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40 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 19, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Ladies' softball league celebrates 25 years of competition and fun Judy Trimble came to the Oakville league 10 years ago after having played in Mississauga. She With rain pouring down all night liked the league's policy of drafting Saturday, it looked like the Oakville new teams each year. "You get to know everyone," she Ladies Softball League was headed said. "It's competitive but also for a first. Never before had the league had social." The league now consists of five to postpone its final, but as it marked a significant milestone teams sponsored by local businesses Sunday, it appeared it was finally -- Tim Horton's, Arnold's Sports going to get some rain on its parade. Bar, Low Risk Logistics, Abbey However, with some help from some Pharmacy and Pic-a-Deli, which has tarps covering the field and some helped reduce the cheese factor on cooperation from Mother Nature -- the uniforms. It's also given the who must have been a softball play- league a place to celebrate its final. Pic-a-Deli, the league's er to provide 25 straight longest-serving sponrainless September "My two daughters sor, opens just one afternoons -- the play so that was Sunday each year, to league celebrated its sil- the dream, to play host the league's playver anniversary. with my daughters. ers after their final As the league moves game. into its second quarter- I can still do it and The league plays a century, it is also wel- I still enjoy it, so 28-game schedule with coming a second gener- why not?" games on Tuesday and ation of players. Thursday nights. The Sunday's final at Longtime softball season begins play in Trafalgar Park opened player Marian Steggerda May, with the first week with Low Risk Logistics' Marian Steggerda catching pitches of the season used to evaluate new from her daughter Laurie. players before the league's draft. Steggerda, who serves as the Because of the draft, Steggerda said league's president, signed up for the she's played with hundreds of playPITCHING league 18 years ago after moving to ers over the years. But it was two IN: players in particular that brought Oakville from Thornhill. Low Risks "My first order of business was to her back to the game after she took Logistics pitcher four years off after breaking her leg. find a fastball league," she said. Tarah Campbell "My two daughters (Laurie, 26 Steggerda found the league startfollows through ed by Brenda Theriault and Judy and Michelle, 19) play so that was on a delivery to the dream, to play with my daughTaugher in 1984. an Arnold's "I played rep ball when I was ters," Steggerda said. "I can still do Sports Bar batyounger and there was no rec ball it and I still enjoy it, so why not?" ter during the Steggerda certainly proved she (after graduating from the minor Oakville Ladies program) and we both wanted to can still do it, belting a two-run Softball League homer over the left field fence in keep playing," Theriault said. championship The league began with four teams Sunday's final, helping her team to a game Sunday at and quickly grew to six. It served the 7-3 win over Arnold's. Trafalgar Park. Players have been harder to come purpose Theriault had hoped for -- Low Risks pregiving women a place to play and by in recent years. The league is vailed 7-3 as building camaraderie between the down to five teams, from a high the league conplayers -- even if they didn't look point of six. Most are graduates of cluded its 25ththe Oakville Girls Softball their best on the field. anniversary "We had the cheesiest uniforms," Association looking to continue season. Theriault said. "Track pants with playing the sport, but, with more elastic waists and elastic ankles and women playing soccer and other MICHAEL IVANIN sports, "it's getting harder and hardthe cheapest shirts." / OAKVILLE BEAVER Today, the players look better on er to get girls to come out," the field, but the reason for getting Steggerda said. The competitive aspect of the between the lines remains the same. league remains important to the players, as the league dropped the WINTER NON-CONTACT word Recreational from its original name. Steggerda said there are many women's slo-pitch leagues, but very few fastball leagues. The league, which features playLEAGUE ers from the age of 19 to 60, has survived though because it continHALTON MEN'S HOCKEY LEAGUE ues to strike a balance that is not · Non-contact · Balanced teams · 51st season of operation easy to achieve. · Excellent officiating · Prime time games! "Everyone is really competitive, · Individual entries · Trophies · No late night games · 30 Years+, 40+, 50+ Divisions · Sweaters/socks provided but at the same time it's very easy going," said Tarah Campbell, who INFORMATION AND/OR REGISTRATION BY PHONE joined the league this year. (905)849-9712 or www.hmhl.bizland.com OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF By Herb Garbutt H ADULT OCKE Y