Gary Slickman

Special - Presented by Chuck Schoolcraft

Gary has participated in a multitude of roles in the USSSA program spanning over 16 years: Player, Umpire, Area Director, Game Assigner, Marketing Consultant and Official Videographer to the National Office and National Hall of Fame. He has umpired games for the Special Olympics, created a promotional video featuring USSSA umpires and volunteers supporting the Mass Special Olympics.

 
Gary states that “Creating a promotional video for the Mass Special Olympics was very heart warming. Getting a chance to meet the athletes and get to know the true meaning of sportsmanship and the love of the game. The volunteers also made a very dramatic impression on me. They got back so much from the act of giving themselves.” 

In 2001, Gary introduced the first Hall of Fame Induction Tribute Video at the National Convention. It was a presentation consisting of interviews with all of the nominees edited together with highlights from the National Championship game played at Disney that year. The crowd of 4-500 reacted by rising to their feet in a spontaneous standing ovation that was quite overwhelming and humbling. After that year, the video tributes became an annual event at the National Conventions.

Together with John Hart and the National UIC, Rick Robertson, Gary spearheaded an initiative that created the first in a series of training videos for USSSA umpires. It was a proactive undertaking that was filmed during the 2001 season and presented at the National Convention and featured at the National Umpire training session.  From 2001-2008 Gary traveled the country, going to various venues and tournaments filming slow and fast pitch softball, basketball, baseball and soccer. He edited highlight reels together that promoted the USSSA program. The presentations became a much anticipated addition to the National Conventions. Gary also introduced the first annual video tribute of the inductees nominated into the USSSA National Hall of Fame. This was an innovation that was received with great enthusiasm by everyone in attendance and became a much anticipated highlight of the Annual Induction ceremony. He originated over 100 state-of-the-art audio, video, photography and graphics displays for the Grand Re-Opening of National Hall of Fame in the USSSA Headquarters. 

Gary feels that USSSA has been, and continues to be, at the forefront of amateur sports and youth sports in particular. “It is still considered an innovator and leader and has done a very good job of adapting to an ever changing landscape. They have opened up national championship participation to many more teams and have encouraged travel to events that only a few had the privilege of attending in the past.” He feels USSSA “must continue to adapt to the growth of the areas of social and corporate teams and the diminishing of the more competitive leagues.” -Gary​