The Trappers squirts girls team from Athabasca Minor Ball played their last games of the season at a year-end tournament right here in town last weekend.
The team played host to the event at the Ag Society diamond, and team coach Kerry McNamara was pleased with both the outcome of the tournament and the performance of her team.
“They played their hearts out,” she said. “We’re the only team that doesn’t have overage players this year, and they played so well.”
There were six teams active at the tournament, two from Westlock and single teams from Jarvie, Legal and Barrhead.
There were no ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ winners as the focus of the tournament was on fun and recreation, according to the coach.
“At squirt level they’re still not playing full baseball. They’re still learning the game at this level,” she explained. “The focus is on fun and skill development.”
That development was particularly personified by two girls who had never picked up a ball before joining the team this year.
“You would have never known that by the end of the year,” raved the coach. “(All) the girls improved by leaps and bounds. They’re hitting the ball that much better, throwing that much harder. They had a phenomenal season.”
The coach also credited tournament sponsors Yonker’s Welding, Lincoln County Oilfield Services, Perpetual Energy, Canadian Tire, Rock Solid Concrete, Stengrim’s Concrete and Wiselka Inspection Services for helping provide the participation bracelets all the teams received as well as prizes and giveaways.
She also recognized the Ag Society for providing the team’s home diamond this year.
The season has just ended and already the coach is excited about the future.
“I’m excited to see what the next five years hold.”
