For the first time since 1988, Softball Newfoundland and Labrador is staging the Canadian senior women’s softball championship, starting today in St. John’s.
The 2019 senior women’s nationals feature nine teams, including a pair from Newfoundland and Labrador — Host Galway and the Animal Health Centre Wildcats from Corner Brook, which are the provincial representatives.
Softball NL participated in 23 of 24 national senior women's championships between 1971 and 1994, with St. John's playing host to the event in 1982 and 1988. Since then, the senior women’s fastpitch game within Newfoundland and Labrador has declined.
The St. John’s senior women’s league hasn’t operated in years.
But the provincial softball body has made a commitment to rebuilding the female game, and last year sent a team to the senior women’s nationals in Saskatoon, the first time in 24 years.
The results reflected that as Newfoundland finished last with an 0-6 record, allowing 52 runs while scoring only eight.
Softball NL has Andrea Wolf of Saskatchewan back at the helm of the Host Galway squad. Wolf, the new provincial senior women's coach, played softball since 1985 at the local, provincial, national and collegiate levels, and has been coaching since 2006.
Galway hopes to improve that runs-for-and-against mark from last year in Saskatoon with the addition of import pitcher Alia Stachoski.
The 5-10 right-hander from Port Coquitlam, B.C. starred for three years at Simon Fraser University in nearby Burnaby. Galway has also brought in Mikaila Etheredge of Saskatchewan to catch Stachoski.
Not to be outdone, the provincial representative from the west coast has also added a pair of imports from Nova Scotia, pitcher Karen Lamontagne and outfielder Kerrie Boyle.
The tournament will be played at Lions Park and Victoria Park in St. John’s, with the bronze- and gold-medal games Sunday, Aug. 18.
In addition to the two teams from Newfoundland and Labrador, there are two teams each from Ontario and Saskatchewan. Also taking part are the defending champions from Alberta, Quebec and P.E.I.
NL TEAM ROSTERS
Host Galway
Dayle Prowse, Alia Stachoski, Jaclyn Morgan, Victoria Curran, Jenna Connolly, Michelle Rideout, Mariah Morrissey, Abigail Gambin, Brittany McCarthy, Sami Kennedy, Calista Corbett, Victoria Davis, Mikaila Etheredge, Jill Connolly, Callie Langmead
Coaches: head coach Andrea Wolf, assistants Dwayne Connolly, Gary Corbett, Blair Langmead
NL Animal Health Centre Wildcats
Katie Woodford, Danielle Hurley, Lorna Lovell, Jillian Wells, Jill Mason, Ashley Bromley, Shilo Chislett, Kathy Lukeman, Kelly Matthews, Coolene Brake, Ashley Penney, Karen Lamontagne, Katie Evans, Kerrie Boyle, Lisa Keeping, Nikki Rose, Dionne Winsor
Coaches: John Dawe, Neil Benson, Ross Crocker, Peggy Colbourne
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Aug. 14
- 9:30 a.m., Lions Park, ON2 vs DC
- 11:30 a.m., Lions Park, NL vs SK1
- 1 p.m., Victoria Park, ON1 vs PEI
- 1:30 p.m., Lions Park, Host vs QC
- 3 p.m., Victoria Park, SK2 vs DC
- 3:30 p.m., Lions Park, NL vs ON2
- 6 p.m., Lions Park, Opening Ceremonies
- 6:30 p.m., Lions Park, Host vs SK1
- 7:30 p.m., Victoria Park, ON1 vs QC
- 8:30 p.m., Lions Park, SK2 vs PEI
Thursday, Aug. 15
- 9:30 a.m., Lions Park, DC vs QC
- 1130 a.m., Lions Park, PEI vs SK1
- 1 p.m., Victoria Park, ON2 vs QC
- 1:30 p.m., Lions Park, Host vs SK2
- 3 p.m., Victoria Park, ON1 vs NL
- 3:30 p.m., Lions Park, DC vs PEI
- 6:30 p.m., Lions Park, Host vs ON2
- 7 p.m., Victoria Park, SK2 vs NL
- 8:30 p.m., Lions Park, ON1 vs SK1
Friday, Aug. 16
- 9:30 a.m., Lions Park, NL vs QC
- 11:30 a.m., Lions Park, ON1 vs Host
- 12 p.m., Victoria Park, DC vs SK1
- 1:30 p.m., Lions Park, SK2 vs QC
- 3 p.m., Victoria Park, ON2 vs PEI
- 3:30 p.m., Lions Park, NL vs DC
- 6:30 p.m., Lions Park, Host vs PEI
- 7 p.m., Victoria Park, ON2 vs SK1
- 8:30 p.m., Lions Park, ON1 vs SK2
Saturday, Aug. 17
- 12 p.m., Lions Park, 1st vs 2nd
- 12 p.m., Victoria Park, 8th vs 9th
- 2:30 p.m., Lions Park , 3rd vs 6th
- 2:30 p.m., Victoria Park, 7th vs W 8-9th
- 5 p.m., Lions Park, 4th vs 5th
- 7:30 p.m., Lions Park, W 3-6th vs W 4-5th
Sunday, Aug. 18
- 12 p.m., Lions Park, bronze medal game
- 2:30 p.m., Lions Park, gold medal game
Teams
- Quebec — Équipe Quebec
- Ontario No. 1 — KARS
- Ontario No. 2 — Bytown Belles
- Saskatchewan No. 1 — Carnduff Southeast Steelers
- Saskatchewan No. 2 — Saskatoon G-Force
- P.E.I. — PEI Stealers
- Newfoundland and Labrador (Animal Health Centre Wildcats)
- Host (Galway)
- Defending Champs (Calahoo, Alta. Erins)
