SIX NATIONS — On Saturday, September 11, the Six Nations Agricultural Society offered a Fall Gathering at the Six Nations Fairgrounds and brought with it, scheduled games for the Provincial Women’s Softball Association.
The U14 Bobcats, Heat and U16 Bobcast and Heat put on the first games at the Six Nations Ball Diamonds in two years.
Craig MacDonald, organizer of the exhibition show case, said that it was worth it to the see the diamonds full of activity.
“It was a nice day for ball; they haven’t had a ball game played in Ohsweken for young adults or children in two years. It was really nice to see all of the people filling the stands and coming together and the games were a good showing,” said MacDonald.
The first U14 match brought together the Haldimand Heat, with local players Georgia Bomberry, Kali Sowden, and Ryleen Davis on the roster, up against the U14 Brantford Bobcats, with local players including Honey Anderson and Naohes Martin.
The next game brought together the U16 Milton Bats, with local players including Colby VanEvery and Trinity MacDonald, versus the U16 Brantford Bobcats, with local players including Kolbi Bomberry and Kyla Miller.
MacDonald explained that the local players grew up playing together, but with the Covid-19 restrictions on Six Nations which put a pause on minor softball, they opted to play off-reserve to keep up their skills. The same restrictions that prompted the show case 6 to prepare six weeks in advance.
“I was really happy that we could have it because there were so many rules to even have a diamond and to bring in non-local teams here,” he said. “Public Health gave us the green light to go and it wasn’t easy, but it was great to watch the girls play.”
“They were good exhibition games that we worked hard to put together, and with the weather, the day went great,” he said.
MacDonald included that with “fingers crossed,” the exhibition will be brought together again next year.
