Category Archives: softball

Good morning all!

The ECRSA Commission is currently scurrying about all over HRM to tie up any and all loose ends with the 2011 season. The last task on the list for 2011 is the end of year banquet and AGM. After this, that’s the ballgame on the 2011 season.

Before I dive in, congrats to Rosie’s Riveters for taking the end of year league tournament!

Looking ahead, the AGM and end of year banquet will be held this Sunday, September 25th at The Company House starting at 6pm. There will be food en masse, a ton of awards and a great opportunity to toast your fellow players one last time this season.

The penultimate agenda for the AGM includes the following items and associated motions. If you have any questions, or want to add something, please email us sooner rather than later. Copies of all motions to be voted on will be available at the AGM.

Agenda and Motions:
1) Introduction and welcome
2) League survey – next steps
3) Presentation of Annual League Report
      Motion: Accept Annual League Report
4) Presentation of Treasurer’s Report
Motion: Accept Treasurer’s Report
5) Hiring an auditor to review ECRSA record keeping practices
     Motion: Identification and hiring of an auditor to review ECRSA record  
     keeping business
6) Proposed re-structuring of current ECRSA board governance model
Motion: Creation of an Executive Committee of 5 voting Commission
      members (ie. 2x Co-Chairs, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sponsorship
Coordinator) as well as 4 non-voting members (Equipment Coordinator,
Volunteer Coordinator, Communication Coordinator, Schedule
Coordinator)
7) Election of Commission (number of positions will depend on aforementioned   motion)

Many thanks for a great year!
AMc

Admittedly, I have been a little slow with blogging post Kickoff To Pride Tournament and Pride itself. Mea culpa for the neglect. If an effort to atone, here are two key How To videos on key offensive aspects to softball.

1 – Swinging for power
Who doesn’t want to step up to the plate and pwn the ball? Do you feel like you are putting everything into your swing, but not seeing the results? This is one of the best (albeit rather technical) videos on breaking down swinging for power.

Let’s recap:
1 – Channel your inner Shakira – The hips don’t lie, so use ‘em and you just brought your game to the next level.
2 – Plant your front foot like you own the joint!
3 – Engage your core. How do you do this? Here’s my go to exercise for core strength. If you can’t hit the ball farther after 3 months of these bad boys, I’ll buy you a beer!
4 – Grip the bat low in order to snap the bat at the end of your swing
5 – I can’t believe they overlooked this in the video. Perfect your bat flip

2 – Running the bases
When is the last time you heard anybody say; “I hit the sh*t out of that ball, but I was good with stopping at 2nd”? Come on! How can you be happy with 1st when 2nd is so tantalizingly close I say? And look! Just beyond that, 3rd is taunting you! Calling your name and asking why you don’t call anymore? Huh! I thought this blog was supposed to about softball. Moving on…

Two key lessons when running the bases:
1 – UNLESS rounding for second, ALWAYS, ALWAYS OVERRUN 1st base. Let’s go the video for an explanation…

Note: If running through 1st base, aim for the orange part of the bag (not shown in video). It’s a safety thing and the 1st basemen will like you a little more!
2 – Don’t run harder, run smarter – How to Round the Bases Effectively and Safely

Note: If you round wide and round into someone playing 2nd, short, or 3rd, this will most likely NOT go over well. Round the bases is like driving, stay in your lane until you get to your destination.

So, in a little under 300 words, I have you swinging your stick more effectively and rounding the bases at blazing speeds. Who knew at the start of the season that I would be helping so many of you score?

We are back at The Pit next week, so let’s hope the rain let’s up by Friday!
Bring a big stick and swing for the fences my friends!
Abby (just for you Rob)

Well, the dust has settled, trophies have been handed out…well, bragging right have been allocated*, copious amounts of beer have been consumed and the ECRSA Dykes vs. Divas game expanded to include the inaugural ECRSA Kickoff To Pride Softball Tourney.

Congrats to the Dykes for finally beating a bunch of Divas in heels at an athletic event. With this feat successfully notched in their collective belt notch, there are no limits to your next endeavor. Dare I guess as to the what the endeavor might be – installing drywall as a timed event perhaps? Better yet – quickest to unload a pick up truck full of wood, then cut, and stack said wood before downing a case of beer as a team relay event? The mind reels at the possibilities for a re-match. So long as a Diva loses her wig…just saying!

Congrats are also extended to the sluggers of the league who put on a great show leading up to the Dykes vs. Divas game with the home run derby. For anyone who caught some of the derby action, I do hope you took names because this league has a pool of talent that can spank a ball something fierce. The Commission took note and we will be looking into official sponsorship from Purolator or Canada Post in order to return league balls that have been hit a postal code or farther out of the ball field.

This weekend saw some great ball, and some great individual plays. Congrats to Halifax Hustlas on their stand up performance in taking the tournament title. And that guy…who was that guy? You know? That guy….the one who won the game with a grand slam…m’eh! Not too shabby Kevin, or Carl or Corey.  Equal kudos to the Phiting Photonics team for giving the Hustlas a run for their money!

To anyone who volunteered this weekend – I am most thankful and humbled by your efforts throughout the weekend. From the peeps who hung out with their smart serve certification with the volunteers who sold beer in the beer tent, to the umpire who battled enough attitude to put the weather to shame in terms of its UNRELENTING harshness and a certain peep who monkeyed her way around both dugouts in order to get all the speakers wired up – Thank you!

This was our first time at bat with a tournament and I am very interested to hear your feedback on it. What did you like? What didn’t you like? What would you do differently and why? Please head over to the contact us page and send us an email. I will get back to you asap and welcome the opportunity to chat it up.

*Note to self – buy or get a trophy donated for next year!

League play resumes on Sunday. In the meantime, Happy and SAFE Pride to all. I look forward to seeing you out at the plethora of events.
Abby

Good morning all!

Here’s a quick recap of the events for today should you be so inclined to join us. Not sure why you wouldn’t join us as all the cool kids would be there and what does that say about you if you aren’t there? Pardon the peer pressure, but just saying!

09:00 – 10:30: Softball tournament kicks off with the 1st game of the day
10:30 – Noon: Game 2 (and possibly the championship game)
Noon – 2pm: Home Run Derby (all proceeds to Halifax Venus Envy Bursary Fund
2 – 4pm: Dykes vs. Divas game
4pm: Championship game if needed.

See you on the field!
Abby