And that could mean some incredible provincial-title caliber campaigns in the not too distant future.
Ice Under-14 girls head coach Paul Litzenberger pointed to the successful season across the board in the youngest age groups as a sign that things are most certainly on the up-and-up for girls fastball in the city.
So even though his squad might have dropped a 10-1 decision to the Regina Lazers in the league final on Thursday night, there’s far more positive than negative to talk about.
But first, this past season and that game on Thursday night.
“It was awesome,” Litzenberger said matter-of-factly. “The girls worked so hard, and they really earned that spot in the league final. It’s unfortunate that it wasn’t successful for them, but I have to give credit to the Lazers. They’re a really well coached team, and we just got beat by a better team last night. I don’t want to take away anything from our girls because they were awesome as well. We played them hard and tough and they were just better.
“But our girls never lost faith, they were positive right to the end. They always tried to come back firing, positive and focused, and I was so excited they all had each other’s back the whole time.”
That kind of attitude served the Ice well. They would put together a 17-3-1 record on the season and finish in first place in the league standings, but couldn’t find a way past the Lazers in spite of some close games. In the end, those three losses all came at the hands of their elite Regina compatriots.
Still, seeing things go as well as they did from the opening pitch of the season back in early July and through the entire COVID-19 campaign, there are many, many good times ahead.
“It’s exciting for the next 10 years, to tell you the truth,” Litzenberger said. “What the coaches have done with the other teams, with the amount of ball the kids want to play and the skill development and some of this off-season stuff we have going on, it’s going to be exciting ball for a long time. I’m confident Optimist Park is going to be a happening place for these girls.”
Litzenberger points to the past players and coaches who built the foundation for the current teams as key components of the whole thing.
“You look back at some of the girls, now women, who started the program back when it was the Selects and to now the Ice program, I work with some of them in the health care system and it’s pretty cool, they’re always asking ‘how’s your Ice team doing’ and they were pioneers for that program,” he said. “So it’s a real tribute to them too and I just hope we can keep it going for years to come.”
And then there’s the simple fact the girls had a chance to show their stuff at all – a dedicated effort from everyone from the Moose Jaw and District Minor Girls Fastball board of directors to individual volunteers on every diamond throughout the season lead to an overall win in the face of an ongoing pandemic.
“Our managers and our parent volunteers like Stacey Clarke and Carime Molde who spearheaded things behind the scenes, like taking care of the COVID stuff and helping us make this happen, they all did such an awesome job,” Litzenberger said. “And the Moose Jaw Minor Girls Fastball board, without them, it just doesn’t happen. There is so much that happens behind the scenes and everyone did such a great job to have this season."
