LWF Mystics – Girl’s League Champions 2009
Windsor Junction (D2N) - Baseballs, gloves, and bats have been put away as another baseball season comes to a close. But one group of players can savour the sweet taste of victory as the fall leaves begin to turn colours. The LWF Mystics Girls Baseball League got off to a fantastic start, emerging the Girl’s League Champions for 2009!
The LWF Mystics recorded a perfect season going 19 – 0 to win the first Girls’ League Championship. They went 14 – 0 in the regular season and 5 – 0 in the playoffs.
There were five teams in the League, four from Hammonds Plains and one team from LWF. “The League started this year, 2009, and played in both Hammonds Plains Highland Park and at LWF at the Windsor Junction Community Centre,” said Kent Pietracupa, President of the LWF Baseball Association. “Both Hammonds Plains and LWF started it so that girls will keep playing hardball longer since they are still mostly at the same skill level.”
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the girls; just finding someone to who would let them play was a major hurdle. “The girls had a hard time being accepted in other Association tournaments since our ages differ from theirs for this league,” said Pietracupa. “No one would let us play. And while playing against boys teams there were things said about girls playing baseball, but the girl’s showed they were bigger than them and spoke with their bats, going two wins and two losses against the boy’s teams. Having an all-girls league, I found the girl’s really bonded together, not only within their own team, but overall sportsmanship and pure love of the game was at a higher level than in the mixed or all-boys (leagues).”
Ten year old Hannah Cahill began playing baseball when she was just six years old. “I played three years on a rookie mixed team with LWF,” said Hannah. “This was my first year on an all-girls team playing in an all-girls league. I joined the team last year, but we did not play in a league; we only participated in a few tournaments together. I play a few different positions including shortstop, second base, and centre field, and I got to pitch a few games this year. My most favourite moment was when I got to pitch.”
Fourteen year old Taylor Adams has been playing baseball for four years. “This year I played with the Mosquito PeeWee’s. I played catcher and third base,” said Taylor. “I joined because I love baseball – throwing and batting. It’s intense.”
Taylor said she likes the tournaments the most. “My favourite part was the tournaments; they were the best. And in the beginning of it, the teams were not that good, but towards the end, they were better so they were a bigger challenge, and I like challenges.”
The League and their president are looking forward to playing again next year and hope to grow bigger. “Next year we hope to expand and have more teams, but hopefully Mosquito Division by themselves and a mixed Pee Wee and /Bantam Division,” said Pietracupa. “That would be really great to see.”
”Hannah said she plans to return next season for sure. “Some of my friends play, and I made new friends on the team this year,” she said. “I plan to play again next year. Baseball is a lot of fun. More girls should play!”
Pietracupa is holding an all-girl’s Fall Baseball Camp, starting Oct. 16, 30, Nov. 6, 20, 27, and Dec. 4, from 6:15 p.m. – 7:45p.m., at Sackville Heights Junior High School. For more information regarding the camp, please e-mail fiveps@accesswave.ca or call 252-1641. It will also be posted on the website: www.leaguelineup.com/lwf