The Palmerston Marlins Bantam team trained and played hard over the past 10 months preparing for the Tier 1 U16 Provincial Woman’s Softball Grand Championships in Kitchener that took place from July 28 to 31. The tournament involved 16 of the most elite teams in Ontario including Guelph, Waterloo (2), Byron, Port Perry, Halton, Brampton, Mississauga (2), Barrie (2), Oakville, Amherstburg, The Revolution, Whitby and the Marlins.
The weekend was full of exciting and intense games with amazing performances by all the athletes, team officals state. Battling the scorching heat and completing nine full games in 2.5 days, the Marlins captured 7th place securing them a spot in the 2016 Ontario Summer Games in Mississauga from Aug. 11 to 14. Only the top 10 Tier 1 Bantam teams are eligible for this chance of a lifetime.
“The team is ecstatic to be representing our area and community at this prestigious Olympic-type event showcasing over 4,000 of the top athletes in 32 individual and team Sports in the province,” team officials state.
This will be the largest Summer Games in history. The Marlins thanked their community, coaches, friends and families for their support over the years, this season and during the Summer Games.
The Ontario Games program started in 1970 in Etobicoke as a showcase for amateur sport. It has now become Ontario’s largest multi-sport event, including both team and individual Sports.
Provincial level athletes from ages 12 to 18 qualify through a regional selection process conducted by the provincial sport organizations (PSOs). The Games take place every two years and are awarded through a bidding process. They are supported by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport in collaboration with host communities. For many athletes, the games are a stepping stone to the Pan Am Games or Olympics.
