Two players and a coach from Terrace are on the U16 boys softball team representing the province at the North American Indigenous Games beginning July 15 in Halifax.
Although pitcher/middle infielder Tristen Wallington and third baseman Gabe Ridler, both 15, are already veterans of travel by attending provincial tournaments over the years, the trip to the East Coast will be one of a lifetime, says coach Lorne Wallington.
“There’s going to be 6,000 athletes there,” he said of the North American Indigenous Games which are held every three years in either Canada or the United States. “It’s going to be quite the experience.”
The provincial team was chosen after a number of tryout camps were held around the province.
Coaches narrowed down the pool of potential team members to 37 and invited them to a final camp in Prince George where final selections were made.
Players were graded on their skills levels observed through a variety of drills, said Wallington in adding that decisions were not easy.
“We made our decisions by skill. We also took into consideration we wanted to have representation by First Nations around the province,” he said.
Fourteen players were chosen to make the trip. There are also three alternates, including Talin Harris from Terrace.
Wallington himself became one of two coaches (there’s also a team manager) through a conversation with a Softball B.C. official.
“Up until then I had never heard of the North American Indigenous Games or I-Sparc (which is the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council of B.C. and the body sending B.C. teams to Halifax),” he said.
One thing lead to another and before Wallington knew it, he was filling out paperwork.
“They said they had just hired a coach but needed an assistant,” Wallington added.
The two Terrace players will be joined by teammates from Fort St. James, Prince George, Vernon, the lower mainland and the Cache Creek/Spences Bridge area.
Wallington’s confident of the chemistry between Tristen and Gabe as they have played together since they were seven years old.
It’s that kind of chemistry he and the team officials will have to build quickly when the team assembles on the lower mainland for a few days before flying out.