Our tournament

The Ice Cream
Classic

The Pistols' own Memorial Day weekend tournament in Park Ridge, for 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U, at the B level. The 18th annual runs Friday May 28 to Sunday May 30, 2027, with the Lassa Memorial Home Run Derby on Saturday evening.

Why it's called that

Played in memory of Paige Dougherty

The Ice Cream Classic is held each Memorial Day weekend in honor of Paige Dougherty, a Pistols player we lost far too young in 2009.

Paige came up through the Park Ridge house program and played varsity softball at Maine South. The tournament's name and logo were designed to reflect two things she loved, softball and ice cream, and carry her uniform number, 34.

It's a competitive weekend of ball. It's also a weekend meant to be enjoyed: play hard, sit in a Park Ridge park between games, and get ice cream. That was the idea from the beginning, and it hasn't changed.

Pistols players together in the bleachers on opening night — Opening night, 2023.

The details

Tournament at a glance

When

Friday May 28, Saturday May 29 and Sunday May 30, 2027. No games on Memorial Day.

Divisions

8U, 10U, 12U and 14U. A Class B tournament.

Format

Four-game guarantee, USA Softball rules, no gate fees. Blue and Red bracket play in every division, including 8U, with trophies and medals for first and second in each.

Cost

$650 per team. The Lassa Memorial Home Run Derby runs Saturday evening, $20 per player.

Park Ridge is near O'Hare and Rosemont. Rosters and certificates of insurance are due through TourneyMachine by 5:00 PM on April 30, 2027. The full rule set is available on request; email prpistolstravel@gmail.com.

Level of play

How we keep it a B tournament

Teams enter this tournament expecting a B field, so we protect it rather than leaving it to chance.

A level programs are not welcomeWe define an A program as one that advertises itself as A level, openly recruits players from multiple communities, trains and plays twelve months a year, and is built for players who are not multi-sport athletes. We reserve the right to remove a team found to be an A program, with a refund less a $100 administrative fee. If you are not sure where your team sits, email us before registering and we will make a determination.
C level teams are welcome, with a warningWe define C level as house all-star travel teams. You are welcome to register, but you should expect to struggle against the competition.
Rosters are locked and verifiableRosters are submitted through TourneyMachine by April 30 and cannot be changed after that, with a 15 player limit and no player rostered on more than one team. We can request box scores to prove any rostered player is a regular member of your program, and any post-deadline addition must come with box scores showing the player is B level or below. Birth certificates must be available all weekend, and an eligibility violation can forfeit games or remove a team.

Saturday evening

The Lassa Memorial Home Run Derby

Every year, on the Saturday evening of the Ice Cream Classic, we hold the Lassa Memorial Home Run Derby.

Jon Lassa passed away unexpectedly in August 2024. He was the manager of our 14U Blue Pistols from the day the team formed, and he generously donated his time by coaching for over 20 seasons in the Park Ridge softball and baseball organization.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to know Jon as a colleague and a friend will tell you that no one cared more for his family or his team. He was the perfect blend of warm and compassionate, while also being principled, strong and fair.

Funds raised go directly to Jon's family: his wife Liz, his sons Jon Luke and Jayce, and his daughter Juliet.

A Pistols batting helmet and softball resting on a base

Donate to Jon's family

If you aren't able to take part in the derby but would still like to donate, you can do so directly on that page.

For visiting teams

What to expect

Park Ridge sits fifteen miles northwest of downtown Chicago and a short drive from O'Hare, so travel in is straightforward. The parks around the fields are good places to wait out a gap between games, and the town has more than one place to get a cone.

Three pool games run Friday and Saturday, then single elimination brackets on Sunday, seeded out of pool play. No new inning after 90 minutes in pool and bracket games, and no time limit on bracket championship games.

Entering a team

How to register

Registration for the 2027 tournament is open now. Entry is $650 per team and spots fill on a first-come basis. Payment is due at registration, and rosters and certificates of insurance are submitted through TourneyMachine by 5:00 PM on April 30, 2027.

Register here on TourneyMachine. To check whether your team fits our B level field before you enter, email Josh Chapman, Tournament Director, at prpistolstravel@gmail.com.

The Ice CreamClassic