To that end, representative teams are currently holding try-outs at YaraCentre, registration is officially open for the season and everyone in general is just looking forward to getting back on the field this spring.
Now, it’s just a matter of hurry up and wait to see just what the future holds when it comes to the ongoing pandemic.
“We’ve actually had a pretty busy off-season, some of the coaches have been really busy offering clinics and working around the COVID protocols, ensuring the girls have something to do and keep active in the off-season, which has been really good,” said new MJDMGF president Ryan Ward, who took over this season from past president Craig Hemingway.
“One thing about playing outdoors and being in a non-contact sport, we’re hoping that will allow us to play if we have safety measures in place through spring and summer. We do have a date set for our season kick-off, the first weekend of May, but that’ll all be dictated by Softball Sask and government regulations… If not, we’ll try and adapt and do what we did last year, if it’s a later start, we’ll try and be as nimble as we can.”
The good thing is, the local group has a pattern to follow if it comes down to that. They just have to look at last year’s successful -- and COVID-free -- campaign as an example. The season started far later than usual, but a full house season was played, in addition to a slate of representative team games with teams from Regina and area.
“With everything that was going on, it was just really refreshing that we were able to have a season,” Ward said. “The board, the parents, the coaches all rallied together to make the necessary adjustments, that the kids and parents and everyone were safe and following protocols”
Registration numbers weren’t as high as past seasons, but given the circumstances, that wasn’t a huge problem.
“Our numbers were down, about two-thirds of what they normally are, but it was a great experience,” Ward said. “Just one of those things where it was really refreshing for everyone to do something outdoors and see our kids having fun out there. It seemed like the season went really well last year and we were really happy to see it.”
That leads into the 2021 campaign. Early registration opened this past weekend, and players can be registered online at www.mjfastball.ca/reghome. A $50 discount is in place if players are registered and paid before March.
As for the Moose Jaw Ice representative teams, tryouts for some squads are in their final stages -- and if last season was any indication, there could be a whole lot of winning on the horizon for local teams.
“The interest from our girls and wanting to compete and develop, it really bodes well for the coaches as well, having so many kids wanting to play at that level,” Ward said. “Our registration is way up for those teams this year and that’s a good sign. We’re hoping when (main) registration takes off we’ll see really good numbers.”
Overall, Ward is looking forward to his first season at the helm of minor girls fastball and joining forces with his fellow board members to pull off what should be another fun campaign.
“This is a board that’s full of volunteers who work full time, and it’s a nice group of people, everyone is very passionate about the league, some of them are coaches as well and they put a lot into the league every year,” Ward said. “It’s a good group to be a part of and we’re looking forward to getting back out there.”
