Team Quebec to compete at Canadian Senior Nationals
For the first time since 1995, there will be a team representing Quebec at the Canadian Men's Senior National tournament this August / September in PEI.
As per the discussion going around the ball parks recently, it has been confirmed that an entry involving several familiar faces from the GOFL and area tournaments are combining efforts to play at the big dance.
Fitzroyfastball is pleased to provide an exclusive interview with Joe McCleary on the team.
Q: So, Joe, good to hear Quebec will have a representative at the Canadian Nationals in PEI for the first time in 15 years. Tell me a little bit about how this idea came to be a reality.
A: Last year I received an email from Francis Leclair, asking if I would be interested in starting a Quebec team with some of our guys from Quyon combining with the St Leonard D'Aston Express, the junior team that hosted the JR Nationals that we attended in 2006.
Q: Which players from the Quyon Flyers are involved, and who are the key players from Donnacona that will go to Nationals?
A: Matt Greer, Shawn Lafromboise, Nick Armitage and myself. Drew Hathway and Joran Graham were also hoping to play but were unable to get time off for the SR Nationals in Charlottetown. The key players from their corner, are Francis Leclair, Steve Savard and Jean-Daniel Doucet.
Q: What are your expectations? Do you think you can make the playoff round?
A: I think that we will open some eyes for sure. The team is a combo of two teams that opened a lot of eyes last year at the ISC Tournament of Champions, being ranked 22 and 27 going into the tourney, we finished 3rd and 5th. We are a hard working young team that loves to be on the field and so far this season in 3 tune ups, we have not lost a game. Won the Williamsburg tourney giving up 3 hits and no runs, won an exhibition weekend in St Leo, and won Au Sable Forks going 6-0.
Q: Has Softball Quebec been supportive / helpful of this initiative?
A: We started a commitee this winter as per their request to help build the men's program up. There are a series of different criteria on which each player's season is based on (time put into ball, working out, volunteering, potential, etc...) and the Quebec Government will give out tax credits based on those criteria. Each player on the Senior men's team will automatically get some money back, with some Junior and Midget players as well receiving the money. The good part about it is that you get money back at the end of the year, so you have to put in the time. The bad part is that you get money back at the end of the year and have to fork out everything out of your pocket all year!
Q: What will the team be known as? "Team Quebec"? And what will the team colours be?
A: The colours, shockingly, will be BLUE AND WHITE! We will have a similar look to the LA Dodgers, and the Team will be called TEAM QUEBEC.
Good luck to Big Joe and the rest of Team Quebec as they participate at the 2010 Nationals from August 29 to September 5 in Charlottetown, PEI.
As per the discussion going around the ball parks recently, it has been confirmed that an entry involving several familiar faces from the GOFL and area tournaments are combining efforts to play at the big dance.
Fitzroyfastball is pleased to provide an exclusive interview with Joe McCleary on the team.
Q: So, Joe, good to hear Quebec will have a representative at the Canadian Nationals in PEI for the first time in 15 years. Tell me a little bit about how this idea came to be a reality.
A: Last year I received an email from Francis Leclair, asking if I would be interested in starting a Quebec team with some of our guys from Quyon combining with the St Leonard D'Aston Express, the junior team that hosted the JR Nationals that we attended in 2006.
Q: Which players from the Quyon Flyers are involved, and who are the key players from Donnacona that will go to Nationals?
A: Matt Greer, Shawn Lafromboise, Nick Armitage and myself. Drew Hathway and Joran Graham were also hoping to play but were unable to get time off for the SR Nationals in Charlottetown. The key players from their corner, are Francis Leclair, Steve Savard and Jean-Daniel Doucet.
Q: What are your expectations? Do you think you can make the playoff round?
A: I think that we will open some eyes for sure. The team is a combo of two teams that opened a lot of eyes last year at the ISC Tournament of Champions, being ranked 22 and 27 going into the tourney, we finished 3rd and 5th. We are a hard working young team that loves to be on the field and so far this season in 3 tune ups, we have not lost a game. Won the Williamsburg tourney giving up 3 hits and no runs, won an exhibition weekend in St Leo, and won Au Sable Forks going 6-0.
Q: Has Softball Quebec been supportive / helpful of this initiative?
A: We started a commitee this winter as per their request to help build the men's program up. There are a series of different criteria on which each player's season is based on (time put into ball, working out, volunteering, potential, etc...) and the Quebec Government will give out tax credits based on those criteria. Each player on the Senior men's team will automatically get some money back, with some Junior and Midget players as well receiving the money. The good part about it is that you get money back at the end of the year, so you have to put in the time. The bad part is that you get money back at the end of the year and have to fork out everything out of your pocket all year!
Q: What will the team be known as? "Team Quebec"? And what will the team colours be?
A: The colours, shockingly, will be BLUE AND WHITE! We will have a similar look to the LA Dodgers, and the Team will be called TEAM QUEBEC.
Good luck to Big Joe and the rest of Team Quebec as they participate at the 2010 Nationals from August 29 to September 5 in Charlottetown, PEI.
posted by fitzroyfastball | 7/27/2010 01:40:00 pm
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