Lakehill has yet to make the win column at the District 7 Little League Championship this week, but just fielding a team at Hampton Park is a huge victory.
Lakehill Little League president Ted Austin estimated it鈥檚 been eight to 10聽years since Lakehill didn鈥檛 have to combine with another league to form an all-star tournament team, as Hampton and National did this year.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been working for the last six years to develop our program, and we鈥檙e finally getting there,鈥� Austin said on Thursday, while cheering on his team, which ultimately lost 16-3 to Layritz. 鈥淪ix years ago, people thought our ballpark was finished.
鈥淭here were five people on the executive, and we have 24 now, and a board of directors. Some really great parents are involved.鈥�
The resurrection involved paperwork, leg work and bull work. Applications were made to government agencies for grants, and those funds, along with fundraising, and support from the municipality of Saanich and the Greater Victoria School District, got things rolling.
To expand the park from two diamonds to five, organizers recycled dirt and gravel, moving 34聽truckloads from one area to another. Volunteers even went up to Duncan to scrounge pipe from two old diamonds, saving $5,000 in the process.
鈥淚t was seven guys in the dead of winter, it was freezing cold, and we took the backstop apart,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淲e built two new backstops with that material.鈥�
Lakehill team manager Mike Paterson, who鈥檚 coached most of his players since they were in T-ball, gives full credit to Austin for saving the club.
鈥淭he guy is tireless,鈥� Paterson said. 鈥淗e emails me at four in the morning.鈥�
After Lakehill was mercied out of Thursday鈥檚 game, Paterson had a long chat with his team. He likes to remind them tomorrow鈥檚 another day.
In the end, it鈥檚 still a growing process, but the numbers are encouraging.
Lakehill has promoted their league by sending flyers and emails to schools, allowing people the ease of registering online, holding winter clinics, playing fall ball and putting on coaching clinics and tournaments.
In 2013, Lakehill boasted two major teams of 11- and 12-year-olds, and approximately 350 kids signed up for Little League baseball and South Vancouver Island Minor Softball. That鈥檚 double the number there was when Austin took over as president six years ago.
鈥淚t makes you feel great,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very emotional when I get to the ballpark. I love to see kids coming out.鈥�
Thursday evening, Beacon Hill defeated Hampton/National 13-3, leading the way for the final day of round-robin action. Today, Beacon Hill (3-0) takes on Central Saanich (1-2) at 3聽p.m., followed by Lakehill (0-3) and Hampton/National (1-2) at 6:30 p.m. Layritz (3-1) has the bye.
The semifinals are set for Saturday at noon and 3:30 p.m., and the final is on Sunday at 1 p.m. The District 7 champ advances to the provincial tournament, July 20-28, in Vancouver.
