Schedule of Pre-ISF Exhibition Games by International Teams Headed to Saskatoon at Al’s Fastball.
Archive for July, 2009
Pre-ISF Exhibition Game Schedule at Al’s Fastball
Saturday, July 11th, 2009Kiwis enjoying success, popularity overseas
Friday, July 10th, 2009
(click banner for original news story)
By BILL WALKER , SUN TIMES SPORTS EDITOR
It’s rare that any three-time defending world champions can walk down the streets of their hometowns without creating a stir. Yet the New Zealand Black Sox men’s fastball team might be bigger celebrities abroad than at home.
While the national team plays to packed houses in Canada and the U. S., fastball is far off the mainstream radar in New Zealand.
“The softball people at home recognize our players, but they’re the only ones, which is an unfortunate thing we have to deal with at home,” Kiwi team manager Wayne Small said prior to his side’s exhibition doubleheader with the Owen Sound Verge Senior Selects.
“Fastball has been in the decline, much like in Canada. We’re competing against cricket, which is a big national sport in New Zealand, and touch rugby, which is becoming more and more popular. Softball New Zealand is trying to develop new strategies to build the game.”
The New Zealand national team is playing 14 exhibition games in Ontario in preparation for the 2009 International Softball Federation world championship July 17 to 26 in Saskatoon.
The Ontario tour is a necessity for the Kiwis because it’s currently winter in New Zealand.
“We’ve had five of our boys playing offshore in Japan and the States during your ball season, and the rest of the boys have elected to stay at home and train,” said Small.
New Zealand will be challenged in Saskatoon by Canada, the U. S., Australia and Japan.
“Everyone wants to knock you off when you’re at the top but we look at it as our motivation to maintain our world ranking,” said Small. “We’re going there to win it and not defend it. Hopefully about 4:30 (p. m.) on the 26th of July, we’ll have the answer that we’re after.”
The Kiwi side is led by former Major League Baseball prospect Travis Wilson, a second baseman who spent time in the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds organizations.
There’s also first-baseman Jarrad Martin, who is a stalwart with the Broken Bow Gremlins. Centrefielder Thomas Makea and young left-fielder Ben Enoka also help power the offense.
The Kiwis hit five home runs off the Selects in a five-inning 12-2 win in yesterday’s opener.
Wilson led the attack with a two-run homer and five RBIs. Patrick Shannon also had a two-run homer for New Zealand while Donnie Hale, Nathan Nukunuku and Rhys Casley added solo shots.
Marty Grant earned the win while Andy Skelton, Jamie Simpson and Andrew Scott all pitched for Owen Sound. Skelton was two-for-two for Owen Sound with a two-run homer. Game 2 details were unavailable.
South African Side Heads for Saskatoon
Friday, July 10th, 2009SA softball squad heads for Canada
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TOMMY Kgomo, coach of the national softball team Simunye, says they intend using the International Softball Federation’s World Series in Saskatoon, Canada, next week to improve their world ranking.
The South Africans are ranked 15th and can move to the 10th spot if they reach the semifinal stage of the showpiece.
The event kicks off on July 17 and the final will be played 11 days later in Saskatoon. In their final preparations for the event, Simunye won two of three friendly matches against Botswana last weekend.
“ We have been playing well in our preparatory matches and I don’t see why we should struggle in Canada,†Kgomo said yesterday. “We have been in this tournament before and we know what will be required of us to deliver.â€
Simunye will be led by veteran campaigners such as Tyran Young, Moses “Vasna†Molaba, Greg Barrette and Anthony Carr. – Matome Lebea
Boys of Summer Tournament – Without Circle Tap
Friday, July 10th, 2009
Circle Tap tournament goes on without Circle Tap team
Andrew Pekarek
Press-Gazette correspondent
DENMARK — It’s going to be a bittersweet weekend for Darren Derricks.
The owner of the Circle Tap bar in Denmark this weekend is hosting the 10th annual Boys of Summer open fastpitch softball tournament, which features 12 teams made up of some the best players from around the world.
But Circle Tap won’t be one of them.
The local squad isn’t playing anywhere this summer, dismantling because of high costs to field a team and limited interest by younger players to join it.
Circle Tap’s biggest rival, Townline of Green Bay, also isn’t playing this season.
“The sport is definitely declining,” Derricks said. “But hopefully, somehow it turns around.”
Besides being the team’s main sponsor, Derricks, 37, also played 13 years for Circle Tap. He plans on bringing the team back next year, but this season, he’s just a spectator.
“This will be the tough one because it’s our home tournament,” he said.
Circle Tap began playing in 1994, quickly going from a local team to a world power and winning the American Softball Association national championship in 2006.
“When we started, it was completely local,” said Dean Kane, who was a player and coach. “When we finally finished, we were probably half local and half out of the area, which at the elite level is actually a pretty local team.”
Kane, 34, began playing fastpitch softball when he was 14 for lower-level teams in Denmark, but said there aren’t many teams or leagues like that in the area anymore to develop younger players.
“A lot of them are just going to play slowpitch and coed (softball) because it’s just a lot easier game,” Kane said.
Chris DeLarwelle, 41, who played for Circle Tap since 2002 and will be playing for The Farm of Madison at this weekend’s tournament, doesn’t see a lot of younger baseball players adapting to fast-pitch, either.
“Our sport’s dying because too many people find it too difficult and they quit,” DeLarwelle said. “That’s why guys my age can still play, because no one’s pushing us out of the game.
“It’s a good sport for a lot of kids who are midlevel baseball players to come over to fastpitch and refine their skills there and become very good, but I don’t know if kids are willing to put the time in anymore.”
Bryan Hansen, 25, was the second youngest player on Circle Tap’s roster the last two seasons and one of the few who is sticking with the sport after playing baseball at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Hansen will be playing this weekend for The Bar of Green Bay, which along with The Bar of Appleton, give the tournament some local flavor.
“A lot of guys that make the transition from baseball to fastpitch are not really prepared to strike out as much,” Hansen said. “It’s a faster game, and you’re playing against people from Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, that grow up playing the sport.
“The U.S. is just so far behind developing pitchers and players because we start so late.”
Fans will get a taste of the international style of play because the Argentina national team will be at the tournament again this year.
The team was a big draw last year, according to Derricks, and features pitcher Juan Pottoluccio, who played for Circle Tap.
The tournament also will feature elite squads from six states and one from Canada.
Those squads also need a sponsor that is willing to pay for travel and other expenses, which is hard to come by with the current economy.
“You may see guys staying closer to home and playing on lower-level teams,” Kane said about the effects of elite teams possibly folding. “It could revive the game at the local level, not only here, but everywhere.”
“It’s a double-edge sword,” said DeLarwelle, who will also play for the U.S. national team next week at the International Softball Federation World Championship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “If you don’t have people willing to spend the money, you’re not going to get the best competition.”
Additional Facts
Boys of Summer kicks off tonight
The Boys of Summer men’s fastpitch softball tournament starts at 6 p.m. today, and the championship game will be at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Games will be played at Circle Tap and Denmark Memorial Park.
Maccabiah Games in Israel Begin Monday
Friday, July 10th, 2009From Fastpitch.us
Backsoftball Campaign Focuses On Israel As Athletes Prepare For Maccabiah Games
Written By: Fastpitch.US
Ramat Gan, Israel: Softball players from around the world are finalizing their preparations for the 18th Maccabiah Games which begin in Israel on Monday, reinforcing the universal popularity of the sport as the BackSoftball campaign continues making an impact.
Softball teams from three continents will take part in the Men’s and Women’s Open and Master’s competitions at the Maccabiah Games, with almost 7,500 athletes taking part at what is considered to be the third largest sports event in the world.
Softball first joined the quadrennial Maccabiah Games programme in 1981 and this year there will be 31 sports taking part. Teams from Argentina, Canada, Israel, Mexico, USA, and Venezuela will participate in this year’s softball competition.
The Israel Softball Association will be promoting the BackSoftball campaign during the softball competitions, highlighting the work they have been doing in the region in recent years as well as activity this month by two of their national teams.
A number of programs have been developed by the ISA, including junior coaching workshops, which are implemented through the use of Physical Education teachers and after-school programs.
International Softball Federation President Don Porter said, “The Maccabiah Games have been a notable date on the softball calendar for many years now and we are proud to continue being a part of them. Our sport is a part of 15 different multi-sports Games and this one is truly unique because men and women from a range of age groups get to take part. This is a perfect example of our sport being accessible to a wide-range of participants.â€
Also in that country, Israel’s women’s national softball team is currently getting ready for the 11-nation VIII European Championship Women “B,†which begins on July 27 in Belgium. This comes on the heels of a third-place finish last week by one of their other national teams at another regional event, the VI European Championship Junior Boys, held in the Czech Republic.
The ISF is committed to growing the sport worldwide in a bid to target new players at every level, with particular focus on women and youth.
Softball’s exemplary anti-doping record in top level competition is further reason why softball is becoming so popular throughout the world.
Softball was first featured in the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and last year’s competition in Beijing was very successful with a total attendance close to 180,000 and a continuation of the sport’s excellent record of no positive doping tests at any of the four Summer Olympics that the sport has been a part of.
A final decision on which sports will be added to the current roster of 26 at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will be made at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen in October this year.
Editor’s note: Our friends David Blackburn and Kenny Schwartz are among the athletes in Israel for the Maccabiah games.
Still Hammer-time in the ISC II
Friday, July 10th, 2009
Waterdown Hammer ranked #1 heading into 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions
July 10, 2009 – Waterdown Hammer will carry the weight of the top seed into the 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions.
The Hammer topped Ottawa Team Easton Thunder and Port Elgin Blue Devils in the final set of rankings.
Rounding out the top five are Ashland Stock Pack and K-W Cubs.
The top 10 are as follows including previous ranking in brackets:
1. Waterdown, ON Hammer (1)
2. Ottawa, ON Team Easton Thunder (3)
3. Port Elgin, ON Blue Devils (4)
4. Ashland, OH Stock Pack (2)
5. K-W, ON Cubs (5)
6. Kitchener, ON Outlaws (11)
7. Bridgeport, ON Braves (7)
8. Portland, OR Columbia River Rockers (9)
9. Elmira, ON Expos (6)
10. Dundas, ON CPI Classics (8)
To see the full list, visit the ISC II section in the ISC website at www.iscfastpitch.com.
The rankings will form the basis of seeding for the 2009 ISC II Tournament of Champions.
For more information, please contact:
Blair Setford
ISC II Commissioner
blairjs ( at ) rogers.com
Vancouver Challenge Gets Underway Tonight
Friday, July 10th, 2009National Teams from Great Britain, Denmark and Japan among teams in Vancouver for Challenge
(click logo to visit official Vancouver Grey Sox website)
Vancouver, BC
The 8th Annual Vancouver Challenge Mens FP Tournament is but a few hours away, with a promising weather forecast throughout the weekend of sunny skies and seasonal summer temperatures.
This year’s field of teams includes the host Grey Sox who will be joined by past Vancouver Challenge participants, the Vancouver, BC South Hill Giants and the Vernon, BC DC Arrows . First time attendees at the event include the National Teams of Japan, Denmark and Great Britain, who will use the tournament as a tune up for the upcoming ISF Mens World Championship which commences next weekend in Saskatoon. Other first time participants at the Challenge also include the Kamloops, BC Blazers and the Sooke, BC Junior A’s. We wish to thank and acknowledge the Sooke organization lead by Kevin Maycock for graciously joining the event at the very late stages replacing the Portland, OR CR Rockers who unexpectedly withdrew from the competition.
Action commences Friday evening with with the opening game scheduled for 6:30 pm, and a second game that evening set for 8:15 pm. Saturday has a full slate of games commencing at 8:00 am with the last game of the day scheduled to start at 9:00 pm. Sunday action again commences at 8:00 am with the Championship final set for 4:00 pm. All games will be played at South Memorial Park in Vancouver (41st Avenue East between Knight and Fraser streets in Vancouver). Gate admission for the weekend is $6.00 per day or $12.00 for a tournament pass, children 12 and under are free. The entire weekend draw is enclosed. We will be providing regular updates throughout the weekend.
Red Pool
Vancouver, BC Grey Sox
Great Britain National Team
Kamloops, BC Blazers
Vernon, BC DC Arrows
BLUE POOL
Japan National Team
Sooke, BC Junior A’s
Vancouver, BC South Hill Giants
Denmark National Team
FRIDAY, July 10, 2009
6:30 p.m. Great Britain vs. Vancouver Grey Sox
8:15 p.m. Denmark vs. Vancouver South Hill
SATURDAY, July 11, 2009
8:00 a.m. Japan vs. Sooke
9:45 a.m. Vancouver Grey Sox vs. Vernon
10:00 a.m. Great Britain vs. Kamloops – SW Diamond
11:30 a.m. Japan vs. Denmark
11:45 a.m. Sooke vs Vancouver South Hill – SW Diamond
1:15 p.m. Great Britain vs Vernon
3:30 p.m. Japan vs. Vancouver South Hill
3:30 p.m. Kamloops vs. Vernon – SW Diamond
5:15 p.m. Vancouver Grey Sox vs. Kamloops
5:15 p.m. Sooke vs. Denmark – SW Diamond
PLAYOFFS – SATURDAY, July 11, 2009
P1 7:00 p.m. – R3 vs B4 – loser eliminated – winner to P3
P2 9:00 p.m. – R4 vs B3 – loser eliminated – winner to P4
SUNDAY – July 12, 2009
P3 8:00 a.m. winner P1 vs. R2 – loser eliminated – winner to P5
P4 10:00 a.m. winner P2 vs B2 – loser eliminated – winner to P6
P5 12:00 noon winner P3 vs B1 – loser eliminated – winner to P7
P6 2:00 p.m. winner P4 vs. R1 – loser eliminated – winner to P7
P7 4:00 pm – Championship Final
Larry Kancs
President
Vancouver Grey Sox
www.vancouvergreysox.com
One Week ‘Til ISF XII World Men’s Softball Championships
Friday, July 10th, 2009
(click logo to visit the official ISF XII World Championships website)
Media Release
Re: ISF XII World Men’s Softball Championship
We are only one week away from Day One of the International Softball Federation XII Men’s World Championship. The opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, July 17, at what may well be Canada’s premier softball stadium, Bob Van Impe Stadium.
An expected capacity crowd of approximately 7500 of Canada’s most knowledgeable softball fans as well as supporters of the sport from other countries will take in a proud moment in Saskatoon’s sport history. Dignitaries will include Softball Canada President Kevin Quinn, ISF President Don Porter, and special guest Mike Chambers, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee. This is a major boost for softball as the sport is presently in a competition for reinstatement into the 2016 Olympic Games.
Local fans will appreciate the involvement of Canada’s first three members of the ISF Hall of Fame who all hail from Saskatoon: Bob Van Impe, Gene McWillie, and Ed Bitz. Hometown hero Trevor Ethier will return to the diamond just blocks away from where he grew up playing softball to play for Canada, and he will be called upon to give the athletes’ oath.
Following the ceremony, fans will be treated to two great games featuring four of the top seven ranked teams in the world. At 7:00 p.m. local time, second-ranked Canada will take on seventh-ranked Argentina, who is likely to pitch Lucas Mata, one of the best pitchers in the world and presently playing tournaments with the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors. The second game features the two winningest countries in ISF Men’s World Championship history, the United States playing the three-time defending champion New Zealand.
Tavistock Hosts International Tournament – July 11-12
Friday, July 10th, 2009
By Pat Payton
Sports Editor
TAVISTOCK – Here this weekend, July 11-12, four teams will be taking part in an Invitational men’s fastball tournament. They include: the New Zealand’s national team, Jarvis, St. Thomas, and a combined squad made up of Kitchener Rivershark Twins and Sebringville Sting players.
All the action starts Saturday morning. Playoff games are on Sunday, with the final slated for 2 p.m.
For New Zealand, it’s a tune-up for the ISF world fastball championship in Saskatoon, July 17-26.
Before they also head to Western Canada, the Australian national men’s team, meanwhile, completes a busy schedule of exhibition games this week at Arand Field (arena) in Milverton.
Tonight (Thursday, July 9), Australia plays Millbank Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. On Friday, July 10, Australia plays Elmira Expos in a doubleheader at 7 and 9 p.m. On Saturday, July 11, another twinbill features Australia against Port Elgin Blue Devils at 2 and 4 p.m.
On Sunday, July 12, there is a Milverton Softball Reunion celebration game at 2 p.m.
• Kitchener Rivershark Twins won their first Monkton championship this past weekend in the sixth annual World Fastball Invitational tournament.
Twins, featuring local players such as Jody Eidt, Derek Shackleton, Don Scott and Dave Bailey, went undefeated in the four-day, eight-team tourney. One of the teams in Monkton was the New Zealand national men’s team.
Kitchener defeated the Midwest Stampede, from Iowa, 5-0 in Sunday’s championship final.
St. Marys native Dale Levy, a member of the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors Black Sox, won the popular Easton home run derby for the second year in a row.
One of the umpires was Paul Baier. It was the fourth World Fastball Invitational for the Stratford umpire, whose credentials include three Canadian championships, one Canada Summer Games, two ISC worlds and several provincial championships.
Last October, Baier earned his Level 5 designation status from Softball Canada, the second-highest level an umpire can attain. The only level left is ISF accreditation, and he’ll be going for that next year. It entitles an umpire to do International Softball Federation (ISF) worlds and Olympics.
Editor’s note: Stratford is a beautiful small town about a half hour from Monkton, which housed many of the Monkton guests, on the road from Monkton to Kitchener. It resembles a small English village, and hosts an annual Shakespeare Festival each year. Watch for Maddy’s photos from the Monkton weekend due out soon.
Senior Selects earn split with Aussies
Friday, July 10th, 2009
Senior Selects earn split with Aussies
face New Zealand tonight
Posted By THE SUN TIMES
The Owen Sound Verge Senior Selects earned a split with the Australian National Team after downing the visitors 3-2 in the nightcap Tuesday in men’s fastball exhibition action.
Adam Dearborn had two solo homers for Owen Sound while Matt Lyon had one solo shot.
Andy Skelton earned the win for Owen Sound, allowing four hits and five walks while striking out four in five-and-two-third innings. Jamie Simpson gave up a hit and a walk in an inning-and-a-third of relief.
Former Scenic City Automotive Crunch pitcher Andrew Kirkpatrick was tagged for the loss in allowing three hits — all homers — while striking out 12 over five innings.
Adam Humble allowed a hit while striking out for in two innings of relief.
Australia won the opener Tuesday 8-1 in a five-inning game.
Owen Sound hosts the three-time defending world champion New Zealand Black Sox tonight. Game 1 of the doubleheader gets underway at 7 p. m. at Duncan McLellan Park.
Both the Aussies and the Kiwis are touring Ontario and playing a series of exhibition games in preparation for the 2009 International Softball Federation world championships which run July 17 to 28 in Saskatoon.