Ottawa Citizen Article - Saturday January 27, 2007
Fastball field of teams up to nine
GOFL adds three clubs from Ottawa RA League
Don Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, January 27, 2007
It may be a little late in the game for Quyon fastball legends such as Joey Fraser, Jim Foran and, of course, Mike Keone, but the Quyon Flyers will be back on the field this summer at the Quyon ballpark, at the edge of the ferry docks on the Fairgrounds.
The Greater Ottawa Fastball League is continuing its rapid growth in 2007 by adding the Flyers, Ottawa Valley Raiders and Orleans Gators to its six existing franchises, giving Eastern Ontario its largest league in years.
The league, formerly known as the Kemptville Area Men's Fastball League, has grown from four clubs in 2004 (when it became the GOFL) to six in 2005 and now to nine, including mainstays Fitzroy Harbour, Stittsville, Carp, four-time champion Ottawa Team Easton, Ottawa Blitz and Manotick.
"Despite what people may think, the sport of fastball is still popular at the intermediate men's level in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, and the calibre of play is exceptional with many former senior men's players playing on teams throughout the league," said Carp I4C head coach and general manager Shawn Williams, who also plays a large role in league issues. "The most exciting aspect of our league expansion is that two of the three teams are stocked primarily with younger players which bodes well for the future of fastball in this area. "
Quyon is made up mostly of players who were on the junior men's team that went to the Canadian Championship last year, and the Orleans team is made up of graduates from the midget boy's team that finished fifth at the Canadians last year.
"As older players retire, it's nice to see that there are some younger players who can step in to fill that void and allow fastball to continue to grow and thrive in our community."
All three new teams are moving over from the Ottawa RA League. The Flyers will be a junior-aged team, with all players under 23 years of age. The club participated in the junior Canadians last year in St-Leonard, Que., placing 10th of 12 teams. The Valley Raiders won the RA League in each of the past four seasons with Gary Cavanagh and Gord Flannery leading the way. Orleans will also field a junior-aged team, with most of the roster having played last year in the midget nationals in Prince Albert, Sask., where the placed fifth.
Of the returning clubs, Team Easton, which has won the title every year since 2003, will be the one to beat. No other club can match captain/infielder Kevin Chevrier, former Team Canada Pan Am games and International Softball Congress (ISC) world team player Randy Peck, and ace pitcher Dan Konkle.
The GOFL sent three representatives to the ISC Tournament of Champions in Kitchener, Ont., to compete with the top 35 intermediate level teams from across North America: Team Easton, Stittsville and Fitzroy Harbour. Team Easton also competed at the Tournament of Champions in Wisconsin in 2005, finishing third in the 35-team competition.
"We'd love to see even more teams down the road from communities like Mississippi Mills in the west or Alfred or Hammond in the east," said Williams. "There's a great history of fastball in those towns. Minnesota Wild draft pick Benoit Pouliot's late father, Marc, was an outstanding pitcher on the old Alfred team. ''There are still some talented but hidden ball players throughout the region."
The 20-game regular season begins May 7 and runs 12 weeks until the playoffs in late August and early September.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
GOFL adds three clubs from Ottawa RA League
Don Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, January 27, 2007
It may be a little late in the game for Quyon fastball legends such as Joey Fraser, Jim Foran and, of course, Mike Keone, but the Quyon Flyers will be back on the field this summer at the Quyon ballpark, at the edge of the ferry docks on the Fairgrounds.
The Greater Ottawa Fastball League is continuing its rapid growth in 2007 by adding the Flyers, Ottawa Valley Raiders and Orleans Gators to its six existing franchises, giving Eastern Ontario its largest league in years.
The league, formerly known as the Kemptville Area Men's Fastball League, has grown from four clubs in 2004 (when it became the GOFL) to six in 2005 and now to nine, including mainstays Fitzroy Harbour, Stittsville, Carp, four-time champion Ottawa Team Easton, Ottawa Blitz and Manotick.
"Despite what people may think, the sport of fastball is still popular at the intermediate men's level in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, and the calibre of play is exceptional with many former senior men's players playing on teams throughout the league," said Carp I4C head coach and general manager Shawn Williams, who also plays a large role in league issues. "The most exciting aspect of our league expansion is that two of the three teams are stocked primarily with younger players which bodes well for the future of fastball in this area. "
Quyon is made up mostly of players who were on the junior men's team that went to the Canadian Championship last year, and the Orleans team is made up of graduates from the midget boy's team that finished fifth at the Canadians last year.
"As older players retire, it's nice to see that there are some younger players who can step in to fill that void and allow fastball to continue to grow and thrive in our community."
All three new teams are moving over from the Ottawa RA League. The Flyers will be a junior-aged team, with all players under 23 years of age. The club participated in the junior Canadians last year in St-Leonard, Que., placing 10th of 12 teams. The Valley Raiders won the RA League in each of the past four seasons with Gary Cavanagh and Gord Flannery leading the way. Orleans will also field a junior-aged team, with most of the roster having played last year in the midget nationals in Prince Albert, Sask., where the placed fifth.
Of the returning clubs, Team Easton, which has won the title every year since 2003, will be the one to beat. No other club can match captain/infielder Kevin Chevrier, former Team Canada Pan Am games and International Softball Congress (ISC) world team player Randy Peck, and ace pitcher Dan Konkle.
The GOFL sent three representatives to the ISC Tournament of Champions in Kitchener, Ont., to compete with the top 35 intermediate level teams from across North America: Team Easton, Stittsville and Fitzroy Harbour. Team Easton also competed at the Tournament of Champions in Wisconsin in 2005, finishing third in the 35-team competition.
"We'd love to see even more teams down the road from communities like Mississippi Mills in the west or Alfred or Hammond in the east," said Williams. "There's a great history of fastball in those towns. Minnesota Wild draft pick Benoit Pouliot's late father, Marc, was an outstanding pitcher on the old Alfred team. ''There are still some talented but hidden ball players throughout the region."
The 20-game regular season begins May 7 and runs 12 weeks until the playoffs in late August and early September.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
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