At the time of this writing, 10 teams were set to converge on the Forest City to vie for a chance to win Canadian Gold at the 13U National Championship, August 25-29.
The London Badgers were the host team for the Championship, which also featured three teams from Québec, two more Ontario teams and a provincial representative from BC, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. It was the second time in three years that this Championship has been hosted in London. In total, more than 230 athletes, coaches and umpires converged on the city for the event.
All games were held at Stronach Park in London’s north end. The Badgers were looking to repeat their two-time medal performance at the 13U Championship.
“We are very proud of the effort that all our teams put forth on the field throughout the year, but at this time of year it’s really something special to be able to watch these kids come out, play the sport that they love, and do it all for a chance to win a National Championship,” said Justin Snively, LDBA Vice President. “We wish the Badgers the best of luck and welcome all the teams from around Canada to our great city!”
Royals going for Gold
The Badgers weren’t the only local team to compete for a National Championship; the Strathroy Royals team also played for gold at the Senior Men’s National Championship in Fredericton, NB, August 25-29.
While the Badgers earned their entry into the National tournament as a host, the Royals had a much more difficult road to earn their shot at national glory.
“There are a lot of good teams in Ontario, and it takes a consistent level of play in the [Eliminations] to be representatives at Nationals,” Royals Manager, Derek Bloomfield, said prior to the tournament. “It takes a lot of hard work for a team to be there at the end of the tournament, and there are a lot of good teams that don’t make it to Nationals.”
The Royals earned their berth to the Canadian Championship through a second place finish at the Ontario Senior Elimination Tournament in Windsor earlier in August.
“The Nationals will be a tough test,” Bloomfield said prior to the tournament. “This is our second time going in four years, and I think that says something about our team and the effort our guys put in to get to Fredericton. I think with this being our second time in a short period, we won’t have that feeling out process. It will be a tough competition, but we will give it our all. Anything short of a medal would be disheartening.”
Check out baseball.ca for the full results of both National Championships.
Story submitted by LDBA Baseball
