OTTAWA – For the past few years, the province of Nova Scotia has been a prime example of the growth of girls’ baseball across the country.
Along with Québec, Nova Scotia continues to lead the way in developing the girls’ game. Over the last three years, registration numbers for girls in the Atlantic province has grown over 25 percent.
“We get a number of calls every day from mothers asking ‘how can I get my daughter involved in baseball’ or asking ‘how can I get involved in baseball with my daughter,’” says Baseball Nova Scotia Executive Director Brad Lawlor.
There is no better illustration of the growth of girls’ baseball then what is happening in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia. Minor Baseball Association President for Hammonds Plains Holly Lapierre has spearheaded that development in her region.
This season in Hammonds Plains, there will be all-girls leagues at the mosquito, peewee and bantam levels. This was unheard of only four years ago.
And with the continuing growth across the province, there are now mumblings of possibly adding a girls division in the Nova Scotia Bluenose League, a province wide league for many age groups.
“We’re not there yet, we still have lots of work to do to get there but in a couple of years we see where we could possibly add a peewee girls division in the Bluenose League,” says Lawlor
In the past year, the Hammonds Plains Association has hosted an all-girls coaching clinic, and on May 8th, they will host an all-girls umpiring clinic. All this in the hopes of continuing to grow the girls’ game in the region and across Nova Scotia.
“In order to really develop the girls’ game, I feel we need more girls in leadership roles,” says Lapierre. “I see coaches and umpires as being in leadership roles on the field.”
For the upcoming umpires’ clinic, Baseball Nova Scotia was able to recruit Lisa Turbitt, an accomplished umpire from Ontario. She is a Level 5 Umpire, a Master Course Conductor and a member of the Baseball Ontario Umpires’ Committee. She has umpired or supervised 10 Baseball Canada National Championships as well as two Women’s World Cup events.
“The umpiring community is amazing! I have formed many lasting friendships through umpiring and had many experiences that have created memories for a lifetime,” says Turbitt in a statement.
The initial goal of the clinic is a very simple one for Lapierre as she hopes this season that she will have all girl umpires to officiate her all-girls mosquito league.
“I want my bantam aged girls, my 14-15-year-old girls to umpire my 10-11-year-old girls,” emphasized Lapierre.
As much as it is to initially get girls involved in baseball, part of this initiative and future development is to retain the girls already involved once their playing days are done.
Ten years ago, girls had to switch to softball in order to go further in their athletic careers, but since the inception of the Women’s National Team in 2004 there are now more opportunities for girls who continue to play baseball into their adulthood.
And once again, the more girls who continue on with baseball as players, the more chance of those players giving back to baseball once their playing careers are over, which is where the umpiring clinic comes in.
“When I first met Lisa, I thought she is such a wonderful person and she is such a role model as much as any of the girls on the National Team,” says Lapierre. “So who better to help grow female umpiring than bringing in a female umpire?”
Lawlor adds: “You see it in men’s baseball all the time. Athletes later become coaches or umpires and continue to be involved in the game. That’s what we want with the girls as well.”
For more information about the all female umpire clinic, contact Baseball Nova Scotia at 902-425-5454, ext. 355.
For more information about girls baseball in your area, click here.
