Petty, Brenda Kay

A lifetime of softball began at the tender age of 5 in 1957 for Brenda Kay Petty as she began as a fastpitch youngster for the Bristow Comets.

In 1972 she doubled up her softball duties by umpiring and also playing on a women’s slowpitch traveling squad aptly named the summer of 72.

Her teams won a number of the Can/Am Games as well as other national tournaments but they had to play second fiddle for the most part in Kentucky State Championships because, “We could never beat Bill Fraley and his Fraley’s Wildcats,” according to Petty.

In 1979 she did win a Kentucky state title as the coach for the 12 and Under fastpitch Warren County All-Stars girls team.

She stopped playing and traveling in 1989, but kept her love for softball, continuing to umpire, and then became assistant ASA Commissioner in Bowling Green that spring at Basil Griffin Park.

In 1996 she was named as the ASA Kentucky JO Fastpitch Commissioner (a position she currently holds) and since then her innovations include founding an 8 and Under Girls’ State in 1997 which has grown from 5 teams to 30 and a 6 and Under group for girls.