The athletes who are part of the Estevan Girls Softball Association have been practising since early May to get ready for games, and now they’re enjoying league play.
The association started league games on June 1, two days after Phase 1 kicked in for the Re-open Saskatchewan Road Map that allowed for league games in outdoor team sports to begin.
It was welcome news for the association and other outdoor team sports in the province.
“We started our season … at the same time that we normally would have in a regular year, but we just followed all of the restrictions with only practising, having eight per group and not being able to intermingle teams or play any games,” said Becca Foord, a board member and coach who is in charge of marketing and social media for the association.
Approximately 135 kids are registered for this year, which is close to the 150-160 they would have in a normal year. There were a lot who decided not to join this year due to the previous restrictions, Foord said, but the association did bring in some new players.
Teams are signed up in learn to play, under-12, U14 and U16-19 leagues.
Estevan teams will be playing games in their Borderline League, facing squads from communities east of the city. The season will last six weeks, and conclude in mid-July.
There will also be provincials this year, and Estevan Girls Softball expects to have teams in three different age groups.
Parents have been stepping up to help out this year, Foord said. Softball Saskatchewan has introduced an app for coaches with practice plans, helpful tips for running teams and other information that can be accessed on a phone. And there will be a mentorship program eventually in which the older girls come and help out with the younger girls.
