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Opening tournament for men鈥檚, women鈥檚 slo-pitch teams to run this weekend

For teams competing at this summer鈥檚 slo-pitch nationals, this weekend鈥檚 tournament will be the first chance they have to play together this season.

Without a local ladies league, Russ Smoler, coach for the Sistas, says this weekend is an opportunity to play as a team for the first time.

鈥淭he biggest point I think is that we get to play as a group,鈥� says Smoler.

For his team, which qualified for nationals last summer, he鈥檚 less worried about them winning and more concerned about paying attention to how the women play together.

鈥淚t鈥檇 be great if we were playing the last game on Sunday,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut making sure we鈥檙e playing well together, working on and taking care of details around the field.鈥�

Roni-Sue Sparvier of the Yukon Titans is also hoping the tournament will help with team-building.

鈥淧laying an actual women鈥檚 tournament will help us see where we鈥檙e at for nationals and what we can work on,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檒l just help us gel a lot more, working together and communicating more. That鈥檚 my hope.

The teams qualified for nationals have been practicing since last year, hitting the gym before the diamonds were dry.

They鈥檝e all done the work at practices and are now worried about how they play together.

Dave鈥檚 Cleaning Crew has been out twice a week, their coaches putting them through game situations.

鈥淲e鈥檙e strictly worrying about how we function as a team on the field,鈥� said player Jimmy Semaschuk. 鈥淎ll our team is ready for the challenge ahead.鈥圵e鈥檙e very confident in our abilities.

With fewer opportunities than the southern teams to play full games, each one becomes an important learning opportunity and confidence builder for the teams.

While a lot of the men play in the co-ed league, P & M Recycling鈥檚 Matt Kremer says that it鈥檚 not really the same. This weekend and the Dustball tournament in July will be their only opportunities to play games ahead of August鈥檚 nationals.

鈥淓ach one of these games is really important to us,鈥� he says.

Four local teams will represent Yukon at nationals, The Sistas and the Yukon Titans (also known as the Fountain Tire鈥圡udders) will play in the women鈥檚 tournament, while Dave鈥檚 Cleaning Crew and P & M Recycling Guns will play on the men鈥檚 side.

August will be the first time Whitehorse has hosted the national championships since the 90s.

This weekend鈥檚 opening tournament features six women鈥檚 teams and eight men鈥檚 teams.

Games kick off at 7 p.m. tonight at the Pepsi Softball Centre and finals will be played Sunday afternoon.