Articles

By Capt J.P. Turcotte

Who cares if it's their rookie season?  These women don't take heat from anyone!

Indeed, the 14 Wing Women's slo-pitch team, representing the Atlantic Region at the 2006 Canadian Forces Women Slo-Pitch Championship, won the coveted title on Tuesday, 26 Sep. in the annual tournament held at CFB Borden.

It was a heart-crushing defeat for the Ontario team, represented by Petawawa, who let an eight-run lead, in the second inning of the final game, slip away to a 11-10 defeat to the 2006 Champions.  "We definitely were the underdogs" said Lt Kevin Hynes, Head Coach for the Greenwood Raiders. "This is a true Cinderella story!"

The Greenwood Raiders team surprised everyone in the Atlantic region tournament when they defeated the two-time defending champions from Halifax on their first appearance on the circuit.  Lt. Hynes says he never lost confidence in the women, even though he admits he didn't quite know what to expect.  "I have been around Slo-Pitch for a long time" adds Hynes with obvious pride, "I knew that if the girls played up to their potential, they could make it all the way, and they did!"

The National tournament started on a grim note for the ladies when they lost their opening game 7-1 to an Ontario team determined to lay their hands on the title.  But that didn't deter the Greenwood girls as they moved on in the tournament until they faced the prairie team, represented by Shilo who knocked a Grand Slam against the Raiders in the first inning.  Not only the slammer failed to break the girls' determination, but it also seemed to get them more motivated than ever.  "It was as if they (Shilo) had awakened the Giant!" says Hynes, "After that, there was no stopping them!"

The rest is history and 14 Wing Greenwood now holds its very first National Ladies Championship title.  Beware Canada; you haven't seen the last of them!