Shaun Myall hopes to take the colour orange and make it gold this summer.

The veteran coach is heading up a pilot program under the sponsorship of Softball B.C. to return an Island boysB次元官网网址� fastball team to the .

B次元官网网址淭he Orange Sox program is unique,B次元官网网址� Rick Benson, executive director of Softball B.C., said. B次元官网网址淭his is the first time anywhere in the province where somebody has started a program like this for boysB次元官网网址� fastpitch.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e really interested to see how this develops out. It could be an example for other urban areas.B次元官网网址�

The need for the program, aimed at 13 to 16 year old boys, is more out of necessity than need.

For the past decade, boysB次元官网网址� softball number have dwindled in the provinceB次元官网网址檚 urban areas, as teen boys take up baseball, soccer and other sports during the summer.

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The situation was dire two years when the Island failed B次元官网网址� for the first time B次元官网网址� to field a boysB次元官网网址� softball team for the B.C. Summer Games.

It was then that Myall approached Softball B.C. with a plan to create a development program that would field a team in both the 2020 and 2022 B.C. Summer Games.

B次元官网网址淭he OB次元官网网址橲ox program is to increase awareness of the sport on Vancouver Island,B次元官网网址� Myall said.

Myall hopes to register 45 players this summer between the ages of 13 to 19.

Those older than 16 canB次元官网网址檛 play in the B.C. Summer Games, but they can participate in the U20 and U19 provincial championships under the Orange Sox banner, he said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to get players back into the game. The Island has a rich lineage of producing world-class players that have represented local B.C. cities in regional, provincial, national and international play,B次元官网网址� Myall said.

So far, Myall has interest from 12 players as he recruits from Port Hardy to Victoria. He hopes to host free clinics this spring in Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria and Campbell River. A full training camp is planned for March. The team will be based in Saanich.

And Myall isnB次元官网网址檛 looking for the most gifted players.

B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what skill level they have B次元官网网址� even if theyB次元官网网址檝e never played the game B次元官网网址� we want them in the program,B次元官网网址� he said.

Help is also needed on the programB次元官网网址檚 management and coaching sides.

For more information, please go online to .

editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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