The Melfort U16A Spirit getting set for play in the Saskatoon 'A' League (Facebook/Melfort Minor Softball Association - MMSA).

By Aaron Schulze

No Hard Feelings in Softball

Softball programs eager to continue playing, despite championship cancellations

Aug 8, 2020 | 3:15 PM

Nationals, Westerns, and now provincials.

The best softball programs in the province won’t determine which ones amongst themselves are the best in 2020, after Softball Saskatchewan announced all provincial championships would be cancelled. Softball Saskatchewan said on Aug. 5 that tournaments are not allowed under the current provincial health guidelines amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite a lack of medals to look forward to at the end of the season compared to previous years, the eagerness to play ball hasn’t curved down one bit.

“We have some committed athletes and families in our program,” Melfort Minor Softball Association (MMSA) President Kirk Kezema said. “Most of our program is ‘A’ ball. When you start playing that level, a lot of these athlete’s train really hard to compete and the families are committed. They’re looking for opportunities to play and they’re continuing to provide opportunities to their kids.

“It’s unfortunate and disappointing we don’t have the championship events… over the years we’ve sent teams to Western Canadians and last year we sent our first team to Nationals. Those types of events are wonderful to attend and we work hard to get to those events in our program. We also want to practice and follow the rules that are being laid out. If that’s what’s being asked of us and that’s what the government needs to keep everybody safe, I think it’s important that we all do our part and stay home and practice social distancing where necessary.”

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In the MMSA’s case, the program’s competitive teams – U12, U14, U16, and U19 – are all running. Teams from U12 to U16 are competing in the Saskatoon A League, while all age groups have played exhibition games just for the sake of playing.

The Saskatoon League is expected wrap up near the end of August and Kezema said the Spirit teams will play a few more exhibition games until the end of the season as well. He added a lot of the players will shift focus to winter programs for offseason training, before the Spirit teams hold tryouts in January.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow