Salem still the “City of Champions,” just fewer champions

USA Softball Championships usually brings 100+ teams to town, this year just 50

SALEM, VA. – Salem is still the city of champions throughout this pandemic, just the city of fewer champions.

Hundreds of people are in town this week for the USA Youth Softball National Championships at the Moyer Sports Complex.

It’s a far cry however from the thousands that normally come to town this time of year.

They’ve had to scale it back because of capacity limits, but they’re social distancing, sanitizing and more. And Salem parks and recreation director John Shaner said the city is happy to host people from across the region.

“We would have been definitely over a hundred teams, but in today’s situation I’ll take 50 teams any day right now just so we can help our economy, help our hotels, and our restaurants and start trying to turn that needle and trying to get back to some form of where we’re bringing in tax revenue to the Roanoke Valley,” Shaner said.

The teams are also playing at other sites across the Roanoke Valley. The tournament wraps up later this week.