Ellicott City residents Dutch Detwiler, Tom Potter and Joe Herr are gearing up for the Senior Softball-USA Tournament of Champions held next month in Lakeland, Fla.

All are members of the High Street Bucs 55 plus Senior Softball Team, which has earned such titles as the Atlantic Coast Championship of the International Senior Softball Association (ISSA), Crabtown Classic Senior Softball Championship, the International Senior Softball Association World Championship, the Amateur Softball Association National Championship and the ISSA Winter Nationals Championship.

"At our age, someone usually gets hurt," joked Herr, 56.

The team is coached by Pat Carey, 60, of Reisterstown. He was an original member of the High Street Bucs when the team started in 1968. It got its name from High Street in Baltimore where many of the players worked at the time.

Carey is now responsible for player line-up of each game, recruitment, scheduling and fundraising. Tournaments bring the team to locations in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and throughout Maryland.

In every tournament except for one, the team battled through the losers bracket in double elimination format. At the Amateur Softball Association National Championship, held in Burlington, N.C., last summer, the team played five elimination games in a row, all in one day, in 90-degree temperatures.

Detwiler, 62, has been playing with High Street off and on for about 10 years.

"I have played ball the last 40 years but I have never played with such a group that was so team oriented. In this team, it's all about the team."

Detwiler is a retired U.S. Secret Service law enforcement officer who currently manages the Rocky Gorge Batting Cages in Laurel. He was recently elected into the Maryland Slow Pitch Softball Hall of Fame. He was also named to the All-World and all-American Teams and took offensive player honors at two tournaments. He led the team's 115 run output during five games in the ASA National Championship series.

Potter, 56, a retired U.S. Airway employee, is the team's shortstop. He was named Most Valuable Player for the ISSA Winter Nationals held in Virginia Beach, Va.

"At this age, I am fortunate enough to be able to compete at this level and with such a talented group of athletes," Potter said.

Herr retired in 2009 as Howard County's fire chief.

He played baseball in high school and after, in the Babe Ruth American League and began playing recreational softball when he was 21.

"As I got older, I didn't play as much," he said. "This year was the most I played in 20 years. It really has been a lot of fun," Herr said.

He enjoys the competitive spirit he shares with his teammates.

"The team is a good bunch of guys. Even when we lose, we don't worry much about it," he said. "We don't have anybody complaining and wining to the point that it's detrimental."

Teammates often joke around about who has the most aches and pains, Herr said.

"I think we are always sore. We carry every kind of possible support brace there is."

Players may not be able to run as fast or throw as well as they once did, but "they all seem to hit the ball just as hard," he said.

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