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By Adam MacInnis
Northeastern Nova Scotia League
TRENTON – Baseball may be OK for other boys. Soccer may be a fine sport for other towns to specialize in, but for the town of Trenton, softball is tradition.
The Steeltown has a heritage of raising softball players and today is the only municipality in Pictou County that offers the sport to boys.
“Trenton is really the only softball for boys in Pictou County,” said Cindy MacKinnon who coaches a team with the town. “That’s telling us something.”
She, like a lot of people in Trenton, grew up playing softball and over the years has watched children and teens in the town take to the field.
“My family was familiar with softball, so that’s why Mike started the program seven years ago,” she said.
This summer registration is already as high as it was at its height last year with about 75 youth signed up. There will be teams for the Mite, Squirt and Peewee boys as well as Peewee girls. The season opens June 22.
The softball association strives to develop players through their Learn to Play program which focuses on the fundamentals of the sport such as throwing and catching.
MacKinnon’s 13-year-old son Jake plays on the Peewee team. He’s a pitcher and has been playing for about six years now.
His motivation is simple – “It’s fun,” he says.
His friend Brandon McKay, 12, agrees. “We get to hang out with friends and have great coaches,” he said. He doesn’t remember why he joined softball, but knows he wants to stick with it. “I just started to play it and I really like it,” he said. He thinks their team will be good this year. “We got a lot of good hitters and good catchers and a lot of good things about our team,” he said.
The Peewee boys will be competing in the Northeastern Nova Scotia League against East Hants, West Hants and Sheet Harbour.
Although it’s not too late to join, the Peewees will get their season underway this weekend when they host a double-header on Sunday against Sheet Harbour. The games start at 2 p.m.
“They’re excited to start Sunday.” MacKinnon said.
Because they are the only association with boys team in the county, Trenton will represent Pictou County in four provincials this year.
Last year the Peewee boys did a good job representing at provincials going 4-0 in the round-robin play.
MacKinnon attributes this to the closeness of the players who have played on school teams and participated in softball together for years. Kids who play sports and study together at the school find it natural to go to the softball field together, MacKinnon says.
On July 23 and 24 the Peewee boys will have their tournament.
Practice for Trenton softball players aged 11 and 12 will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Scotia Park field. Mite practice will be held at the Main Street field.
For more information call 752-4497.
Interested parents who would like to help are asked to attend as well.
