And so tournament softball is off and running in the NWT and for this group, itSA国际影视传媒檚 been a while since theySA国际影视传媒檝e seen game action like this.

The Keith Broadhead Twin Ballpark in Hay River played host to the U16 Hay River Jamboree featuring five teams in total: four from the Yellowknife Wolverines junior program and one from the host community. Team Lukas, coached by Jenn Lukas, ended up coming out on top in the final on Sunday afternoon by beating Team Thomas, coached by Steve Thomas, by a score of 8-5.

Lukas said the tournament ended up being a modified double-knockout tournament after the weather played havoc with the original format.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were going to have a round-robin tournament but Friday got rained out,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪teve is a master at putting brackets together and got one going on Friday evening.SA国际影视传媒�

The jamboree was the first event of the season and the idea behind it all was to give the players a chance to learn and shake out the cobwebs, she added.

SA国际影视传媒淣either community has had a lot of time on the field as of yet,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a late spring so we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get going (on the field) until (early June) and Hay River has been on the field since (June 8). It was a chance for the kids to knock off some rust and teach them as we went along.SA国际影视传媒�

One thing the Yellowknife teams encountered was some strong pitching courtesy of Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 Owen Pettipas, who is quickly becoming one of the pitchers of the future in the territory.

Lukas said there were some nerves among the players when they first faced Pettipas but it began to go away as the jamboree went on.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are players who are intimidated the first time they face him,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey started fouling off pitches, though, and began to get comfortable with it because they were making contact. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a big thing for a young player SA国际影视传媒� once they see they can make contact, they start to think they can catch up to it.SA国际影视传媒�

On the field, Lukas said Grady Stabel was one of the offensive stars as he had some big hits, one of which was a big triple, while Kali Skauge had a great weekend on the pitching rubber.

SA国际影视传媒淪he was hitting a lot of her spots and her velocity was really good,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

For her part, Skauge, who pitched for Team Thomas, said it was just good to be able to get back to game action, something she and her teammates havenSA国际影视传媒檛 had a lot of chances to do in recent months.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was probably the first time in about two years since weSA国际影视传媒檝e gotten to play an actual game against another team,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 play on a team coached by my dad (Greg Skauge) for the first time and that was weird but it ended up good.SA国际影视传媒�

She said her best game came against Hay River in the semifinal but it ended up being a weekend of bumps and bruises.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had a couple of line drives come back at me hard,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a couple of bruises on my legs and my ribs but I was walking (Monday) and I did my English exam so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 good.SA国际影视传媒�

Both Hay River Minor Ball and Yk Minor Fastball chipped in money to help put on this first jamboree and there is a second one planned for Yellowknife next month.

Skauge said everyone should be in better game shape by then.

SA国际影视传媒淲e havenSA国际影视传媒檛 done a lot on game situations but people caught on quick in Hay River,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l work on some things in the next couple of practices and we should be ready for the next one.SA国际影视传媒�