The U15 Battlefords Bandits softball team medaled at provincials and competed at Western Canadians last year. (Submitted photo/Battlefords Minor Softball)

By Martin Martinson

AGM Summary

Growth of game highlights takeaways from Battlefords Minor Softball AGM

Dec 14, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The Battlefords Minor Softball Association (BMSA) held its Annual General Meeting Wednesday night at the North Battleford Public Library, with topics ranging from increased involvement at the grassroots level, to the Association’s financial overview, and a big tournament scheduled for summer, 2024.

Registrations continue to climb

Battlefords Minor Softball saw registrations grow last year by nearly 25 percent from the year prior – which itself was a nearly 28 percent increase from two years ago.

President of BMSA, Darren Russell said it’s been great to see the game continue to grow year-over-year, now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

“We’re growing in almost every age category, and especially in our younger age groups,” Russell said.

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“When we saw this growth a few years ago we thought ‘okay, people weren’t playing ball because of COVID,’ but then the years go on and more kinds are coming in and more kids are coming in, and we’re bigger numbers now than we were pre-COVID, so the sport just continues to grow and we’re excited to see it.”

The continued growth of the game to new heights can likely – at least in part – be attributed to the success of the local teams in recent years. This includes sending six teams across four different categories to provincials last year, with three also advancing to Western Canadians.

“Last year has to be one of the most successful years we’ve had in our association,” Russell said. “I don’t remember another year we’ve ever sent three teams to Westerns to represent Saskatchewan, and we had one provincial champion, a silver medal at provincials, and a bronze medal at provincials, so the girls are doing really well.”

The BMSA’s total revenue for the past fiscal year was just over $98,800 which minus total expenses of $95,000 worked out to a net income of just over $3,700. This is notably up from even a season ago, when the Association had a net revenue of $76,600 and total expenses of $85,900 for a net income of just under -$9,300; though just over $4,000 in facility improvements played a big role in the expenses for 2022.

New Competitive Categories from Sask Softball

In addition to the growth of the game locally, Wednesday’s AGM also covered a new change to the competitive categories by Softball Sask. for the spring of 2024. Last year the province featured four competitive ‘tiers’ for each age group with “AA’, ‘AW’, ‘A’, and ‘B’, which will adjust this year into a more simplified ‘A, B, and C’ tier system.

This affects the Battlefords Minor Softball teams who, throughout the age groups, competed in ‘AW’, which will merge with ‘AA’ to form the singular ‘A’ tier.

Battlefords to host 2024 U15 Western Canadian Championships

Another aspect of the growth in minor softball locally could have to do with the major tournaments the BMSA has been involved with hosting in recent years. Another is scheduled to take place in 2024, when the Battlefords will host top teams from across Western Canada for the U15 Western Canadian Championships taking place August long weekend (Aug. 2-5).

“Hosting Westerns is going to be huge for us,” Russell said. “It’s going to be a pretty large undertaking, there’s going to be boys and girls softball being played here down at the flats, and there’s going to be a Players’ Banquet beforehand and opening and closing ceremonies and medal presentations, so it’s going to be a big one and we’re going to be looking for volunteers and sponsorships.”

Those interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities with the Westerns tournament next summer, or coaching opportunities with the local teams throughout the season, can contact Battlefords Minor Softball at battlefordsminorsoftball@outlook.com.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @MartyMartyPxP1