Lower Mainland fastpitch fans will have their first chance in more than a decade to see Canada’s world-beating national team, including North Vancouver native Derek Mayson, at the Bob Law Memorial Fastpitch Challenge running June 30-July 3 at Vancouver’s South Memorial Park.
The tournament will feature a number of national teams, including the two squads that battled in the world championship final in 2015, Canada and New Zealand. And if New Zealand is in the tournament, you can count on two things. No. 1 is that they’re going to play great ball. The sport of fastpitch – also known as softball with pitchers using a windmill delivery – is huge in New Zealand, with many athletes ditching the pitch at the end of rugby season to play ball in the summer. The Softball World Championships have been held 14 times since the first tournament in 1966, and New Zealand has won gold six times, more than any other country. No. 2 is that you’re going to see New Zealand do the Haka, a traditional Maori war dance made famous by the All Blacks rugby team and now employed by many of New Zealand’s national teams.
Mayson and the rest of Team Canada faced down the Haka in a very Canadian way when the two teams met in the 2015 World Championship final in front of a packed stadium in Saskatoon. The Canadians all linked arms and slowly marched together as one towards the New Zealanders, meeting them face-to-face in the middle of the diamond.
“We wanted to show that we’re here together, we’re united, we’re going to pay our respects by watching your traditional dance, but we’re not backing down,” said Mayson. That spirit carried through into the game where New Zealand went up 5-0 early but Canada, led by three home runs, including a grand slam, from Steve Mullaley of Freshwater, N.L, came back for a 10-5 victory to claim gold.
“We were down big in the final game but we knew that we had it in us to get the job done,” said Mayson. “It was the first gold medal since 1992 for Canada, so it was a lot of emotion just knowing the history for Team Canada, and just having family there and the crowd behind us. Seeing that last strike three to end the game, all that hard work that we put in … it was exhilarating.”
The dream season continued for the Canadians a few weeks later when they claimed gold in the Pan Am Games in Toronto, beating Venezuela 2-1 in the final off of a two-run home run from Bradley Ezekiel of Harbour Main, N.L. in the top of the final inning.
Men’s softball isn’t part of the Olympic program, so the Pan Am Games is the biggest multi-sport tournament on the softball calendar.
“They were Olympic-style medals,” Mayson said. “You put it around your neck and after a while you’re starting to droop because it’s so heavy and thick. It’s definitely something that is nice to share with family and friends.”
The win was nice but the lasting memories of the Games for Mayson revolve around the atmosphere of playing in a multi-sport event.
“Walking into Rogers Centre in Toronto and there were about 50,000 fans, sold out, for the opening ceremony. We were walking onto the field there in our Team Canada gear with all the other sports, representing Canada. It was awe-inspiring. I actually ran into a TV camera, I didn’t even see it there because I was looking up and waving flags and high-fiving fans. That was amazing.”
The next big golden moment could come in Whitehorse, Yukon where the 2017 World Championships will be held July 7-16. Mayson is expecting some trouble sleeping due to the midnight sun – “I’m hoping for some good blackout curtains” – as well as some great competition.
“We’re not taking anything for granted – we want to win another one,” he said. “our expectations are high. Any time you win a gold medal as world champions, the goal doesn’t change – we want to get back to that pinnacle. We know that as defending champs you have a target on your back, you’re always going to be seeing the other teams’ best, whether it’s their best pitcher, best effort. We’re an experienced group, we’re confident but know that just because we’ve done it before doesn’t mean we can just show up and let it happen.”
Before that, however, the team will give Vancouver fans a chance to see world-class ball at the Bob Law Memorial, a tournament that includes some local all-star teams along with national teams from Canada, New Zealand, the United States, the Czech Republic and Great Britain.
Canada will open the tournament against the Abbotsford Builders at 6:45 p.m. Friday, with other group-stage games against Sooke Loggers and USA on Saturday and CR Bartel Farms on Sunday. The medal round will be played Monday, July 3.
Fans who come out to catch the action will be treated to high-level sport played by passionate athletes.
“It’s kind of a unique community because it is a bit of a niche sport,” said Mayson. “You don’t run into the egos and money-driven pursuit that you may find in some of the professional sports. People are playing this game for the love of the game. … It’s been an amazing journey to be able to travel the world playing my favourite sport.”
For full schedules and results visit vancouverchallenge.net.
