Let's go! P.A. Astros are set to host three other teams this weekend for the  U16 Open Boys Provincial championship. (Submitted photo/Kevin Roberts) 

By Glenn Hicks

let's play ball

Softball provincial championship set for P.A. this weekend

Aug 5, 2021 | 12:00 PM

It’s starting to look like a regular summer.

Competitive softball is back and the U16 Open Boys Provincial championship goes at Rotary Field at Max Power Ball Park in Prince Albert Friday through Sunday.

Teams from P.A., Shellbrook and Saskatoon are involved with games Friday night, throughout Saturday and with the championship round set for Sunday.

Last year’s championship was cancelled due to COVID and the P.A. Astros team manager is delighted things are getting back to normal.

“As a parent, organizer and a team family, it feels so good to be back with your team family again,” Jackie Hallam told paNOW, even though softball didn’t have to endure the total shut down that other sports had during the height of the pandemic.

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“Getting practice time in earlier in the year was difficult. The social distancing and only being able to organize groups of eight was hard,” she said.

But now local players and families have some high-level youth ball to look forward to while hosting some visiting squads.

Schedule of games for the championship Aug 6 – 8 (Submitted image/Jackie Ballam)

“[It’s about] experiencing Prince Albert’s great outdoors on a world-class facility and being able to brings boys from around the area together. Our team isn’t just from P.A. but has kids from the whole district from La Ronge to Hague,” Hallam explained.

“Being able to host a tournament like this with teams from Shellbrook [Rangers] and Saskatoon [ Longhorn Selects and Selects Fury] is something only organized sports can give kids. Quite often we say we’re not just teaching kids to play ball, we’re raising young men in the community,” she said.

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glenn.hicks@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow