Senior Little League tournament cancelled

Canadian Senior Little League Championship cancelled for second straight year in Sydney Mines due to COVID-19

SYDNEY MINES — COVID-19's curveball has crossed the plate for a strike on the Canadian Senior Little League Championship.

For the second straight year, the national tournament, originally scheduled for July at the Nicole Meaney Memorial Ball Park in Sydney Mines, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Little League Canada announced on Monday.

“We had hoped that the situation with the pandemic would get better in time for removal of many of the restrictions we are under with COVID-19,” said Rory Bergerman, president and regional director for Little League Canada.

“While our national tournaments were not scheduled until late July and August, it's clear at this juncture that it will be logistically impossible to hold these tournaments while following the necessary health and safety guidelines.”

Sydney Mines and District Little League last hosted the senior Little League nationals in July 2019. The organization was scheduled to host the tournament last summer, but the event was ultimately cancelled because of the pandemic.

Last week, Sydney Mines and District Little league was informed regional and World Series tournaments would be cancelled in Canada due to the pandemic.

The Canadian Senior Little League Championship features the top 15-and-16year-old baseball players in the country. The tournament would have featured teams from Alberta, British Columbia, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada and the host Cape Breton Ramblers.

Sydney Mines and District Little League has hosted three national tournaments to date. Along with the 2019 event, the organization also hosted senior tournaments in 2008 and 2006.

Little League Canada also announced the cancellation of softball national tournaments for 2021.

Along with Sydney Mines, Little League tournaments were scheduled for Victoria, B.C., Airdrie, Alta. and Lethbridge, Alta.

Bergerman said the cancellation of national tournaments does not preclude local leagues and districts from holding a regular season. Currently, sports are not permitted in Nova Scotia due to the provincewide lockdown.

The host location for the 2022 Canadian Senior Little League Championship was not announced at press time.