It’s official—Mattawa has a new baseball league, aptly titled the Mattawa Minor Baseball League. There are eight teams involved, and 107 players have registered for the summer games. The first pitch takes place on Wednesday, June 22nd at the Mike Rodden Arena.
The town has had baseball in the past, but it “was more a drop-in” type of event, an informal series of workshops and games for local kids, explained Chelsey Grant, Mattawa’s communications coordinator. “It wasn’t an organized league,” she emphasized, but that has changed, and the book of Mattawa baseball has begun a new chapter.
Grant, a baseball fan herself—she’s been playing since she was four—is actively involved with the new league and was instrumental in getting everything set-up. “As they grow up,” she said, referring to the young players, “we’ll be able to start a really nice league” in town.
Indeed, the league is in the building stages, but Grant has high hopes for the inaugural season. Players are between four and 12 and play in different divisions based on age. The youngest play T-ball, while the older ones hone their skills with slow pitch softball.
Of the eight teams, none have names, although that might change for next year, Grant explained. As of now, each team wears either a yellow or blue jersey, so fans can root for one of those colours. “We had our first practice last week to get the kids used to the rules,” she added, and everyone is primed for the season opener.
“The kids are really excited” for the games, and they have a few more practices to prepare before game time. Throughout the summer months games take place on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The youngest play from 5:45 to 6:45 on Wednesdays, and the older players take the field on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
