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By Sam Laskaris
Windspeaker Contributor
EDMONTON
“We’re looking to win it again and hoping to get Number 6,” Alexis said. “We’ve got a good squad again this year.”
Native Fastball Championships: Nothing better under the summer skies
By Sam Laskaris
Windspeaker Contributor
EDMONTON
A total of 86 teams will be in Edmonton this week vying for bragging rights in this year’s Canadian Native Fastball Championships.
Action begins on Friday and continues until Sunday’s championship matches.
The national tournament, which features five divisions, is hosted by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, located about 75 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, but the First Nation does not have the facilities to accommodate an event of this size. It only has three ball diamonds, therefore the need to host the tournament in Edmonton.
Games will be staged at a pair of Edmonton facilities, John Fry Park and Harry Singer Ball Park. Four diamonds at each facility will be utilized during the event.
Both the senior women’s and senior men’s categories will be contested at John Fry Park. And the Harry Singer venue will host both of the masters divisions and the junior men’s grouping.
Chief Tony Alexis of the host First Nation believes the number of participating squads this year just might be a tournament record. The event has been running annually for more than 40 years.
And Alexis, who has been involved with the tourney for the past 15 years as a coach/manager and board member of the organizing Canadian Native Fastball Association, said he can’t recall this number of entrants previously.
“We knew when we were coming to Edmonton that the numbers might be high,” Alexis said.
The 2016 tournament, which was held in Prince George, B.C., attracted 77 teams.
The senior men’s category will feature 29 entrants while 25 clubs will participate in the senior women’s grouping.
Meanwhile, a dozen squads will compete in the men’s master’s division, restricted to those 40 and over. There will also be 11 teams in the junior men’s grouping, which is for players ages 23 and under. And nine women’s master’s clubs, again for those 40 and over, will be taking part.
Up until a few weeks ago registration numbers were not looking that impressive. But Alexis said organizers were not concerned as they were confident registrations would come flooding in.
“It’s always like that, people signing up near the end,” he said. “We were very prepared for the influx of people registering near the end.”
This year signifies the third time the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation has hosted the nationals. It first staged the Canadian tourney in 2005 and then again in 2009.
“We’re thrilled we can host it again,” Alexis said. “It’s one of the premier events in Native communities.”
All of the games in ’09 were held in Whitecourt, about 100 kilometres northwest of the First Nation.
The 2005 tourney was also primarily staged in Whitecourt, but all of the championship finals were held on the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.
Besides Alberta, this year’s tournament will include squads from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
Players from Atlantic Canada will also be competing on some of the teams.
Alexis will once again be active in the tournament. He’s managing the Red Nation Jets, a senior women’s squad comprised of elite players from across the country.
The Jets have had their share of recent successes in the tournament as they are the five-time defending champions.
“We’re looking to win it again and hoping to get Number 6,” Alexis said. “We’ve got a good squad again this year.”
The tournament will feature a double-knockout format, meaning teams have to lose twice before being eliminated from further play.
Alexis said the calibre of entrants at the event does vary.
“Everybody is in there for the fun of it,” he said. “But some teams are very competitive. Alexis said, because of the camaraderie at the event, players and teams do tend to come back year after year. And they’re often bringing their own cheering sections.
“Especially those in the master’s divisions they will be bringing their children and their families,” he said.
“And with it being in Edmonton, we’re expecting quite a few spectators. We’re expecting a lot of non-Native fans too. They know they’re going to see players from the national teams and some professional athletes as well.”
Competitors in this year’s tournament will be vying for a share of the $96,000 in prize money.
The champions in the senior men’s grouping will be taking home a $12,000 cheque. And the senior women’s winners will be presented with $10,000.
Also, players from all of the winning teams in all categories will receive championship jackets. Individual awards will also be presented in each division.