Opening tournament for men’s, women’s slo-pitch teams to run this weekend

For teams competing at this summer’s slo-pitch nationals, this weekend’s tournament will be the first chance they have to play together this season.

Without a local ladies league, Russ Smoler, coach for the Sistas, says this weekend is an opportunity to play as a team for the first time.

“The biggest point I think is that we get to play as a group,” says Smoler.

For his team, which qualified for nationals last summer, he’s less worried about them winning and more concerned about paying attention to how the women play together.

“It’d be great if we were playing the last game on Sunday,” he says. “But making sure we’re playing well together, working on and taking care of details around the field.”

Roni-Sue Sparvier of the Yukon Titans is also hoping the tournament will help with team-building.

“Playing an actual women’s tournament will help us see where we’re at for nationals and what we can work on,” she says. “It’ll just help us gel a lot more, working together and communicating more. That’s my hope.

The teams qualified for nationals have been practicing since last year, hitting the gym before the diamonds were dry.

They’ve all done the work at practices and are now worried about how they play together.

Dave’s Cleaning Crew has been out twice a week, their coaches putting them through game situations.

“We’re strictly worrying about how we function as a team on the field,” said player Jimmy Semaschuk. “All our team is ready for the challenge ahead. We’re very confident in our abilities.

With fewer opportunities than the southern teams to play full games, each one becomes an important learning opportunity and confidence builder for the teams.

While a lot of the men play in the co-ed league, P & M Recycling’s Matt Kremer says that it’s not really the same. This weekend and the Dustball tournament in July will be their only opportunities to play games ahead of August’s nationals.

“Each one of these games is really important to us,” he says.

Four local teams will represent Yukon at nationals, The Sistas and the Yukon Titans (also known as the Fountain Tire Mudders) will play in the women’s tournament, while Dave’s Cleaning Crew and P & M Recycling Guns will play on the men’s side.

August will be the first time Whitehorse has hosted the national championships since the 90s.

This weekend’s opening tournament features six women’s teams and eight men’s teams.

Games kick off at 7 p.m. tonight at the Pepsi Softball Centre and finals will be played Sunday afternoon.