Tournoi de fastball

Fastball Tournament
St-Leonard-d'Aston Express
July 2-5, 2009 in St-Leonard-d'Aston, QC
Fee: $300
1st place $700, 2nd place $300
Tournament format to be determined

Information:
Jean Yves Doucet (819)399-2932 doucet@tlb.sympatico.ca
Michel Leclair (819)399-3063 mleclair@tlb.sympatico.ca

Kanata Minor Softball Association hosts coaching clinic

KMSA is hosting the Competition - Introduction, Softball clinic on the weekends of April 25th/26th and May 2nd/3rd. For more information on the clinic, please contact Andy Brothers at andybrothers@sympatico.ca.

Gym time for Pitchers

from Scott Searle

On March 29th the University of Ottawa Softball team is working on tracking and pitch selection. If there is a pitcher who is looking to get a head start for the season, or wants some extra work we would love it if they threw in our gym and let some of our hitters stand in.

We have AY Jackson High School gym from 2-4 on Sunday afternoons.

For more information ask Scott Searle at Scottsearle@rogers.com

Napanee Tournament

Napanee North Key Jr Express Intermediate Mens Fastpitch Challenge

The Napanee North Key Jr Express in conjunction with Softball Napanee are pleased to announce our first annual Intermediate Mens’ Fastpitch Challenge.
We can accommodate up to 16 teams. ISC II eligible players only.

Date: July 24,25,26 2009
Location: Napanee, On (using both Fairgrounds and North Fred ball complexes)

Entry Fee: $375.00 - 3 game Guarantee
Prize Money: Champion - $1600, Finalist - $800 (based on 16 teams)

For more information please contact:
Daryl MacDonald (613)354-1889 sixofus@kos.net
Brad MacDonald (613)354-2128 macdonald_0024@sympatico.ca

Tournament in St-Damien, QC

St-Damien’s fastball Annual Championship
July 24,25 and 26 2009

We are proud to invite you to the first fastball championship that will be held in St-Damien, next July 24th, 25th and 26th, 2009. A committee has been formed and already working hard to provide a high level tournament of good quality.

This letter is an official invitation to your team. It would be honour for us to welcome a prestigious organization like yours.

The subscription fees are 350$ CA and your team is assured to play at least three games. The tournament will take place under the formula semi-rotation. The grants for the first teams will be proportional to the number of participating teams. We expect to welcome a total of 12 teams that would come from United States, Ontario and Québec. In that case, the grants would be as followed:

- First: 1500$ or 2000$ CA (to be determined)
- Second: 850$ CA
- Third: 350$ CA
- Fourth: 350$ CA

Join us this unique event and take the opportunity to visit St-Damien, a very nice little town located between the superb St Lawrence River and Appalachian Mountains, in the beautiful area of Quebec City.

Contact: daniel_gonthier@ssss.gouv.qc.ca

Update on Laddy, from the Citizen

OTTAWA — Darren Ladouceur is back in his Stittsville home, but the 35-year-old father of two still faces a long road to recovery after a January assault outside a nightclub in Syracuse, New York.

Karen Ladouceur remembers the telephone call in the middle of the night informing her that her husband had suffered a serious head injury.

“I knew when the phone rang from the hospital that I didn’t want to answer it. The phone doesn’t ring at that time of the night for just any reason,” she said.

She was told that Darren was in serious condition at University Hospital in Syracuse after he was found unconscious outside a downtown nightclub. He had gone there Jan. 25 for a guys weekend with friends.

The details are still sketchy and Ladouceur said her husband doesn’t recall the assault. Syracuse police have charged a 21-year-old man with felony assault in connection with the incident and the case is far from over, she said.

Her husband suffered a blood clot to the brain and was put in a medically-induced coma for two weeks. He returned to Ottawa Feb. 12, spent some time at The Ottawa Hospital and has been home for a few days. Next week, he goes to the Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre to begin more treatment.

Ladouceur says Darren can now walk, and even take a short stroll outside, but he tires easily. He can also speak and recognizes relatives.

“He’s doing OK, but he has a lot of work ahead of him for cognitive skills,” Ladouceur said. She has been told it’s too early to tell if Darren will make a complete recovery.

After receiving the terrible phone call, Ladouceur and her father drove to Syracuse.

“I knew he was a fighter and a determined guy so I kept that in the back of my mind that he will come through it,” she said.

Darren was a product manager at Zarlink Semiconductor, an Ottawa-based high-tech company. An avid sportsman, he played fastpitch and hockey. The couple have two sons, Ryan, 4½ and Trent, 2½.

“It’s been awful and the worst nightmare I’ve ever been through,” Ladouceur said of the past two months.

“I really didn’t know if he was going to come home to me and my family. He’s home now and we could just hope for a decent recovery.”



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Zack in the Deuce

from Al's Page

The International Softball Congress is pleased to announce that Darren Zack has been granted eligibility to play in the ISC II division effective for the 2009 season.

This decision keeps a living legend active in the game. The decision was made by a specially convened panel of the ISC Regional Vice-Presidents.

Not only does this give a new set of players an opportunity to say they played with and against Darren, it also enables Darren to have the opportunity to play with his son, Darren Jr. This is a very important factor for Darren because as a young pitcher, he had the opportunity to play with his father.

Other factors that entered into this decision include Darren's age (48) and very limited opportunities for father and son to play on the same team.

Darren's eligibility is exclusive to the Ohsweken Redmen team from Ontario and is not transferrable to another team should Ohsweken fail to qualify for the ISC II Tournament of Champions. It is also reviewable at the conclusion of the 2009 season.

Workout for Slo-pitch players

Now generally speaking I would never post anything slo-pitch related.

However, this "Winter Workout" is worth a look if you have a chance.

(Thanks to Spud for sending this one.)

Expansion!

No, not in the GOFL or any other men's league - but expansion nonetheless.

The West Carleton Minor Softball Association has announced that Pakenham will now be represented and will be entering teams into the local softball league for young boys and girls. Pakenham will join villages Fitzroy Harbour, Constance Bay, Carp, Kinburn and Dunrobin.

Good to see an upswing in minor softball in the area.

Calgary Road Tour

Check out this story for some familiar names on a road tour this weekend in Calgary.

Ultimate weekend for Big Horns
West Carleton Review - Feb 26, 2009

Tonight (Feb. 26), as members of local hockey team the Big Horns settle into their seats aboard a plane bound for Calgary, Alberta, they will likely raise a glass and toast fellow player and friend Darryl Affleck.

After all, it was Affleck who entered the online contest that won the group of local men’s recreational league players the opportunity to have The Ultimate Rec Hockey Experience, courtesy of Molson Canadian and Hockey Canada.

“I’m pretty ecstatic,” said Affleck, who says it took some convincing for his teammates to believe they were headed to Calgary for the weekend. When he got the news, he was excited to share it.

“I started making some phone calls and nobody really believed it,” he said.

The prize includes an opportunity for the players to demonstrate their skills on the ice with Hockey Canada coaches, and pick up some tips to improve their game.

Four teams are involved in the event: two from Alberta, one from Ontario and one from the Halifax-area.

Hotel and meal accommodation, transportation, surprise gifts, and use of the Team Canada dressing rooms are also part of the prize pack. The Big Horns is made up of a pretty good group of friends, so the trip is sure to be a good one. “We’ve been playing together for about 10 years,” says Affleck of the hockey team, but many of the guys go back farther than that. “We grew up together, playing hockey, school, stuff like that.”

He’s looking forward to the whole experience and some time on the ice.

“We’re supposed to have a practice with Hockey Canada coaches, that’ll be pretty interesting,” says Affleck.

Hockey is not the only sport for the Big Horns, the guys get together for a golf event each year, too. Team member Matt Mulvihill says the Big Horns are really looking forward to the trip. “We’re very excited,” says Mulvihill. “The lads are pumped up.”

Along with the “free stuff,” Mulvihill agrees that the time with Hockey Canada coaches will be a highlight.

“I think we’re going to turn a few heads with Hockey Canada,” he says with a laugh. Mostly, he’s looking to have a good time with an “unbelievable” group of friends.

“I’ll be very excited to see the Big Horns on the Red Mile in Calgary. I think of the 14 lads who are going, there’s probably a few of them who haven’t been away for awhile,” says Mulvihill of the guys, some of whom are now married with children.

The Big Horns hockey team started playing Pakenham on Tuesday nights about 10 years ago, says Mulvihill, and now play at the Nick Smith Centre.

Along with Affleck and Mulvihill the Big Horns traveling to Calgary are Cory Cardiff, Dave Kelly, Mike Cavanagh, Jim Smith, Steve Styles, Trevor Barton, Tyler Robertson, Shawn Rebertz, Ryan McKenna, Tyler Rafter, Cory Habecker and Mike Camelon.