OLYMPIC SOFTBALL Team Canada set to tune up in Kitchener| Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Tuesday, April 8, 2008 ❙ WATERLOO REGION RECORD ❙ Sports, C6 OLYMPIC SOFTBALL Team Canada set to tune up in Kitchener|
By Christine Rivet, Record staff KITCHENER 21st birthday,Robin Mackin will make her first appearance at the Olympic Games this summer. The national team pitcher hopes it wont be her last. At the Beijing Games, Mackin will endeavour to keep her eye on the ball, despite her sports uncertain Olympic future. I still have so much time to play softball and I really hope that I can help inspire young children so that maybe they can get the same chance, too, Mackin said at a news conference which outlined details of Team Canadas visit to Kitchener this summer for the Tri-Nations Cup, an Olympic tune-up. It was handshakes and backslaps all around at yesterdays noon-hour news conference. But few dared mention the elephant in the room. A couple years ago the International Olympic Committee voted to dump softball from the 2012 Games ostensibly because the sport lacked global appeal. Continued Olympic exclusion could sound softballs death knell. In an interview, Canadas assistant coach Wendy Dobbin said she likes her games chances of reinstatement, perhaps by 2016. The International Softball Federation has been doing a lot of work in a concerted effort to get the sport included again. And we are encouraged.We are in over 130 countries. It draws great crowds, enthusiastic crowds. In the meantime, the Canadian women will take to Kitcheners Peter Hallman Ballyard on July 6-8 where they will meet two of the worlds top-rated teams,No. 2 Japan and No. 3 Australia. Rated fifth in the world, Canada has quietly gained momentum leading to Beijing. The national squad posted four podium finishes at international events in 2007 and two more medals on the world stage already this year. Canadas 15-player roster includes Guelphs Kaleigh Rafter and Alison Bradley of Pinkerton, Ont., along with head coach Lori Sippel who grew up on a farm near Sebringville. Venezuela will join Canada and Australia for an Ontario exhibition tour with stops in Brampton, Oakville, Milverton and Guelph prior to the Tri-Nations Cup. Canadas opener at the eight-team Olympic tournament is Aug. 11 versus Chinese Taipei. The Canucks face the top-seeded Americans on Aug. 14. Mackin said shes thrilled her team will get a proper Ontario send-off to Beijing. You see the interest in the sport even in smaller communities where softball has not always been big, said Mackin, of Newmarket. As long as we can keep that interest, I really feel like softball will always be around and have a second chance. [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Order Tickets for TRI NATION TOURNAMENT or CANADIAN DINNER TICKETS http://www.alsfastball.com/uploads/File/REQUEST__FORM_-Tickets_KW2008.htm Al's Fastball News *Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/ NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball VIA http://www.webbox.com
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