You'd think after more than 30 years at the ballpark, thousands of hours spent organizing tournaments and maintaining the fields, softball might have lost a little bit of its luster in the eyes of George Arcand.

Instead, the Yukoner sounds as passionate as ever when he speaks about the sport he loves. He can still be found tending to business at Whitehorse's Pepsi Softball Centre at all hours of the day, and he still plays ball on occasion although a lot less competitively.

'There's always something on the horizon, something that keeps you going, keeps your interest peaked,' says Arcand, in an interview earlier this week.

'From my start as a player and then following to a coach and administrator, things seemed to happen very naturally. There always seemed to be be a need for things to do, and it has always been a pleasure and never a chore to be involved.'

On Tuesday, Softball Canada officially announced Arcand will be inducted into their Hall of Fame as a Builder for his service to the game, both in the Yukon and on a national level.

Arcand says he was humbled by the honour, as well as surprised.

'You kind of wonder how you fit in there, looking at all the other names. It' s huge. It's one of the top highlights for me.

'I've been to a Pan Am Games and stood and listened to the Canadian anthem as we won gold. They're all special moments. And this is one of them.'

Arcand was first attracted to the sport of softball when he lived in Maple Ridge, B.C. He played fast-pitch for a number of years, keeping it up when he moved to Whitehorse in 1969.

'I got here in May and I was on the ball field two days later,' he laughs.

It wasn't too much longer until Arcand would become president of Softball Yukon, a role he held from 1975 to 1986, and he added the role of executive director in 1984. He still holds that title today.

In addition to serving on numerous Softball Canada committees over the years, he was vice-president of Softball Canada in 1986 and 1987. He served as team leader for the men's national team at the 1987 Pan American Games, where they won gold, and at the 1988 world championships, where the team claimed bronze.

He's coached at many levels and chaired numerous host committees for events at the Pepsi Softball Centre over the years a complex he spearheaded the creation of in the 1980s.

Overseeing numerous renovations through the years, including new fencing this summer, Arcand will watch his venue play host to the 2008 International Softball Federation Junior Men's World Championships in June 2008.

'We are delighted to be honouring George this year,' states Kevin Quinn, president of Softball Canada, in a press release. 'He has not only played a vital role in the ongoing development of softball in the Yukon, he has also had a major impact on the sport nationally and now internationally.

'George's experience, practical approach and action-oriented personality have gained him a lot of respect and many friendships.

'We are proud to have him join our Hall of Fame.'

Arcand says the local softball complex is something he takes a lot of pride in, and acknowledges it's been worth all the effort to keep it going.

'That's one thing I've had a pretty big stake in, that complex,' says Arcand. 'Everyone likes to have a legacy to leave behind and I guess that will be part of mine. It's certainly a positive thing.

'We wouldn't have had so much success, and wouldn't have hosted so many great events, if not for that ballpark.'

As much as the ballpark itself has changed, Arcand says it's been interesting to watch the evolution of people make their way through it.

He recalls bringing his two sons, Scott and Stephen, to the ballpark with him from the moment they were old enough to go. His teammates would bring their children too, and now they're all watching their grandchildren take the swings.

Of course, some of them still dust off the cleats and return to action on occasion, Arcand included. He's a member of the team which represented the territory at the Canada Senior Games last year in Winnipeg, and a group of them is planning to attend the Games again in 2008.

'There's really nothing like it, having come from playing with a bunch of young, know-it-alls to this end of your life. It's all about fun and how many laughs you can have now. You still want to win when you get between the white lines, but the intensity is not as high.'

Arcand says he never would have imagined 30-plus years ago that he would be preparing for an induction ceremony. He was too busy trying to survive as a player, he says, crediting his sons as his two biggest supporters through the years.

'They were with me since they were old enough to go to the ballpark and their support and help has meant more to me than they can imagine.'

Arcand isn't exactly sure of where he'll be in the next 30 years, or even the next five. He's reluctant to plan beyond next summer. It's likely, though, you'll still be able to spot him near a ballpark.

'I'm certainly going to see the junior worlds through. I'm extremely excited for that. Next August I'm going to Dieppe (New Brunswick, for the Canada Senior Games), and then I'll let you know after that.

'I certainly have no plans to quit or go away after. I don't feel like retiring. I'm quite happy with the kind of life I have.

'The ballpark is as much my hobby as my job. It really is just a labour of love, as cliche as that may sound.'

The induction ceremony for Arcand will take place Friday, Nov. 9 during the Softball Canada annual general meeting, which will be held in Whitehorse this year.