There was a lot of ball being played in town last weekend.
While the bantam Trappers girls team hosted their own year-end tournament at Jewell Ball Park, two mosquito teams were doing the same over at the Jubilee Diamonds.
The Red and Grey Athabasca Trappers both took to the field on Saturday for their final games of the year.
They were joined at the tournament by teams from Westlock, Barrhead, Dapp, Redwater, and Legal, and approximately 90 players between the ages of nine and eleven took part.
For the Red Trappers, who won the ‘D’ final, the event was fun and a great way to say goodbye to a fun season of ball.
“The kids had a fantastic year,” said head coach Carmen Jensen-Tebb.
“They’ve made lots of improvements. They’re not the same team we started with. All of them are ball players.”
The tournament would have been enjoyable no matter where it was held, but playing on their home diamond in front of their friends and families was a special treat for them, according to the coach.
“It was a hoot for them. It was good to play here because it gave them a little home field advantage.”
The Grey Trappers also enjoyed that advantage, and they made it all the way to the ‘B’ final, which they lost to Westlock B.
But that didn’t mean they finished the season on a losing note.
“They played really well and they’ve come a long way,” said head coach Lisa Day.
They all learned plenty of new skills throughout the season, but the coach placed far more emphasis on enjoyment than she did on runs scored.
“Did you have fun? Then you’re a winner,” she explained. “They’re having a lot of fun.”
With a packed ball diamond and a great atmosphere at the year-end tournament, all of the kids no doubt felt like winners when they came off the field with lots of great memories of 2011.
