FORCE women’s sixteen-inch softball team evolved under the leadership of Coach and Founder, Allen Jenkins in 1979. This team of talented women from all neighborhoods of Chicago and the suburbs initially played at Garfield, Columbus, Franklin and Cabrini Parks. Season after season, FORCE dominated play and won league championships at these parks.
As the team grew in numbers and prestige, FORCE won league titles at Washington, Grant, Clyde, and Forest Parks. FORCE played and won several NSA and ASA State and National tournaments, including the televised Budweiser Classic at Grant Park. They also won local tournaments in Blue Island, Franklin Park, Country Club Hills, Cicero, Elgin and Harvey, IL.
FORCE competed and won various tournaments run by Les Duncan and Tom O’Neil. During their twenty years of play (1979-1999), many players from FORCE were named Tournament MVPs, All Star Team Members and several have already been inducted into the Chicago Sixteen-inch Softball Hall of Fame.
FORCE were mothers, students, teachers, laborers, administrators, bankers and executives from different professions who came together for The Love of The Game! There were several mother/daughter players and even little girls who grew up with FORCE and later became key players.
Some members of FORCE played with Mixed Company’s Sixteen-inch Softball Team, a team that has already been honored by the Hall of Fame.
Coaches
| Allen Jenkins | Leo Richmond | Willie Harrington |
| Juan Gayden | Henry Barber |
Team Members
| Jackie Anderson | Tracey Barber | Joanie Bass |
| Tracy “TJ” Booker-Black | Donna Floyd | Vickie Ivory Harbin |
| Johnnie Gains Hairston | Rosetta Henderson | Tara Huff |
| *Christine Hurrins | Faye Lola Jenkins | Connie Johnson Jenkins |
| Regina Towers King | Patty Lindsey | Sherry Lipscom |
| Renette McCurry | Robin Moore | Bridgette Nesbitt |
| *Margaret Olawoye | Gwendolyn Twig Polk | Jan Pope |
| *Lisa Pugh | Rachelle Richmond | Janice Roberts |
| Tamieka Roberts | Sherrick Robinson-Smith | Darnita Spragg |
| Chiquita “ChiChi” Thomas | Earnestine Walker | Shirley Wilbourn |
| Charlene Davis Williams | *Popati Wing | Francine |
* denotes an inductee of the Hall of Fame