Ready for Canada

It's taken five years of planning and preparation, but Ancaster is set to strut its stuff at the 2010 Canadian Little League Baseball Championship.
The competition, scheduled for Aug. 7-14, brings together six teams who will be vying for a chance to represent Canada at the Little League World Series next month in Williamsport, Pa. The host Ancaster Cardinals are entered along with representatives from Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies and British Columbia.
Little League is for boys and girls ages 11 and 12.
Ancaster won the bid to host the event five years ago. Since then, the park's major diamond on Jerseyville Road has undergone a transformation. There's new dugouts and fencing, a new electronic scoreboard, a new clubhouse with double concession stands and washrooms, new and expanded bleachers, plus a redesigned old clubhouse with a World T-Ball/Little League hall of fame. Impressive upgrades have also been completed to the six-decade-old playing field.
"It's crunch time, but we're really on track," said Jennifer Miller, project co-ordinator for the national championship. "It's a million-dollar project. Our diamond is 100 per cent beautiful."
Ancaster's team has been equally as impressive on the field this season. The Cardinals -- 24-3 overall -- captured the District I championship Thursday night, blanking Toronto High Park 3-0. Justin Mignardi belted a solo home run and Caleb Radley tossed a complete-game four-hitter.
Earlier in the robin-robin district tournament against High Park, Oakville, Stoney Creek, Erindale and Dundas, Ancaster won four of its five games by the mercy rule -- a 10-run lead after four innings. And their other victory was 8-0.
Two of Ancaster's losses this season came against American opponents in Buffalo playing non-Little League rules.
"I think we have a good chance of winning," said shortstop/pitcher Mark Szostak. "We always hold the other team from scoring because of our pitching and defence. And all our hitters, from the first batter to the last, have been getting on base."
Szostak and two others have been members of the same Ancaster Little League team for five years, winning the minor District I title in 2008 and coming within one run of taking the provincial title. Said Szostak: "The new people who joined this year have made us that much better."
About half of the current Ancaster team travelled to Little League's Holy Grail in Williamsport last year as spectators. "It was a great experience," Cardinals coach Dave Whalen said. "It motivated them. They want to be those guys on the other side of the barrier."
As the championship host, Ancaster won't have to qualify through the provincial championship tournament next week in Thunder Bay.
At the national championship, many celebrated Canadian athletes and performers will be in attendance. Don Cherry, of Coach's Corner fame, will throw out the first pitch of the championship game on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 1 p.m.
Former Canadian Idol winner Brian Melo of Hamilton will sing O Canada prior to the Ancaster vs. B.C. game on Sunday, Aug. 8 at 3 p.m. Other first pitches will be delivered by Canada's Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins, Hamilton Tiger-Cat legend Angelo Mosca, former Canadian boxing great George Chuvalo, Ancaster's Olympic halfpipe snowboarder Brad Martin and members of Stoney Creek's 1965 Little League World Series finalists. Cable 14 will televise the Ancaster games and playoffs.
"They're excited about all the pomp and circumstance," Whalen said. "Our players are focused and aware of the opportunity."
Parking will be at the Ancaster Community Centre with connecting shuttle buses running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. With a natural amphitheatre setting, about 5,000 fans could watch the games.


CANADIAN LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
When: Aug. 7-14
Where: Ancaster Little League Park near Ancaster High School on Jerseyville Road
At stake: Teams from Quebec, the Atlantic, the Prairies, Ontario, B.C. and Ancaster will compete for the right to be Team Canada at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
For full schedules and more information: www.ancaster2010.com


ARTICLE COURTESY OF:
Larry Moko
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jul 24, 2010) 
TheSpec.com - Sports - Ready for Canada