Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

SWING BATTER BATTER

Kamloops Minor Softball U14 girls in Port Alberni for Provincial Championships

Jul 5, 2019 | 4:40 PM

KAMLOOPS — Heading to the Softball BC Provincial Championships wasn’t a sure thing for Kamloops Minor Softball’s U14 Girls. First of all, they had to combine two different lineups just to have enough players to make the trip to Provincials.

“We need to learn to be a community together and get along with each other,” Nikkayla Fournier, a middle infielder for the new combined team explained. “So that when we do play for provincials, we’re good, and we’re ready, and we’re a team.”

When you bring two teams together into one, it isn’t always going to be a smooth transition. Luckily this time, it’s gone pretty well.

“Personally, I think it’s a benefit,” third base Katelyn Caronn said. “Each team has different players with different strengths and combining them. It’s pretty cool.”

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“I’ve played with a lot of the girls on the other team since first year of U12,” fellow infielder Aubrey Crowley said. “I think it’ll definitely be a benefit because we know each other really well.”

That familiarity will be vital as they head to Port Alberni from July 5th to 7th. Head Coach Nicole Trouton expects her athletes to step up to the challenge of playing some of the best teams in BC.

“Everything I’ve seen says the kids always raise bars and play to the level of the other team, so I’m super excited to see how far these girls can go,” Trouton said. “A lot of these girls haven’t been to Vancouver Island, so to travel there, go to the opening ceremonies, to represent [Softball BC] District 11 and Kamloops is huge for them.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today

The U14 age group is the first time these athletes get the opportunity to take on competition from across the province. For many of them, it’s also their first time travelling to play fastpitch.

“It’s going to be something none of them have seen before,” Trouton said. “We’ve got a lot of first-year U14’s, so they’re coming out of U12 where we just have regionals, so this is the big leagues for them.”

The players are excited to test themselves against the best in BC.

“I’m excited to play all the different communities because there are teams from all over,” Caronn said.

“I know we improved a lot,” Crowley said. “I’m excited to see how we’ll do.”

And if they can run out onto the diamond as a team every game, their coach is confident they’ll be able to compete.

“If they can come together if they can all play their very best, they’ll be very successful,” Trouton said.