U19 Heat set for provincials challenge in Irma

By Lethbridge Herald on July 12, 2023.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The U19 Lethbridge Heat softball team are vying for a gold medal at this weekend’s Softball Alberta Provincials in Irma.

The roster consists of all 12 players that won the U17 provincial championship a year ago in the ‘D’ division and now will face the test of moving up a level and to the ‘C’ category.

“Well, I will say that this year had some obstacles because over half my team were graduating ,” said head coach Tyler Fallwell, on preparation.

“So there was many graduation weekends that took away from tournaments and or practices. With that said, these girls all know what they’re doing, they’ve played ball for a lot of years, some of them since they were in U12 together and it’s just a matter of that muscle memory. And remembering what you’re doing, where you’re going and living and playing in the moment when they get there.”

 The key for the Heat is their defence.

“We’re not going to overpower anybody at the plate,” he said.

“But if the girls can throw strikes, and our defence is in the game, and aware of what they’re doing and where the ball’s going, I’d put this defence against any team in the province.”

Fallwell believes the girls will do well if they realize there is more out there and that no games will be handed to them after winning provincials last year.

“So far from what we’ve seen, the other teams’ bats are far better than what we’ve seen in the past,” he said.

“So it just means everyone needs to be ready. There isn’t a position on the field that is not going to get a ball and there isn’t someone on the field that won’t be involved in a play throughout the games and the weekend.”

There will be 12 teams competing for the provincial banner when play starts tomorrow and runs through to Sunday.