Racking up the titles
Juggernauts successfully defend Calm Air Cup slo-pitch banner
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
KIVALLIQ
The Juggernauts mercied the Spartans to capture the 2015 Calm Air Cup mixed slo-pitch competitive championship in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
It was the Juggernauts third Calm Air Cup title in a row and fifth in the past six years.
The Crazy Sidekicks took the tournament's recreational crown.
Other teams to compete in the event were the Arviat Eskis, 4Grip, Tuniit and Free Agents in the competitive division, and the Aliyak Team and the Longshots in the recreational division.
Team captain Chad Graham said this year's victory was sweeter than most for the Juggernauts, because a number of players from their 2014 championship squad left to form the Spartans team they beat in the final.
He said the Spartans had been beating them all season in regular league play, but, once again, the Juggernauts got the job done when it mattered most.
"Both us and the Spartans are now qualified to play at the 2016 SPN Slo-Pitch Nationals in Niagara Falls, but only our team will be partially funded by the league (Rankin Inlet Coed Softball League)," said Graham.
"The league will pay about half our cost to travel to the tournament for winning the Calm Air Cup, but the Spartans will have to raise the total amount if they want to play in the nationals."
Graham said being able to qualify for the national championships has added a lot of excitement to the tourney.
He said it's an honour to represent Rankin Inlet, the Kivalliq and Nunavut at the event.
"We're entered in the E Division of the nationals and we're really competitive there.
"The problem is we're always dealing with some sort of issue at the nationals, whether it's players drinking, someone not being able to get away from work or school to play or even a player missing their ride to the field.
"Something always seems to go wrong for us.
"The E Division national title is definitely within our grasp if we could ever pull it all together."
Calm Air Nunavut area manager Karen Yip said the weather in Rankin during the Calm Air Cup was a mixture of warm, cool, clear, and breezy, with a little fog thrown in for good measure.
She said the players were in great spirits, and the fans were treated to some great slopitch action and some fun times.
"Calm Air is honoured to have been the sponsor of the Calm Air Cup (CAC) for the past 16 years," said Yip.
"We feel it's important for us to bring together people and communities, and to promote an active and healthy lifestyle.
"We realize how essential our service is in the North, which is why we try to help make events such as this possible.
"Our sincere gratitude goes out to Robert Connelly and the CAC executive for their dedication and hard work organizing this tournament, and we look forward to sponsoring the SPN Mens 16-and-older national qualifier in Rankin Inlet from Aug. 21 to 23."
