After waiting for over a year, sports have finally returned in Saskatchewan.Ìý
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At the end of last month, the Saskatchewan Government pulled back its restrictions, and part of that saw outdoor activities like baseball and softball have a chance to start back up.
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The Yorkton Crush Softball is already in full swing of their 2021 season as teams have been preparing and practicing for the last month with the hopes of the season becoming a reality.Ìý
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Now that things are running, Jenn Stackhouse, president of the Yorkton Crush Softball, said it's great to have it back.
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"Everyone is super excited about it," she said. "The coaches on the day that the announcement came out they were immediately on the phone with other teams arranging games. Everyone is thrilled just to be able to do something that feels normal."
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When it comes to how many players will be taking the field as Crush Softball players this year, Stackhouse said that their registration numbers grew, something she believes is a combination of the long layoff and a lower registration fee year.
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"The registration numbers this year are much higher than the last season. We have about 120 girls registered, so that gives us to teams in each age group," she said. "Chatting with the groups and teams in our areas, lots of them don't have a full roster, and some of them are struggling to put together teams."
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Though softball is back, it doesn't mean this season is without challenges as Stackhouse said that they would be a little tighter when it comes to spending, and there is a huge problem with the lack of umpires available.
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Despite those problems, Stackhouse said that growing registration numbers and the fact there is softball is a win in her books.
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"It's really encouraging to see. Softball is not a hugely popular sport, and it's good to see that there are lots of more families interested this year, and it's really encouraging with our registration numbers being as they are," she said. "Lots of new families are in the younger age groups, which speaks well for the longevity of our club."
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She added that she is hopeful that they can participate or host a tournament sometime next month, so players to get as much softball in as possible.
