The third annual Ridley Island Charity Slow-pitch tournament was held from Friday Aug. 25 to Sunday Aug. 27 at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre baseball diamonds.
Friends and family of the tournament’s competitors packed the field’s bleachers to cheer on the approximately 150 players on 10 teams battle in the friendly competition fundraiser.
“It’s gone well,” said Amy Lashek, president of North Coast Charity and one of the event’s organizers. “We had tons of spectators and tons of people came out to support us.”
The team fielded by CityWest eventually won the tournament, defeating Progressive Steel in a game that featured heavy hitting by both team’s batters, and some exciting fielding that kept its spectators loud and engaged.
“We’ve got some pretty good players and we picked up some new players and we just kept our head in the game even with all the cheering and heckling,” said CityWest team captain Courtney Berg.
The yearly tournament invites different businesses from Prince Rupert to form teams and compete against each other. Lashek said the tournament raised approximately $3,000 from both registration fees and donations which will go to local charities chosen by Prince Rupert Grain, Harbour Machines and CityWest.
A donation will be made to the North Coast Health Improvement Society on behalf of Harbour Machines, a donation will be made to the wildlife shelter on bealf of Prince Rupert Grain and a donation will be made to the Prince Rupert Senior’s Centre on behalf of CityWest.
Lashek said that in addition to the tournament being an opportunity to raise funds for a good cause, it allows employees of the city’s business to connect outside of the office. She said there were lots of younger players on this year’s teams, and people who participated in the tournament eventually joined the city’s slow-pitch league which plays during the week.
“It’s to get people who don’t usually play out and companies to have a bonding event for them to put a team together and play together outside of work,” she said.
