The Yellowknife Merchants Fastball Club is hosting the inaugural Northwestern Invitational Fastball Championship this weekend at the Tommy Forrest Ball Park in Yellowknife. The tournament will mark the first International Softball Congress (ISC) qualifier held in the N.W.T.
The games will bring some of the best fastball clubs in the world to Yellowknife. Some of the teams participating include STK Fastball, who are ranked number 8 by ISC, CanWest Thunder, who are ranked number 29 and the Brokenbow Blazers, ranked number 30.
The Yellowknife Merchants will also be joined on the diamond and field by rival team the Grande Prairie Pirates and the North American Braves, a team made up of players from the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Organizers said that before the tournament begins, STK Fastball will host a clinic for young players between the ages of 10 to 22. The clinic is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
The tournament will give N.W.T. players a chance to compete on their turf and will also give softball fans in the territory a chance to see some of the best fastball players in the world.
Winning teams will head to the ICS World Tournament being held in Saskatoon in 2027.
Anyone who would like more information can head to ykfastball.ca where a tournament schedule is also available.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place Friday at 6 p.m., led by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Drummers
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