Expanded Oneida County STOP-DWI Classic Debuts This Weekend

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today, that for the first time, the annual Oneida County STOP-DWI Baseball Classic will be expanded to include softball when the first pitch is thrown on May 12^th.

“For nine years, the STOP-DWI Baseball Classic has served as a catalyst for raising awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs among student athletes and their families,” Picente said. “This year, we are happy to incorporate softball into this great event and reach an even bigger audience which we can educate on health and safety issues. Our partnership with Hamilton College, and its top-of-the-line sporting facility, has allowed us to expand this event and I thank them for helping us take it to the next level.” 

The First Annual Oneida County STOP-DWI Baseball & Softball Classic will take place May 12th and 13th at the Loop Road Baseball/Softball Complex at Hamilton College in Clinton and feature the following matchups. (Baseball and softball matchups are played at the same time on different fields.)

Friday, May 12, 2023 

• Vernon-Verona-Sherrill vs. Holland Patent at 4:30 p.m. 

Saturday, May 13, 2023 

• Oriskany vs. Westmoreland at 10 a.m.
• New Hartford vs. Notre Dame at 1 p.m.
• Adirondack vs. Clinton at 4 p.m.

 The following educational stations will be available to students and attendees at the event:

• Oneida County Sheriff’s Office —The Dangers of Texting & Driving
• Oneida County Health Department — Food for Fuel & Energize the Body
• New York State Police — The Importance of Seatbelts
• New York State Department of Transportation — The Dangers of Work Zone & Pedestrian Driving Safety
• Center for Family Life & Recovery — How Mental Health Impacts Physical Well-Being
• Helio Health — Dangers of Opioids & Synthetic Drugs

All participating student athletes will also sign the county’s “Don’t Text & Drive Pledge.”

The free event is a joint venture between the Oneida County Youth Bureau and the Oneida County STOP-DWI program, which provides ongoing education to local school districts throughout the year.

Sponsors for the First Annual Oneida County STOP-DWI Baseball & Softball Classic include

Cliff’s Local Market, Cooperstown Bat, First Source Federal Credit Union, JDE Computer Staffing, Inc., Mohawk Valley Community College, Preferred Mutual, Tents Plus and WURTH.