Women's fastball returns to Scenic City

The Owen Sound Lady Selects hope to make 2016 the summer that women's fastball returned to the city, and stayed here as they play host to the provincial championship.

Owen Sound has long been a hotbed for fastball in the province, playing home to high-caliber men's teams and hosting provincial and national tournaments. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the Owen Sound Leon's Ladies senior team featured prominently in the fastball landscape, playing in several Canadian championships and drawing crowds at home games at "the Pit" in Balmy Beach and tournaments alike.

Since that women's team disbanded about 15 years ago, a thriving recreational women's fastball league (Grey Bruce Ladies Fastball League) has continued to provide local female fastball players with a place to play in the meantime, although many competitive players opted to travel to women's teams in Southern Ontario in order to compete at a higher level.

In 2015, some key players from the former Leon's organization stepped up to the (symbolic) plate once again to reignite the spark for women's fastball in Owen Sound. The Owen Sound Lady Selects were formed with coaches Tracey MacKay (former Leon's player) and Gord Lamont leading the charge. In 2015 the Lady Selects played in five intermediate tournaments around the province. Current players hail from Owen Sound and surrounding areas of Grey and Bruce including Walkerton, Port Elgin, and Chatsworth, and range in age from 20-30 years old.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the revival is the almost serendipitous continuity of it all- the current roster includes two second-generation players. Tracey "Woody" MacKay (Pitcher, Leon's Ladies) is on coaching staff while her daughter Melissa MacKay is signed as an infielder. Lexy Mahon (Pitcher, Owen Sound Lady Selects) is the daughter of coach Shawna Mahon (nee Edmonstone) who played centerfield for the Leon's team. Shawna's father and Lexy's grandfather Garry Edmonstone was the coach of the Leon's Ladies and an enormous figure in the fastball community.

The Lady Selects submitted and won a bid to host the 2016 Intermediate Women's II Provincial Championships at Duncan McLellan Park. The tournament coming up on August 5, 6, and 7th is an opportunity to show off the gorgeous scenery in our area and puts Grey-Bruce back on the map for women's fastball. Eighteen teams, including another local team, the Desboro Royals, will compete with top teams earning a spot at the Eastern Canadian Championships later in August.

The Owen Sound Lady Selects finished 5-1 in their most recent tournament, the Gord Marshall Memorial Tournament in Innerkip- which is largely considered a preview for the provincial championships.

"This is the most competitive tournament in the province and almost all of the best Tier 2 teams were there. All cylinders were firing that weekend," says Coach Lamont. "The pitching staff was at the top of their game, and the defense was the most consistent that they have ever been, but the big bonus was

the offense. All parts of the offense were working. There was stolen bases, smart base running, moving runners over, and of course the big hits were all plentiful and this offense came from all parts of the batting order. It was a very strong display of ball and it sets the team up for a good chance of a strong showing on the August 6th weekend."

"I know that a lot of us [current players] grew up watching the Leon's Ladies, " says player Lee-Anne Cochrane. "As a kid, I remember being amazed that the ball could travel that fast and that hard- on the infield especially. Every crack of the bat was so intense. Hopefully there will be some younger kids, girls especially, that come out to watch and maybe feel that motivation to keep playing, keep practicing."

Gate admission is free at Duncan McLellan Park all weekend (August 5-7) , and the former Leon's squad ladies will be volunteering at the park in the concession booth and at fundraiser tables, with proceeds from concessions split between tournament costs for the Lady Selects and a donation to the new Cancer Care Unit at the Owen Sound Hospital. The fundraising is a nod to former Leon's coach Garry Edmonstone who passed away after a battle with cancer.

The Owen Sound Lady Selects are open for team sponsorship as well as tournament sponsors, advertisers, and volunteers. Contact Tracey MacKay 519-270-1201 or Lee-Anne Cochrane (519-387-7338) for details.

Owen Sound Lady Selects 2016 Roster

Gord Lamont (Head Coach)

Tracey MacKay (Assistant Coach)

Rob Fawcett (Pitching Coach)

Shawna Mahon (Coach/Manager)

Keshia Jacques, Owen Sound (C, OF)

Dani McNabb, Chatsworth (3B, OF)

Lexie Bell, Walkerton (2B)

Kaitlyn Shular, Port Elgin (1B, OF)

Lee-Anne Cochrane, Owen Sound (P, IF)

Kristen Jacques, Owen Sound (P, SS)

Courtney Torrie, Williamsford, (P, SS)