The Chestermere Crushers Midget A U18 team fought for the provincial championship title from July 20 to July 21.
“Sadly, we did not win,” said Head Coach of the Chestermere Crushers Midget A U18 team, Deb Davidson.
There was a three-way tie for first place, Davidson added. The Crushers placed second in round-robin and played off against the third-place team, the Parkland Twins.
“The Twins then moved on to the final facing Elk Point Sox who eventually won. They are the Midget A provincial champions,” Davidson said.
The Crushers played four games in total and previously had beat the first-place team twice.
“That’s the way it went. We lost the game that we needed to win, that’s baseball for you,” Davidson said.
Using a pitcher that Davidson had wanted to save for the following day hurt the Crushers.
“We had to win the game on Saturday, and we had to bring in a pitcher that I wanted to save for the next day,” Davidson said.
“The boys were pretty tired, and just not quite into it that game. They tried, but they just weren’t on the bats,” she said.
Adding, “That was the biggest problem, our defense was great, but we struggled a bit with the offense. Every time we went up to hit, we hit it right to a player.”
Although the Crushers didn’t take home the provincial title, the plays went well throughout the weekend.
“The team played very well over the weekend, and first place could have gone to any of the top three teams. I am very proud of the effort, commitment, love for the game and talent that these young men have,” Davidson said.
“The efforts that they showed was phenomenal,” Davidson added. “I was so proud of them, and they were proud of themselves for pulling that far, playing that long, and learning that much.”
As a coach, it is essential for Davidson to instill respect and sportsmanship into her athletes.
“I’m a bit different of a coach because on our team there is no swearing. There is the utmost respect that’s something that I demand right at the beginning of the season,” Davidson said.
She added, “I know certain things happen outside of the diamond, but they’re there for the love of the game, not for facing off against other people.”
To prepare for provincials, the Crushers were required to practice twice a week for two hours, along with participating in two weeks of round-robin play before heading to provincials.
“We practiced our pitching, our fielding, and our hitting all the time,” Davidson said.
She added, throughout the season, it was a team inside joke that the athletes were “Coaches Kids” whenever they played well.
“They all know, they are all coaches’ kids. They’re all my kids,” Davidson said.
Without the support of parents, and guardians as volunteers, the provincial tournament wouldn’t have been possible.
“Just the experience itself was great. The parents, and guardians all rose to the occasion and certainly helped out, and it was just a phenomenal event,” Davidson said.
She added, the President of Calgary North Baseball League (CNBL), Mike Karastas threw the opening pitch, which was very special moment for the athletes.
“It was an honour to have him as our dignitary,” Davidson said.
