Learn to Coach Softball Clinic

Any coaches out there looking for a "Learn to Coach" clinic for softball take note - there will be a session from 9am to 4pm on Sunday May 1st in Fitzroy Harbour. This would be suitable for t-ball/houseleague softball coaches for younger kids 12 and under.

For more information or to participate, email fastball@fitzroyharbour.com.

This clinic is presented by the West Carleton Minor Softball Association in conjunction with Softball Ontario.

Look out Liam McGuire, here comes the Caveman

The Caveman and I are sitting and chatting about hockey. I mention something or other about the Philadelphia Flyers.

Caveman says "They've won the Stanley Cup two times, Daddy."

Surprised, I reply "That's right, 1974 and 1975! How'd you know that Caveman?"

Caveman tells me "I know all the winners, Daddy."

I start firing off teams.

"Boston?" "5"
"Edmonton?" "4"
"Detroit?" "11"
"New York?" "Islanders 4, Rangers 4"
"Los Angeles?" "Daddy, no tricking. None"

I try to stump him:

"Montreal Maroons" "Two, Daddy, back in the old days."

See, we set him up with his first bank account at Scotiabank. He's got this "Hockey Club" account for kids. When you get the account, you get this little piggybank tin that has all the Stanley Cup winner logos printed on the outside of the can. Caveman decided that he's memorize all the winners. (He's kind of a "Rainman" if you haven't guessed from the many Caveman stories on the blog.)

Keep in mind, the Caveman is six years old and can't read - it's all the logos he's counted and memorized, with some help from Fitzroy Junior.

It's a great party trick. If you see the Caveman at the ball diamond this season, be sure to try and stump him.

Maybe next I can get him to memorize GOFL Playoff Champions.....

Youth Softball Clinic in Kinburn on April 29

moving this up and correcting the date

Kinburn Community Association is putting on a kids' softball development clinic at the Kinburn Community Centre on Friday April 29. It was an excellent opportunity last year (Fitzroy Junior loved it) and I am sure it will be another great clinic again this year. Thanks to Jayne Coady of the KCA for organizing.

Youth Softball Instruction Clinic

By the University of Ottawa Gee Gee Ladies Fastball Team
Friday April 29-2011
Registration 6:30-7:00 pm Clinic 7:00 – 8:30 pm approx.
Outdoor Rink area at the Kinburn Community Association
3045 Kinburn Side Road, Kinburn, ON
Cost = $ 5.00 donation per child.
All funds will be donated to the University of Ottawa Gee Gee Ladies Fastball Team for their assistance in running this program.
Contact: jcoady@xplornet.com for more information. Name registration can be done in advance and on the day of the event.

OASA Tournaments

From Al's Fastball, the list of OASA tournaments to qualify for a national, from Peewee to Men's.

Arkansas softball update

Back in the winter, we featured a GOFL Interview with Kyle Jamieson, currently coaching with the Arkansas Razorbacks women's fastball team in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

KJ's girls aren't having a great season (current record 11-35), but he wasn't kidding about the locals taking things seriously down there. At the most recent home game at Bogle Park on April 17th, a 5-4 loss to South Carolina, there were 1078 fans in the park and the game was televised on "ESPN-U". They also played a game against #1 ranked Alabama down in Tuscaloosa, AL and there were 2641 fans in the stands for the March 25th game.

I'd say it compares somewhat with fan interest in GOFL play. I believe one game in Stittsville last year featured 6 fans, (including two curious squirrels) and was shown on a taped delay basis on North Gower Country Cable.

Good luck to KJ and the Razorbacks and let's hope for a strong finish to their season.

New GOFL website online

The new and improved GOFL website is now online, thanks to Jon Ferguson of the Blitz. Check it out and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Midland bidding on ISC Worlds in 2012

According to this story, the ISCs might be back in Michigan in 2012.

Voting tips from Fitzroy Junior

Fitzroy Junior has been watching the election commercials during the hockey game.

Junior to Mrs Fastball last night: "Mommy I like my life just the way it is. I don't want things to change. Vote for Harper, Mommy."

Harbour Ball - EXPANSION!

Believe it or not there is expansion in the Fitzroy Harbour Men's Fastball League once again.

After dropping down to 4 teams about a decade ago, the league expanded to six teams in 2009. This year the league has announced that due to the registration of many new young players, the FHMFL will be expanding to 8 teams this 2011 season. With the new lights on Diamond 2, all games will be able to be played on Wednesday nights once minor ball is over in mid-June.

Peterborough Shootout July 8 - 10, 2011

from Al's Fastball

The Peterborough Men's Softball Association announces a tournament (Peterborough Shootout), for OPEN men's teams in Canada and the United States.

The first 12 teams to enter will be placed in four divisions and will play a round robin preliminary round. The top 2 teams in each division will then enter a single elimination playoff round. There will be $ 2900 in travel expense money (based on 12 teams). Entry Fee: $450

Over the course of the weekend, you and your families can take advantage of many attractions such as The Little Lake MusicFest outdoor concert with fireworks on Saturday night, or take a dinner cruise over the largest hydraulic Lift Lock in the world.

Peterborough's downtown core features over 60 restaurants and many pubs and bars. Peterborough also has plenty of accommodations in the downtown core as well as Beavermead Camp Ground, which is located minutes from East City Bowl. Hope to see you all in The Kawarthas this Summer!!

Info: Scott Wasson wass19@bell.net

Caveman - hockey historian

Fitzroy Junior away at a sleepover, Mrs Fastball away shopping, leaving the Caveman and I at home to watch some NHL playoff hockey together. Boston vs Montreal on TV.

Caveman: "Daddy, my favourite player is P.K. Subban."

Me: "Well, he is a pretty good player."

Caveman: "Daddy, people in the old days were mean."

Me: "Why do you say that?"

Caveman: "In the old days they wouldn't let Subban play because he's a brown guy."

36th annual Dunkirk, NY Tournament

from Tim Wdowiasz

Dunkirk fastpitch tournament on July 15-17th weekend.
Cost is $300.
3 game round robin for 10 teams or a double elimination if we get 13 or more.
Prize money is $4000 to top 4 teams based on 16 teams.
Last year close to 800 fans filled the park on Friday to open up the games and close to 800 on Sunday were on hand to watch the championship game between Erie Bud and Lackawana.

We will have a food stand, beer tent, chicken bbq on Sunday, bounce tent, a band on Friday night at the stadium.

email dopeywdowiasz@hotmail.com or call 716-679-6797.

GOFL schedule

The GOFL schedule for 2011 is pretty much complete. Now we just need a website to post it on. Any ideas? Better yet, any volunteers to set it up? Let us know in the comments.

GOFL 2011 Season Preview - Ottawa Blitz

The Ottawa Blitz have sent in a preview for the 2011 GOFL season.

Ottawa Blitz 2011 Roster

The Ottawa Blitz will look to build on their performance from last year and hope that a few new additions will help push them over the .500 mark in the GOFL. Gone from last year’s squad are veteran leftfielder Brett Dugan, Kevin O’Neill and Derek Martin. Stepping in to fill out the roster are familiar faces Anil Hayne and Shannon Borho, formerly of North Gower, and newcomers Guy Levesque and Adam Grier.

The addition of a top-notch GOFL pitcher, former All-Star, Anil Hayne and the defensive abilities of Levesque and Grier are big additions to the club. Team manager Marcel Mondoux is hopeful that the new additions will help the Blitz make it past the 1st round of GOFL playoffs for the first time in the club’s history.

Full Roster:
Andrew Bruce
Adam Grier
Tony Searle
Russ Mitchell
Darron Barr
Derek Bergeron
Jamie Blakely
Ryan Mitts
Shannon Borho
Derick Bulley
Anil Hayne
Ron Hrycak
Guy Levesque
Marcel Mondoux
Jon Ferguson
Will Mood

Reproduction update

Congratulations are in order for a couple of people familiar to many GOFLers.

Bob Templeton aka "Tempy", former manager of the Kemptville Thunder, is a grandpa for the first time, welcoming baby Garrett to the family.

Michael Cavanagh, former all-star shortstop for West Carleton Electric, is a proud daddy for the first time. Baby Dylan and mom Tamara are both doing well.

Congrats to both guys!

Trend Arlington League needs players

from Ivan Taylor

The Trend Arlington Men's Fastball League seeks players to ensure they have a league this season. The TAMFL teams play twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30 and 8:30with the possibility of some games at 8:30 Thursdays as well. Anyone interested in more information should email info@tafastball.ca.

6th Annual Mickey Brennan Memorial Tournament Jul 8-10

from Al's Fastball

The 6th annual Mickey Brennan Memorial Men's Fast Pitch Softball Tournament will be held on July 8, 9, 10, 2011 in Lackawanna, NY (which is just outside of Buffalo), 10 min. away from the Peace Bridge to Canada)

Past winners inclued Elkland, Niagara Snappers, Big Johns, Ashland Stock Pack, & Hill United

The tournament is limited to the first 16 paid entries.
$300 entry fee
16 team double elimination tournament
ASA certified umpires
ISC II level & under players & pitchers
pitchers ARE allowed to hop
cash prizes to top 4 teams

Entry fee must be paid by either cash or money order. No personal checks will be accepted. Entries must be in by June 29, 2011

Money orders can be made out to the Mickey Brennan Memorial & sent to:
Mickey Brennan Memorial
45 Gibbons St.
Lackawanna, NY 14218

If you have any questions contact:
Jr. Rodriquez @ 716-578-7072
or e-mail Tom Nicometo: purchasing@ci.lackawanna.ny.us

I4C Victory NHL Playoff Pool

from Eric Rosenquist

If you like making the NHL playoffs a little more interesting, I4C Victory fastball team is hosting a playoff pool in order to help offset the cost of diamond fees, umpires, equipment, etc.

It's only $10 per entry, and first prize is a whopping $1000!

The pool is very simple to enter - there are 20 boxes that each contain a number of player names. You pick exactly one name from each of the 20 boxes to create your entry, then you hope that your 20 selections get more points during the playoffs than everyone else's 20 selections. In the event of a tie at the end of the playoffs, the prize money will be split evenly among those tied.

You can enter your selections online if you wish - go here: http://tinyurl.com/victory2011pool

Under team player referring you.....enter BLOG!

Equipment sale

Baseball Canada is having an equipment sale. Might be some good stuff there...

Baseball Canada Used Equipment Sale. April 8th (16:00-20:00), April 9th (9:00-13:00) at the Baseball Canada offices (2212 Gladwin Cres. Suite A7). Items for sale include bats, spikes, catcher's gear, pants, baseballs, along with Baseball Canada merchandise. **All sales are first come first served and there will be no prearranged sales.**

Bad news for the Cobourg league

Men's Fastball League can't field enough teams to play this season
By JEFF GARD, NORTHUMBERLAND TODAY

COBOURG -- For the first time in 25 years, the Cobourg Men's Fastball League will not operate this summer, and quite possibly, not again.

Last week the league was to hold its first official meeting to prepare for the 2011 season, however, only a couple of hours prior to the meeting, league president Layton Dodge said he was informed that the B&B Electric team didn't have enough players and wouldn't be returning.

That would have left only the Foodland Crush, Grafton Jays and eagle.cateams.

"We can't operate with only three teams," Dodge said.

Dodge recalled there being previous stoppages in the long history of the league. The last was in 1986 and he believes there were at least two or three years during the 1960s it didn't operate as well.

Following the hiatus in 1986, the league grew to 11 teams with a couple of years. In recent years, though, the league fielded five teams and then dropped to four teams in 2010.

Still, four teams was manageable last season and the league maintained an 18-game regular season schedule before two playoff rounds.

Games were played Monday and Wednesdays at Legion Fields in Cobourg, Tuesdays in Grafton and Thursdays in Baltimore.

In January, the league held an emergency meeting to ensure there would be enough teams to compete this season and at the time it was believed there would be. That made the news last week more shocking.

"As president of the league and a longtime executive member, I was very disappointed when I heard we would not have enough teams to operate," Dodge said.

It's likely some players will go play in other leagues while some may not play at all this summer. The four teams that competed in 2010 will split a surplus in money the league is carrying.

"I only hope (our players) enjoy success wherever they play and do something positive with the money that is being dispensed to the four teams."

Dodge expects the current executive will only revisit the operation of the league in the future on the request of the players.

"If they came to us and said we would like to have a league again, I think the executive would be willing to look at it," he said.