Pistols top U-10 team in Alberta

Olds is home to the best U-10 girls softball team in the province.

There are three U-10 Olds Pistols teams. It was coach Kelly Latimer's A team that captured the Softball Alberta championship in Edmonton from July 1-3.

Latimer took every girl who stepped up seeking to play competitive softball – no cuts.

"Our 11 girls who just showed up ended up beating these bigger centres that have 100 girls try out for their teams, so it was pretty cool," she said.

"They're competitors and they're just willing to learn and work hard. They just put their best out every game."

For most of the year, the Pistols played in a U-12 league. They finished the season with a cumulative 25-9-1 record.

Most of the girls played together last year, when they won the B Provincials, Latimer said.

She is excited about how far her players can go in softball, as most will advance to the U-12 level starting next year.

"I think the sky's the limit for these guys. If they stick with it and just keep working with the determination they have ... you just never know where they could go. It's very exciting," she said.

Whether a U-10 championship repeat is a possibility will depend on the next crop of players. Latimer's hopeful they'll want to be part of a burgeoning program.

"I would like to see the program grow because we're kind of making a name for ourselves. We're a little town competing with these huge ball communities. I'd like to see us keep moving in this direction," she said.

Other teams playing in provincials that weekend included: the U-16Bs, U-19Ds and the U-16Ds, who won bronze.

Along with the U-14Bs who finished second in their league, it's been a good season for the Pistols, said Olds Minor Softball Association president Cam Fazakas.

Fazakas said enrolment increased slightly this year, to 112 players, from 102 last year.

Softball in general, appears to be growing.

"Towns that never had ball before have good programs. (Those) that only had one team, have three teams now. The communities all around us are definitely growing in softball numbers," Fazakas said.

Most of it came at the U-10 level where there were three teams, he said.

The key to sustaining that growth, he adds, is finding coaches that can offer something for everyone: fun for those who want to play recreationally and development for players who want higher competition.

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