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On August 25, 26, 2007 Sport Hamilton partnered for the second year in a row to host the PWSA (Provincial Women's Softball Association) Novice Select Girls Houseleague fastpitch tournament for girls 15 years of age and under.
This event was hosted at Ancaster Community Centre and featured 12 teams from across the province. (This was 3 more teams than the previous year). Counting players, parents, friends, umpires, supporters and volunteers, over 250 people were involved, many first time visitors to the Hamilton area.
For many of the players at this tournament, it was not only their first tournament, but their first tournament away from home and their first Provincial Championship Experience. They were not going to take this chance lightly as they played their hearts out (despite numerous delays from heavy rain which saw the schedule adjusted several times) and we saw some great fastpitch softball played.
Despite the heavy, torrential rain on Saturday, the volunteers managed to get the diamonds playable and the tournament was able to finish on Sunday as planned. It just goes to show how valuable volunteers are in time of need/crisis.
When the dust settled, Linda Turton (executive member of the PWSA) handed out the Medals. Dundas won the gold medal, Whitby Silver and there was a tie for third with both Orleans and Pickering taking the Bronze medal. The parents, fans, umpires were all treated to a chorus of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by the members of the Dundas and Whitby teams as a thankyou for the support they had received all weekend. Sport Hamilton would like to thank the following for their help in making this tournament a great success: The City of Hamilton, Tourism Hamilton, Ancaster Little League, John Mah and family, Rawlings/Worth Canada, The PWSA, Stephanie Sutton from Softball Ontario for putting a great umpiring crew together, the Ontario Fencing Association and Cathy Miller for their contributions, the many other volunteers whom manned the BBQ, dragged and lined the diamonds (even bailing out the diamonds at times). All of the above helped make the tournament and stay for the players a resounding success. Sport Hamilton has applied to the PWSA to once again co-host one of their Select Houseleague tournaments in 2008. Yours in Sport Kellie Hinnells, John Mah and Doug Parry (co- convenors) |
