|
| |
|
|
|
No ball for these Little Leaguers |
|
|
Written by
JASON PETERS, Citizen staff
|
|
Monday, 14 July 2008 |
Members of the Prince George 11-12-year-old all-star baseball team spent much of Sunday on a bottle drive to raise money to help with participation in the provincial Little League tournament at Joe Martin Field, which starts Friday. But the players -- from left, Justin Schwing, Josh Rockwell, Carson Stephen, Chris Smith and Brennan Bredo -- found out later in the day their team had been ruled ineligible by Little League Canada. (David Mah photo)
Related Items
PRINCE GEORGELITTLE LEAGUEWILLIAMS LAKE
The Prince George 11- and 12-year-old all-stars had official approval to play in the event, which starts Friday morning at Joe Martin Field. They got the nod two weeks ago from Brian Kelly, Little League B.C.’s District 4 administrator.
But, on Monday morning, all-stars manager Marcel Belanger was forced to deliver crushing news to his players and their parents.
The all-stars -- because of a mistake at the organizational level -- were out of the tournament.
“The kids were a lot better (about it) than the parents were,” Belanger said Monday night. “Not good. Not a good scene.
“Our parents are pretty (angry),” Belanger added. “We’re considering writing a nice letter and sending an invoice to Little League B.C. for jackets and all the stuff that we did.”
So, how did this unfold? Here are the details.
The tournament, which will send one club to nationals Aug. 2-9 in Sydney Mines, N.S., already had Prince George Cap-Abilities entered as the host team. But, Kelly told the second local club -- the one now on the outside looking in -- it could enter the event as the District 4 representative. That turned out to be incorrect information.
“I did tell them (they could play) and I encouraged them to participate because I felt that because we didn’t have a district (representative) that we could use a second Prince George team as a district team,” Kelly said. “What I didn’t do, I didn’t check it out with the Canadian western vice president for Little League (North Vancouver’s Wayne Hobson) to find out if I could do that or not. When (Little League administrators) found out that I had put the team in, they said, ‘No, that’s an ineligible team because they did not play to advance.’ I found out Sunday. Once we had published the schedule and they realized the two teams were in there, they said, ‘No, Brian, that’s not right.’ So I take full responsibility for the mixup.
“I didn’t do enough background checks to make sure that they were eligible.”
Kelly said he contacted Little League Canada on Monday morning and confirmed what Hobson had told him.
Kelly, one of the most experienced Little League administrators in the province, said he feels badly for the players affected.
“I am disappointed for the kids because they were looking forward to it,” he said.
The all-stars, as alluded to above, could have still been the District 4 rep at provincials if they had won their way in. But, that was an impossible scenario because they had nobody else to play against. Williams Lake has Little League affiliation but did not field an 11- and 12-year-old all-star team this season, and Quesnel is no longer a part of the Little League family.
The situation is clearly frustrating to Belanger.
“Really, this is stupid,” he said.
“So 13 kids don’t get that (provincial) experience. And I’ll be honest, we were going to be lucky to make four innings in every game. We probably would have got mercied but it’s about building for the kids for next year. We’re not that strong.”
Members of the 11- and 12-year-old all-stars are Cole Waldie, Jackson Belanger, Justin Schwing, Chris Smith, John Polnik, Brennan Bredo, Carson Stephen, Jeremy Delorme, Alex Gibbons, Brooks Franklin, Dryden Barkowsky, Josh Rockwell and Josh Goyer. Troy Waldie and Jason Schwing are the other coaches.
Some of Belanger’s team parents are so angry they no longer want to volunteer their time during the tournament.
“We talked to our parents (Monday) morning and some of them are mad enough to say, ‘You know what? I’m not helping, period.’ And some of them will still stay and help and do all that stuff.”
On the bright side, the all-stars have found another tournament they can enter -- the Big League Experience, July 25-27 in Oliver. The downside of the Oliver option is the price tag attached to it.
“It’s going to cost a lot of money,” Belanger said. “This (provincial tournament) was a good opportunity to get seven games in at home and not really have it cost you anything.”
The Little League provincials are scheduled to wrap up on July 27. Seven teams will compete for the right to go to the Canadian championship. The eventual Canadian champion will move on to the Little League World Series, Aug. 15-24 in Williamsport, Pa.
 |
|
Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 September 2008 )
|
|
|
Who's Online
We have 37 guests and 5 members online
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
