One month out from the 2017 Little League provincial championship, the host Beacon Hill 11-12 team鈥檚 collective enthusiasm continues to grow as the association will play host to the event for the first time in its existence, having formed in 1973.
Seven teams will compete at Hollywood Park on Fairfield Road, beginning July 22, including two from the Island 鈥� host Beacon Hill land the eventual District 7 victor.
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked really hard to get to this point, hosting many tournaments. We鈥檝e never had one quite at this level, except on our softball side, which did a fantastic job with the Canadian championship,鈥� said Tammy Anderson, the 2017 provincial co-ordinator. 鈥淪o now it鈥檚 our turn to take this on and see what we can do with it.鈥�
The committee is hoping it leads to bigger things as the provincial champion will advance to the national championship tournament in Medicine Hat, Alta., Aug. 3-12. The national winner qualifies for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Aug. 17-27.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all fired up here at the park,鈥� said Beacon Hill manager Tak Niketas. 鈥淔irst time ever 鈥� almost 60 years of Little League in the Fairfield community and the first time to host makes it a big deal. What makes it a bigger deal is this team is really good and we鈥檙e excited.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one reason I climbed on board,鈥� added Niketas. 鈥淚 saw the skill level on this team. I think we can maybe do something and we鈥檙e talking World Series, if we can. I鈥檓 hoping we get to Canadians. That鈥檚 the big picture and I think these kids are good enough to get there, too.鈥�
Niketas said coach Craig Shaw deserves a lot of the credit, as does assistant Yudy Lee.
鈥淭he kids have been working so hard,鈥� said Shaw. 鈥淪ome of these kids I鈥檝e been coaching since they were five and now they鈥檙e 12. These kids are baseball crazy. If we鈥檙e not coaching them, they鈥檙e practising in the [batting] cage and working on their own. They鈥檙e pretty excited.鈥�
Two of the team members, Tess Sawkins 鈥� the lone girl on the team, a left-hander like the Victoria HarbourCats鈥� Claire Eccles 鈥� and Sam Shaw have competed in provincials the last four years in a row.
Beacon Hill also has the HarbourCats behind them, as one of the tournament sponsors.
鈥淚n 1975, I was a Little Leaguer at this same park, so it鈥檚 an honour to be involved in this,鈥� said HarbourCats general manager Brad Norris-Jones. 鈥淭ak came to me six months ago and we鈥檙e a proud partner of this tournament.
鈥淚鈥檝e had two boys play in the sa国际传媒鈥檚 so I understand the magnitude of this tournament and how important it is to these kids,鈥� added Norris-Jones, who played with Niketas and also coached against him.
鈥淲e played here [at Hollywood Park] and at McDonald Park and then the family moved out to Layritz,鈥� Norris-Jones recalled. 鈥淲e lived just down the road from here and it鈥檚 great to be on this field again.
鈥淲e never forget the 12-year-old tournament. It鈥檚 something special as the kids get to dream about the Little League World Series in Wiliamsport. It鈥檚 a longshot, but it鈥檚 still a dream for these kids.鈥�
The HarbourCats players will attend portions of the tournament and competitors will also be welcomed to a West Coast League game.
EXTRA INNINGS: Beacon Hill is still fundraising for the event and sponsors are still being accepted. The association can be contacted online through beaconhilllittleleague.org.
