On Sunday, May 29, the Port Alberni U12 Blazers fastball team brought home a gold medal from the first tournament of the year.
Held in Sooke, the girls brought more experience that they gained over the year.
“Last year was our first year to be in tournaments, so it was an eye-opener,” said coach Rob Langlois. “We came in this year with a different approach and developed pitching and skills right from how to throw and catch properly. We also did team building with bottle drives and got a sponsor for new jerseys.”
The first day of the tournament was a good start when the Blazers won two of two games against Sooke and Gordon Head. They kept the momentum the following day with wins in a round robin against Langford and Lake Hill.
“The first game in the semi-finals against Cordova Bay was a nail-biter,” Langlois said. “They had an extremely fast pitcher, but the girls hung in there and won 3-2 with one run near the end.”
The team faced Gordon Head again in the final game for the gold medal.
“They were riding a high after beating Cordova Bay and beat Gordon Head 12-0,” Langlois said.
“On the way home they were super excited and super tired. Four games on Sunday took a lot out of them but they were happy because they have worked hard to get to where they are.”
He said the girls know the importance of supporting each other through the highs and lows and are now prepared for this weekend’s home tournament. Games start on Saturday at 10 a.m. on Echo Minor field and Langlois expects it to be just as exciting.
“Sooke Minor Fastball puts on such a great event,” he said. “They do such a great job for such a little organization.”