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Batter up for Alberni boy at BC Summer Games

Twelve-year-old Alan Charlesworth is the only player from Port Alberni on his team, which is headed to the BC Summer Games.
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Alan Charlesworth

If pedigree is any measure, then Alan Charlesworth is a blue blood chip off the old block.

The 12-year-old Grade 8 student from AW Neill is the only Port Alberni boy on the 12-player roster of a team competing in the BC Summer Games next week.

Tryouts were held six weeks ago in Nanaimo and Charlesworth gave it his best shot and made it. “I was kind of surprised at first and then I was happy. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and I made it,” he said.

His accomplishment is even more noteworthy considering most of the most comes from either Sooke or Langley.

Several Port Alberni residents are competing in the games in sports such as wrestling, rugby and track and field.

Charlesworth’s father is Al Charlesworth senior. Born and raised in the Alberni Valley, Al senior played first base on the Port Machine Huskies and Arlington Hotel Juniors, both teams of which captured BC junior titles in the early 1980’s. His brother Terry Charlesworth was a skilled softball player of note as well.

Alan is multi-skilled and can pitch, play shortstop or second base. He played softball this season in Port Alberni for Traffic Storm, a team coached by Christine Forbes and Mona Charlesworth.

Alan has a practice on Wednesday and is then leaving for Cloverdale (where the games are being played) on Thursday morning. The team’s first game is on Friday morning and the finals are on Sunday afternoon.

He lived on Galiano Island with his parents and sister but moved to Port Alberni where his father is from in 2006 for more sports opportunities. He took up the game shortly afterward.

“I was in Grade 2. I used to watch my cousin play and it looked like fun so I joined,” he said.

His goal at the games is to play as best as he can and enjoy the experience.

He doesn’t have to look very far for a role model when it comes to softball. “I hope to be good enough to play college ball like my cousin Jen (Charlesworth),” he said.

Other Alberni athletes competing at the BC Summer Games include: for track and field,  Heather Cruikshank, Jesse Law, Rylee Mitchell,  Thompson Weegar, Nathaniel Wynans, Tim Wynans.

For rugby  Keanna Mullen, Kate Schievink, Whitnie Senger.

For wrestling Nolan Badovinic, Eryk Cardinal, Sheldon Haddad, Dean Leyland, Maureen Messenger, Jesse Wagner, Jordan Wagner, Remi Wells, Marlow Mathieson, Heather Morrison, Jorge Patterson, and Adrianna Todesco.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com

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