CENTENNIAL, Colo. The Colorado Peaches are closing their 35th softball season with a silver medal, a Halloween celebration and a commitment to welcoming players of all abilities. Known as the country’s oldest women’s softball team, the Peaches continue to gather for Tuesday practices regardless of the weather.
Head coach Heidi Muller said the team began in 1991 and has 60 players this year, ranging in age from 60 to 92. The group recently returned from the Huntsman World Senior Games in Utah, where it fielded teams in the 60-plus and 80-plus categories. The 80-plus team brought home a silver medal.
After the tournament, the Peaches turned out for the Denver Summit’s final home game at Centennial Stadium. The outing gave them a chance to support Colorado’s first women’s professional soccer team, and many members were attending a soccer game for the first time. The Peaches also received recognition during halftime.
Muller welcomed the opportunity to cheer for the Summit while explaining how the softball team offers a different route into sports. Where the Summit represents elite competition, the Peaches make participation available to women with a wide range of experience. As Muller put it, “no matter your skill level, you can play with us.”
The coach also expressed enthusiasm about women’s sports in Denver, pointing to local college teams and the importance of getting people involved early. Peaches players Deb Robak and Flex Howard watched from the stands as their teammates appeared on the soccer field at halftime. Robak joked that she was on the injured list while celebrating the moment.
Back on the softball diamond, the team’s final practice of the season had a seasonal twist. With Halloween approaching, players wore costumes instead of uniforms for their annual Pumpkin Bowl. Denver7 reporter Maggy Wolanske visited the practice to see the Peaches in action as their anniversary season drew to a close.
Player Vickie Russell described a group that combines competition with fun, including women who are learning softball later in life and have never played before. For Russell, the team has also provided lasting friendships. At 70, she is in her third year with the Peaches, continuing a sport she began playing when she was about 8.
Russell said the experience has changed her life and described the Peaches as the best group of women she has played with. Her enthusiasm reflects the place the team holds for its members, offering both time on the field and friendships built through playing together.
