The Max Power Ball Park, as well as Crescent Acres, will be the hosting venues for the 2019 FSIN Youth Softball Championships. Submitted photo/City of Prince Albert

By Jeff D'Andrea

FSIN Youth Ball

FSIN to hit P.A. ball parks

Jul 31, 2019 | 1:29 PM

Plans have been put in place for nearly a year for the 2019 Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Youth Softball Championships Aug. 9 to 11 at the Max Power Ball Park in Prince Albert.

Everything’s been put in place by the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, who’s organizing the tournament. All the volunteers are ready to go and the teams are entering.

All that’s left to do is hope for the rain to finally go away.

“You’ll have a decent calibre of ball at each of the age divisions. We’re hoping for some good crowds and especially some good weather,” Kevin Roberts, LLRIB director of sports and recreation, said. “We haven’t had the greatest weather over the summer for ball anywhere. I think up here in La Ronge, we’ve hit eight Saturdays where we’ve had rain, so hopefully we get some good weather to bring some crowds out to enjoy some ball.”

Although they’re based in La Ronge, the decision to host a provincial ball tournament in Prince Albert became an easy one.

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Last year, the Max Power Ball Park was covered with the 12^th Junior Men’s Softball World Championship.

“I went to watch the world championships there and my kid plays out of P.A. so I’m familiar with the facilities there,” Roberts said. “To try to attract more teams, we’ll go to a city and find a facility that met our needs. Of course with a provincial event like this, you’re looking for at least eight diamonds, softball diamonds, and the city was able to meet our needs. That’s why we’ve chosen there. We’ve hosted some championship events outside of the community (of La Ronge) so that’s something we’re used to.”

Male and female teams from the Under-18, Under-16, Under-14, Under-12 and a co-ed Under-10 division will play.

Roberts and the LLRIB have had experience in the past at hosting provincial sporting events like this, like the Youth Hockey Championships on several occasions, as well as the Youth Volleyball Championships.

After the Youth Softball Championships, there will be the 2019 FSIN Adult Softball Championships the following week, Aug. 16 to 18 at the Max Power Ball Park and Crescent Acres.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW