Moose Jaw residents are seldom bashful when it comes to supporting local teams set to embark on regional, provincial, national and even world competitions.
Our track record of support speaks for itself and therefore Tony Dreger should not have been surprised at the support his Little League 12U AAA All-Stars received before the team left Moose Jaw to play in the national championship in Ancaster, Ont.
The Moose Jaw team had a remarkable season, then won the provincial/Prairie title that set in motion the plans for the team to represent Saskatchewan at the next level.
While team parents no doubt came up with a substantial mitt of cash in support of the team and league activities, the community also came forward, without being asked, to provide travel resources for our players and coaching staff.
The 13U Canucks came up with the idea of selling candy, chips and frozen treats to raise some money, enduring hot summer temperatures to support another Moose Jaw group of players.
Fundraising efforts snowballed from there with calendar advertising sales, a Sarcan drop and go account, pizza nights and barbecues at the three Co-op locations — allowing the Moose Jaw residents a chance to give financial cheers to this young group of ball players.
The championships run from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10, with the winner heading to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
In Ancaster, our team will be housed in an athletes’ village and will be looked after in world class fashion by a community that has had to raise more than $200,000 over two years to be host for the competition. More than 200 volunteers have also come forward — much like what happens in Moose Jaw when we play host to sporting or cultural events.
Moose Jaw fans will be able to cheer from their armchairs as 21 of the 24 games will be live-streamed on the CBC website. The semi-final and final game will be seen live on CBC sports. Imagine, if we might look into the future, how exciting it would be to see our boys in that semi or final.
And don’t forget to check daily results on Moose Jaw Today.
The best wishes of Moose Jaw residents go with the Moose Jaw/Provincial All-Stars. Do your best, have fun and bring home memories that will last a lifetime.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
