It was quite the ride for the youngest team entered in the Kivalliq junior softball tournament in Rankin Inlet from July 26 to 28.
The Rankin 14-and-under players surprised everyone at the rain-soaked tourney with the exception of their coaching staff, Dave Wiseman, Holly Mercer and Robert Kabvitok, who entered the event full of confidence in their team.
The young guns dropped the final to Coral Harbour 14-0 after eliminating Arviat 26-13 in their semifinal, while Coral ousted Rankin's 16-and-under squad 21-4 in their semi.
The Rankin Inlet 14-and-younger team of, top row from left, Sandy Tattuinee, Gregory Wiseman, Alaittuq Wiseman, Morgan Kakuktinniq, Kayden Mercer, Dave Wiseman (coach), Kadin Eetuk, Darren Ikakhik Jr., Owen Connelly-Clark, Alyson Mckay, Holly Mercer (assistant coach) and Robert Kabvitok (coach) and, bottom from left, Liam Tattuinee, Lexi Angootealuk, Kelsie Kaludjak, Jaidyn Verbeek, Ben Tulugak and Jessie Qiyuk. went all the way to the final before losing to Coral Harbour at the Kivalliq junior softball tournament in Rankin Inlet on July 28, 2019. Photo courtesy of Dave Wiseman
Baker Lake and Whale Cove also competed at the event.
Wiseman said the tournament itself was fantastic, despite the rain.
He said every player at the event seemed to have a great time all weekend long.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of the kids who came from out of town had just as much fun visiting family and friends and playing with other kids in Rankin as they did playing in the tournament,SA国际影视传媒� said Wiseman.
SA国际影视传媒淭he playgrounds were full every time I drove past them during the weekend.
SA国际影视传媒淓ven though it rained like a bugger almost all weekend long, it didn't seem to bother the kids one little bit.SA国际影视传媒�
Wiseman said the players on their team were all aged 12 to 14, so it's quite possible a team or two may have taken them too lightly as the games rolled past.
But what some may not have known, was the team was almost identical to the fastball squad he, Mercer and Kabvitok had overseen the previous year.
SA国际影视传媒淗olly and Robert started a fastball league this past year and asked me to help out mainly because I knew the rules for fastball,SA国际影视传媒� said Wiseman.
SA国际影视传媒淥nce we realized David (recreation co-ordinator David Clark) was putting this tournament on, we entered our fastball team from the previous year.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone thought it was going to be a cake walk playing against us because our team was so young.
SA国际影视传媒淢y son (Gregory Wiseman) was asked to play with a 16-and-under team, and I told him stick with us and we'll make it all the way to the final. He did and so did we.SA国际影视传媒�
Wiseman said the big advantage the young Rankin team had was that its players were used to playing together.
He said the Rankin players had been together for two years and, with the exception of Coral Harbour, the other teams made far more mental errors on the field than the young squad.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur team was so young and you could tell in the final they were really nervous playing Coral.
SA国际影视传媒淣ot to take anything away from Coral SA国际影视传媒� they played great ball all weekend SA国际影视传媒� but the errors we made in the final took us out of the game before we really settled in.
SA国际影视传媒淏ut, for a team that young to make it to the final playing against a bunch of 16-year-olds was truly awesome.
SA国际影视传媒淭he kids in the tournament had a pure ball and that's what these events are supposed to be all about.SA国际影视传媒�
