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Melfort Spirit hopes team-building leads to provincial championship

Jul 13, 2018 | 5:00 PM

A few days before the biggest of their season, the U-14 A Melfort Spirit girls’ softball team practiced a skill they’ve worked on as much as any drill – team building.

Head coach Cheryl Hunt told northeastNOW her team started the season doing mental toughness training to improve perseverance and determination, with a focus on team building, and that has continued throughout the year.

“We have a group from a variety of communities, so this is important for kids to get to know each other and build team momentum,” Hunt said. “We’re all driving separate directions home, but when we’re together we work as one unit.”

Throughout the course of the season, Hunt said the Spirit played well, sometimes exceeding expectations of the coaching staff.

The Spirit started their year at the Saskatoon Presidents Tournament, and although they didn’t end up making semi-finals, the Spirit won one game via the mercy rule, which seemed to get their season rolling. After more trips to Regina and North Battleford, the Spirit finished their tournament season at home in the Melfort 222’s Fastpitch Shootout. The locals made it to the finals but fell short against a team from Saskatoon.

The Spirit will play their first game of the U14 ‘A’ Girls Softball Provincial Championship Friday at noon against the Saskatoon Raiders, a team they haven’t played yet.

Hunt said every game and run is important, with teams only being able to make the semi-finals by finishing first in their pool during the group stage.

 

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow