Girls take swings at three-pitch tourney
From all four of the baseball diamonds at Bowers Park, you could hear kids, parents and even grandparents cheering with excitement as teams played.
The annual Kawartha Pine Ridge Elementary Athletic Association junior girls three-pitch tournament was held Friday.
“This is considered the northern area of Peterborough schools and is a year-end recreational tournament where we try to get kids out, being active and having a good day,” convener Brad Oakley explained.
Fifteen teens competed in Friday’s three-pitch tourney. The tournament was purely recreational and the teams only played round robin. The girls participating were from Grades 4 to 6.
In the afternoon the King George Knights played the Queen Mary first team on the second diamond and finished the game with a tie.
The Knights then moved on to the third diamond to get ready to play the North Cavan Cougars.
Abby, No. 21 on the Knights, hit a fastball, driving home two of her teammates.
Abby’s mom and younger sister cheered her on from the benches—with her little sister swinging around her orange Creamsicle from the excitement.
“That was an amazing hit,” yelled Abby’s mother.
Over on the other side, Cougars coach Kevin Woollacott, was high-fiving all the girls and getting them pumped up after a few big runs by the Knights.
“There pure enthusiasm is what makes me enjoy coaching,” coach Woollacott said.
Woollacott explained how these tourneys used to be aggressive and not much fun for all teams. When hen he took over running the tournaments he changed it to all recreational to build the sport, he expalined.
Now, Woollacott coaches his junior girls team and runs the Kawartha Pine Ridge boys threepitch tournament.
“A lot of the girls never had the chance to play this sport so we bring everybody and I just love their enthusiasm and their willingness to build on their skills,” Woollacott said.