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An opportunity four years in the making
NACI Tigers Softball team earn their place
at Provincial Championship
By Eoin Devereux
The Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute (NACI) Tigers Softball Team has spent several years building toward this upcoming weekend, and that hard work has earned them a rightful place at Provincials.
Neepawa is one of 12 clubs that will compete June 5 and 6 at the G3 Provincial Softball Championship in Pilot Mound. The Tigers will open provincial play in a preliminary-round pool that includes Prairie Mountain School of Somerset and Collège Jeanne-Sauvé of Winnipeg.
NACI has been close on several occasions over the past few seasons, but have been knocked out during interzone qualifiers. But this year, the Tigers’ extremely dominant season has earned them an outright invite to the tourney, without having to go through a play-in bracket.
And looking at the numbers, it’s easy to see why, as the Neepawa Tigers posted a perfect 5-0 record through the regular season and Zone 7 playoffs, outscoring their opponents 106-34 (a +72 run differential).
Coach Ryan McLaughlin credits the team’s speed and aggressive style of play as being major strengths, that have lead to those impressive results.
“We have a very fast team. Our speed is good, and that’s something we’ll look to use. We can put the bat on the ball.” McLaughlin explained. “They’ve come a long ways and are knowledgeable of the game. They’re very instinctual now, their knowledge of the game has come 180 degrees.”
McLaughlin added that this provincial berth represents the culmination of years of growth and perseverance, particularly for the team’s senior players.
“Our goal this year was to make provincials. A few of our [graduating players] have been with us since Grade 9 and they’ve never had the opportunity to play in a provincial championship. It’s exciting for them to finally get that chance,” said McLaughlin.
The Tigers’ senior class of Taylor Terin, Brooklyn Boersma, Emma Pollock and Ava Lukin have played a key role, helping to guide the program and setting an example for younger players.
McLaughlin said those four have paid their dues and deserve this opportunity.
“Some of them started out sitting on the bench as Grade 9s. They’ve gone through the thick and thin of it, waited their turn, and now they get to finish their high school careers at provincials,” McLaughlin said.
As for the expectations for this weekend, McLaughlin noted that they are well aware that the level of competition they’ll face is the best Manitoba has to offer. He said they are prepared and looking forward to facing that challenge.
“The nice part about this group is they care. When they make a mistake, they get upset because they want to do what’s right for the team. Seeing all of that come together is what we’ve been trying to build for years. No matter the outcome, this team has already achieved a significant milestone. Something they should be very proud of. For the group of seniors, the provincials offer the perfect chance to finish their high school softball careers with a memorable final chapter. For our returning players, it’s something to build from for the upcoming seasons.”
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