After almost a 10-year absence, girls softball is back on the diamonds of Cranbrook.
The last time a girls softball tournament was held in Cranbrook was in 2016, when the Cranbrook Heat hosted the provincial championships. But now, the sport is back, in a big way, and will be showcased in a season-capping city-wide tournament set for next weekend at the Kinsmen Quads, Moir Park and Confederation Park.
Jenna LaCasse, the softball director for Cranbrook Minor Ball, and Kristin Palou have been working for three years to restart the Rep Softball program in Cranbrook. And the young players in the program have been working hard to launch the comeback.
The new program features three different divisions. A U11 division (the Cranbrook Rays), a U13 division (the Cranbrook Royals), and a U15 (the Cranbrook Rockies). The Royals and the Rockies were inaugurated last year; this year the U11 Rays joined the program.
“We were still called Cranbrook Heat last year when we started the U13 and U15,” LaCasse said. “We decided to revamp the team names this year and have a fresh start on the season with new team names. There were a lot of other teams called the Heat [Kelowna and Lethbridge, for example].”
Palou coaches the U15 Rockies, LaCasse coaches the Royals, and the Rays are coached by Amanda Fanning.
The Rays, Royals and Rockies have already taken part in several tournaments over the past few weeks, including the Royals playing in the regional championships in Sicamous.
And on July 11-13, Cranbrook will be hosting a weekend-long tournament — the Summer Slam — featuring 15 teams across the three age groups, travelling in from the West Kootenay and Alberta.
“The last time there was a rep team in Cranbrook was 2018,” LaCasse said. “The Provincial championships were held in Cranbrook in 2016 — the last time Cranbrook hosted a girls softball tournament.”
Organizers hope the Summer Slam will an annual sporting event. The public is invited to come on down to the Kinsmen Quad ball diamonds on Willowbrook Drive, 1700 Willowbrook Drive, July 11-13 to take in the action and support the Rays, Royals and Rockies. There are games scheduled for Moir Park, 520 Industrial Road G, and Deloise Diamond at Confederation Park as well.
It is a round robin style medal tournament, with Gold and Silver medals for the championship game. Local businesses have sponsored players on the Royals, and H&R block donated the trophies for the tournament.
The concession will be open and the Fenwick Food Truck on site for fans and players.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, July 11
U11
• 6 p.m., Moir 2: Castlegar Blues Jays vs. Lower Columbia Blues
• 6 p.m., Quad 1: Cranbrook Rays vs. Salmo
U13
• 6 p.m., Moir 4: Lethbridge Heat vs. Castlegar U13
• 6 p.m., Quad 2: Cranbrook Royals vs. Beaver Valley Blues
U15
• 6 p.m., Quad 3: Cranbrook Rockies vs. Trail Titans
• 8 p.m., Quad 2: St. Albert Angels vs. SBR U15 Cleary
* 8 p.m., Quad 3: West Kootenay Terminators vs. Lethbridge Heat
Saturday, July 12
U11
• 9 a.m., Quad 1: SBR U11 McLean vs. Lower Columbia Blues
• 11 a.m., Quad 1: Cranbrook Rays vs. Castlegar Blue Jays
• 1 p.m., Quad 1: Salmo vs. SBR U11 McLean
• 3 p.m., Moir 2: Lower Columbia Blues vs. Cranbrook Rays
• 4 p.m., Quad 1: Salmo vs. Castlegar Blue Jays
U13 (all games at Quad 2)
• 9 a.m.: Lethbridge Heat vs. Beaver Valley Blues
• 11 a.m.: Castlegar U13 vs. Cranbrook Royals
• 2 p.m. Castlegar U13 vs. Beaver Valley Blues
• 4 p.m.: Cranbrook Royals vs. Lethbridge Heat.
U15
• 9 a.m., Quad 3: Trail Titans vs. SBR U15 Cleary
• 11:15 a.m., Quad 3: Trail Titans vs. Lethbridge Heat
• 11:15 a.m., Deloise: West Kootenay Terminators vs. St. Albert Angels
• 1:30 p.m., Quad 3: SBR Cleary vs. Lethbridge Heat
• 1:30 p.m., Deloise: West Kootenay Terminators vs. Cranbrook Rockies
• 3:45 p.m., Quad 3: St. Albert Angels vs. Cranbrook Rockies
6 p.m. Quad 1: Home Run/Farthest Hit Derby
Sunday, July 13
U11
• 9 a.m., Moir 2: SBR U11 McLean vs. Castlegar Blue Jays
• 10 a.m., Quad 1: Salmo vs. Lower Columbia Blues
• 12 p.m., Quad 1: SBR U11 McLean vs. Cranbrook Rays
• 2:30 p.m., Moir 2: Seed 3 vs. Seed 4 (Consolation game)
• 2:30 p.m., Quad 1: Seed 1 vs. Seed 2 (championship game)
U13
• 9 a.m., Quad 2: Seed 2 vs. Seed 3
• 11 a.m., Quad 2: Seed 1 vs Seed 4
• 2 p.m., Moir 4: Loser of game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 (consolation game)
• 2 p.m., Quad 2: Winner of game 1 vs. Winner of game 2 (championship game)
U15
• 9 a.m., Quad 3: Seed 4 vs. Seed 5 (Game 10)
• 9 a.m. Deloise: Seed 3 vs, Seed 6 (Game 11)
• 11:15 a.m., Quad 3: Seed 1 vs. Game 10 winner (semi-final 1)
• 11:15 a.m., Deloise: Seed 2 vs. Game 11 winner (semi-final 2)
• 2 p.m., Quad 3: Championship game (winner of semi-finals 1 and 2)
* U11 teams are seeded based on wins (two points), ties (one point) and losses (o points), then run differential, then bases touched.
U13 and U15 teams are seeded based on wins (two points), ties (one point) and losses (o points), then run differential, then base differential, then least points scored against.
