Surrey has been named host of the 2023 Men’s & Master Men’s Canadian Fastpitch Championships.
The late-summer tournament has been awarded to Canadian Amateur Sports Society, organizers of the Canada Cup International Softball Championship at the Softball City facility in South Surrey.
The tourney is expected to draw up to 20 teams, 250 athletes and “thousands of fans from across Canada to Softball City” for five days in 2023, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.
Canadian Amateur Sports Society announced the news on Tuesday (July 19).
“We are also pleased to be working on delivering this tournament in partnership with Softball BC,” stated Greg Timm, committee chair.
The event will celebrate “the deep history of men’s softball in B.C., which includes three players currently on the national team,” according to Lisa Parkes, interim president of Softball BC, “and will provide an opportunity to continue that legacy in building a solid boys program for the future.”
Planning is underway for the tournament, tickets for which are expected to be sold starting this fall.
The history of the Men’s Canadian Fastpitch Championship stretches back to 1965, according to info posted on Softball Canada’s website. Surrey has never before hosted the event, which will be played in St. John’s, N.L., later this summer.
The most recent B.C.-based winner of the tournament was Vancouver Grey Sox in 2007.
On the Master Men’s side, the tournament has been played eight times since 1997, with no winner from B.C.
This summer, from Aug. 26-28, Softball City will also host the Men’s Fastpitch Provincials.
“This tournament is to welcome back men’s fast pitch to Softball City and preparation to host the Senior Men’s Nationals next year,” said Matt Van Eeuwen, who does marketing and communications for the South Surrey softball facility.
“We currently have 14 teams entered from across the province and three players taking part in it who are currently on our Senior Men’s National Team competing at this year’s World Cup in November in New Zealand.”
The Men’s Fastpitch Provincials tournament website is softballcity.bc.ca/tournaments/mens-fastpitch-c-d-provincials.
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tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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