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RANKIN INLET
The most laid back team in Rankin Inlet's Calm Air Cup softball tournament came to play on Aug. 11, not necessarily to win, but a surprise victory means there could be a future for the Longshots.

Longshots pitcher Ben Porter.

"That was a bit of a surprise to win a game," said team member Robert Connelly, "and I think a bit of a confidence booster as well, to say, 'Hey, if we can play this year, we can play next year and the year after that.'"

Many members of the team are part of an old-timers team called Kakivak that fell to the wayside a few years back because its members didn't have the time to dedicate to regular season play. This year, Connelly and his wife, Veronica Tattuinee, rallied a bunch of Kakivak alumni, and anyone else who wanted to play, to get together and enter the Calm Air Cup with no real intention to win any games, but instead to just go out and have fun. With only one practice leading up to the games, it wasn't as big of a time commitment as it might be on some of the more competitive teams.

"We were really just open to anyone who wanted to play, give it a shot," said Connelly. "I think we put a really good, fun group together."

The team ended up being close to 17 members strong, with an age demographic ranging from mid-20s to mid-50s.

"We were kind of tossing around ideas (for a team name)," said Connelly. "We were calling ourselves the Kakivak Old-timer Team but it's not really an old-timers team, so we didn't really know what to call ourselves and (Ron Anawak) came up with the name the Longshots. We were long-shots to win but we're going to go in and have some fun."

Anawak told Kivalliq News he enjoyed getting back into the game.

"It's been a few years since I actually played the sport and just playing the sport was a highlight in itself," said Anawak.

Sarah Arnold, 26, said she was the youngest person on the team "certainly by a few years" and though she's played seasonal softball for the past two years, before that she'd never touched a bat.

"Everyone was having a pretty good time," said Arnold. "Everyone was pretty relaxed and just there to have a good time."

Connelly also said the chilled attitude of the team was the best part of the games, and the surprise 16-10 win over Whale Cove was a nice perk.

"We got mercied a few times but that's OK. We just went out and had some fun and I think the teams that we played against really enjoyed playing against us because it was really laid back."

Though they weren't competitive, the Longshots didn't miss a chance to get in on some good-natured teasing on the field, and player Nick Tattuinee occasionally had both teams and the whole crowd laughing.

"Nick is a jokester at all times," said Connelly.

Though there's still a winter between now and next year's tournament, Connelly can see the team making a return to keep a little levity in the weekend competition.

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