedule: https://www.teamsideline.com/sites/CherokeeRecreation/schedules

Since 1990, the Youth Classic has been hosted by Cherokee Recreation and Parks. The tournament was designed to give our recreation softball teams in the county a chance to compete in a tournament against team outside of their local association/league. What makes the tournament even more special is that this was the first ever tournament to be hosted at the newly opened Hobgood Park. Since the tournaments inception, the Youth Classic has had teams from all over Cherokee County participating in it that include, but not limited to, teams from Cherokee Youth Softball (Twin Creeks Softball), North Cherokee Youth Softball, Northeast Cherokee Youth Softball, Macedonia Softball, and South Cherokee Recreation Association. With the long standing success of this tournament, there have been notable individual contributors. Their instrumental work has not only instilled values of the game, but also life values into the girls’ lives. In 1999, the first class of Youth Classic Hall of Fame Inductees were recognized. Now, every 5 years CRPA inducts another group of individuals consisting of coaches, players, umpires, and administrators. These wonderful people are the ones who have helped make this the longest standing youth tournament of any sports in CRPA history. In 2020, the Youth Classic was renamed “The Sammy Long Youth Classic”, in honor of long time Cherokee Youth Softball League Director and CRPA employee, Sammy Long. Mr. Long was inducted posthumously in the 5th Class of Hall of Fame Inductees. 

Hall of Fame Inductees

Class of 1999 (10^th Anniversary)
Lamar Bell   
Rodney Dempsey
Arfellow Gates
Ray Hendrix
Becky Shelley

Randy Smith

Class of 2009 (20^th Anniversary)
Chris Chester
Kortney Dempsey
Lamar Meers
Camille Thomas
Charlie Williams
Mike Young 

Class of 2014 (25^th Anniversary)  
Phil Berry 
Michael Brantley
Addie Hammond
Keith Hammond
Richard Landolt
Kate Messerly
Jimmy Messerly
Lisa Nations
Pil Reeves
Bobby Streetmon
Wayne Tippens
Kim Townsend
Mary Wofford 

Class of 2019 (30^th Anniversary)     
Powell Hazzard
Derek Hightower
Debbie Cummings-posthumously
Danielle Rubin
Bridgette Flaherty

Class of 2020 (Inducted posthumously in 2020 and renamed to the Sammy Long Youth Classic)

Sammy Long

For more information, contact Lakia Langston, ldlangston@cherokeecountyga.gov or call 770-924-7768.