ISC Saddened by Passing of Two-Time Legends MVP Ward Gosse
Blair Setford • January 20, 2025
Ward Gosse 1968-2025
The ISC is saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Newfoundland native Ward Goss and we offer our deepest sympathies to Ward's family, teammates and friends.
Ward had a long and distinguished fastball career, being inducted into the Softball Newfoundland & Labrador Hall of Fame in 2014. At the National level, Ward played on 15 Provincial teams winning 6 Medals: 1 Gold, 3 Silver & 2 Bronze and was named to the All-Tournament Team on three occasions.
Internationally, he was named to the ISC Second All-World Team as a Pitcher in 2006 with Kegel Black Knights and in 2007, he was named Second Team All-American at the ASA National Championship. In 2012, he was a member of the Parry Island Hawks team that captured the ISC II Championship and was named Tournament MVP and Most Outstanding Pitcher.
In the ISC Legends 50+ division, Ward was the MVP in both 2018 and 2022 as a member of the championship-winning Sudbury Relics team.
His accomplishments in the St. John's Men's Fastball League are legion, including Rookie of the Year in 1988, Sportsmanship & Ability in 2003, 1 Triple Crown of Batting, 2 Triple Crowns of Pitching, 7 Regular Season MVPs, 10 Playoff MVPs and 11 All-League Team Selections.
Ward was a multi-sport athlete and during the fastball offseason he demonstrated a love and talent for hockey. He played for 17 years in the Senior A St. John’s Senior Hockey League and was a member of 5 Herder championship teams in 1990, 1995, 1996, 2002, and 2005. He was top defensemen in the West Coast Senior Hockey League for the 2002-2003 season. In 2019, he was inducted in the Sport Newfoundland Hall of Fame.
Outside of his stellar athletic career, Ward served in municipal government and spent more than 20 years in the Real Estate and Financial Services industry after graduating from Memorial University. He grew up in Bay Roberts and lived in the scenic town of Torbay. Ward is survived by his wife Karen of over 28 years, and was a proud father of three beautiful children Cassidy, Samuel and Makay.
Ward's presence will be missed greatly on ballfields in Newfoundland, in Ontario and across North America.
The ISC is setting the entry fee for the World Tournament and Legends Championship at $750 US starting in 2026, with the differential from the previous charge of $600 dedicated to streaming to ensure coverage of every game. “This was not a decision that we made lightly to raise the entry fee,” said ISC President Chris Santos. “We want to ensure that every game played at the ISC World Tournament is streamed and we are putting every dollar of the fee increase into our streaming operation.” “Our plan is to work with our streaming partner Softball Premier TV to have full multi-camera coverage, including commentary, on two diamonds and cover the third and fourth diamonds with a single camera that is connected to GameChanger so fans will have the informative score ribbon,” said ISC VP Communications Blair Setford. “Streaming is one of the best tools that we have to get our great game in front of a broader audience and we need to take every available step to continue to grow our ISC brand of fastpitch,” said Santos. Businesses and other potential sponsors who would consider an ad on the ISC Network streaming program should contact Blair Setford through the ISC Website Contact Us page. In 2025, there were over 225,000 views on the Softball Premier and ISC Fastpitch YouTube pages just from the ISC World Tournament games.
This year, the International Softball Congress looks for new ways to enhance the ISC World Tournament and ISC Legends Tournament experience for players, coaches, officials, and fans. As part of that commitment, we are excited to launch the 2025 ISC Player Poll, open to every player who competed in this year’s World Tournament or Legends division. Your feedback is incredibly important to us. Whether it’s insights on facilities, scheduling, transportation, host city features, game operations, or anything else that shaped your tournament experience, your input directly helps the ISC and future tournament hosts raise the bar. 💬 100% Anonymous — Your Voice, Your Impact The survey is completely anonymous. We want honest, unfiltered responses from the athletes who know the event best — the ones on the field. Your perspective helps us identify what worked well, what needs improvement, and what can be introduced in the future to elevate the ISC experience for everyone. 🎯 Why Your Feedback Matters Player feedback is used to: Improve host selection and preparation Enhance facility and field requirements Refine scheduling, transportation, and accommodations Support host cities with real data from athletes Strengthen the overall competitive environment Continue building the standard of excellence ISC events are known for Your voice has the power to shape the future of the World Tournament and Legends division for years to come. 🔗 Complete the Poll You can fill out the 2025 Player Poll here: 👉 Click here to access the player poll Please take a few minutes to complete it. Your feedback matters — and it truly helps the ISC continue investing in the growth and excellence of men’s fastpitch softball. Thank you to every player who took the field this year. Your dedication, passion, and insight keep this sport moving forward.