Local athlete makes Team Sask. bantam girls baseball team

“The way I like to coach is nothing is ever a given; it’s worked for… and she earned her spot on the team.”

Bourassa said the peewee and bantam teams held try-outs together, and there were roughly 40-45 players in attendance. The bantam team is made up of players aged 14-16.

Tarasoff said she wasn’t nervous at all at try-outs, as she enjoys pressure situations. That’s one of the reasons the 15-year-old’s favourite position is pitching.

“I like pitching because all of the attention is on you,” Tarasoff said. “I like making it hard on myself so if you mess up, you have to [earn] it back.”

Being able to play three positions could play to her benefit on Team Sask. Starting lineups haven’t been determined yet and being versatile certainly helps.

“We’re still in that learning process and kind of developing and figuring out where people will be playing,” Bourassa said. “The fact that she can play mutliple positions obviously gives her that added ability to put herself in the starting lineup over other people.”

The tournament will feature 10 teams, including the host Vaughan Vikings.

The remaining nine teams are all provinces. The only province without a team in the competition is New Brunswick.

Saskatchewan has four round robin games where they will face Manitoba, the hosts, Quebec, and finally British Columbia.

“I expect the competition to be top notch,” Bourassa said. “I’m hoping that we’re right up there…I do feel we’re gioing to have to be playing our best to have a chance to get to that medal round.”

Following the round robin, the top two teams from each division advance to the medal round, which is the semifinals followed by the finals.

“It’s going to be hard, that’s for sure,” Tarasoff said. “[I’m looking forward to] seeing all the good players and being able to play as one team.

“The [key] is to play your hardest and not worry about a whole lot.”

Baseball Sask. is helping with some of the tournaments costs, as they are paying for accommodations and giving a travel grant to offset some of the flight costs as well.

Following the trip out East, Tarasoff and her extended family will be taking advantage of the location, using it to jumpstart a vacation down to Niagara Falls. It will be her first time in southern Ontario.

The national tournament is set for August 17-20.

In preparation for the tournament, there will be a double header between the bantam AA Beavers and the provincial girls team in the Battlefords on Saturday, July 8 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11

by Nathan Kanter

Local athlete makes Team Sask. bantam girls baseball team

What's Trending