Softball season under way
Rankin Inlet co-ed teams started play last week
Candace Thomson
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 16, 2014
RANKIN INLET
An integral part of summer began last week in Rankin Inlet with the start of the co-ed softball season.
Megan Siksik of Team Todd gets ready at bat during a softball game against team Sarliaq in Rankin Inlet on the evening of July 10. The season began last week with six teams taking to the diamond to play. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo |
The six teams that make up the Rankin Inlet Co-ed Softball League went into action last week with games almost every evening, showing off their skills after a long wait since last August. In the first two games on July 7, M&T beat Sarliaq 18-12, and the Juggernauts won against the Avengers 12-6 to kick off the season.
"There are a lot of new players registered this season, (it's) always nice to have new faces, and people returning to the sport," said Kandace Kusugak, league president.
"We're hoping the weather co-operates. Last year we had a beautiful summer and didn't have to cancel games due to weather, so lets hope for it again this year!"
Kusugak said she hopes the players have a great time this summer, and said the league is looking forward to hosting, taking part in, or sponsoring several tournaments in the region and across the nation throughout the summer.
As always, the big ticket event will be the Calm Air Cup, which will take place in Rankin from August 8 to 10. The tournament will see teams from all across the Kivalliq taking part with teams made up of seven male and three female players.
Calm Air, the main sponsor for the event, will offer discounted flights for teams that want to compete from around the Kivalliq.
"We hope for more new and returning faces during (the tournament) and we look forward to having the Calm Air Employee Team this year as well as the Rankin Inlet 'Old Timers' return," Kusugak said.
The league will also host a national qualifier tournament, with dates to be announced in Rankin, which is considered a territorial tournament and will allow teams to earn points towards participating in the Slo-Pitch National Championship. Last September, the league hosted a national qualifier and two teams from the league - M&T and the Juggernauts -- were able to earn a spot to compete in Winnipeg this August for the 2014 national championship.
"However only one team - the Juggernauts - will be travelling, the other team (M&T) is not able to make it anymore," Kusugak said.
The organizer of team M&T was unavailable for comment before press time.
Kusugak said the league will also be sponsoring the Kivalliq Regional Junior Softball Tournament as they have in recent years.
She also said that the team that comes out on top in the Rankin league and the team that wins the Calm Air Cup will compete in the Qiturriaq Cup in Baker Lake in late August, or early September.
