Bashaw Ag Society’s slow pitch tournament filled the agricultural grounds with hundreds of players taking part.
Tournament co-organizer Kyle Ramstad said there were 20 teams in four divisions with each team being guaranteed four games.
There were about 300 ball players plus family members that took in the weekend.
“It’s a fun tournament. It’s a family tournament…A lot of people from Bashaw have connections to these teams,” said Ramstad.
“Some of the teams have been here from the get-go.”
The tournament has a long-standing legacy in Bashaw and the support has always been strong. Ramstad recalls a time when there were 28 teams playing one year and of those teams, 23 had connections with the community.
“We have awesome facilities here. Three ballparks,” said Ramstad.
The third ball diamond is actually for baseball but the organizing committee put up a snow fence to ensure it’s about the same size as a slow pitch field.
On top of that there’s the ag facilities for those who need a break from the sun.
Of the 20 teams there’s representation from Edmonton, Camrose, Rosalind, Innisfail, Ponoka and of course Bashaw.
The goal of the tournament is to ensure an opportunity to give back to the community or the ag facility itself, said Ramstad.
“It’s nice to see the diamonds being used,” he added.
“We’re just happy that people keep coming back. They’ve always been a good support,” said Ramstad. “They’re a good bunch of guys. We never seem to have troubles.”