Joey Payeur
Rebirths, renamings, new arrivals, and a new departure.
Change is the catchword when it comes to the Rainy River District Fastball League, which begins its 53rd season next Tuesday (May 17) at various diamonds around the district.
“There’s always a ton of anticipation to get back on the field,” said RRDFL spokesman Vaughan Wilson, who also is the starting shortstop for the defending champion Barwick Blue Knights.
“There are a lot of really good younger players in the league and they up the intensity level,” he noted.
“The players and fans all have May 17 marked on their calendars.”
Some 14 teams will vie for the league title this season, up two from a year ago.
The Northwest Bay Chieftains are back in the RRDFL after being absent last season—and they’re bringing the band’s next generation of players with them in the form of the expansion Northwest Bay Juniors.
Leland Indian Field, meanwhile, will see the return of men’s fastball in the form of the expansion Big Grassy Lightning.
The Big Grassy Braves ruled the RRDFL roost for three-straight seasons before disbanding last season, with many of the players forming the core of the Rainy Lake Pirates.
That team moniker has been revived for this season, with the Pirates now being called the Fort Frances Braves.
Stepping away for this season will be the Big Island Huskies, who were unable to find enough players to form a team.
“We had a few years in the mid- to late ’90s when there were only six teams in the league,” noted Wilson.
“Fastpitch has been on the decline in the [U.S.] Midwest sincen the’80s.
“I think the people who drove our league through the tough times deserve a lot of credit,” he added.
“There was a big push to get more youth into the league a few years back and the number of teams slowly started to increase.
“This year, we have 14 teams . . . that’s unheard of for an area with a population density like ours,” Wilson stressed.
“Every year at the banquet, we all thanked the wives and girlfriends for putting up with our schedules throughout the summer,” he remarked.
“With the [Rainy River District Women’s Fastball League] growing so quickly, there’s no need to thank them for their patience anymore because most of them are playing two nights a week, too.”
Wilson said the overall skill level of the RRDFL remains on the rise due to the efforts of its players to go the extra mile to polish their games.
“Every time we send a team to the NAFA World Series, or travel to an out-of-town tournament, we bring back new ideas or pick up little strategic or developmental tips,” he noted.
“We have guys playing high school baseball in Baudette who benefit from good, quality coaching,” Wilson added.
“We also have a great group of guys in this league who can be really competitive and have a ton of energy, so naturally the league is evolving.”
Another move helping the players’ progress is the push to bring in high-calibre instructors to pass along their wisdom.
International Softball Congress Hall-of-Famer Darren Zack from Garden River First Nation will be in Big Grassy on May 27-29 to conduct a three-day pitching clinic for both adult and youth players from across the district.
“I think the Darren Zack pitching clinic is really going to benefit our leagues,” said Wilson.
“It’s good to get some new, fresh input about learning new skills or sharpening the ones you already have.
“I still feel that we can grow in the district,” he added.
“I would love to see a big tournament held in Fort Frances or Emo to showcase our league’s talent.
“Even with four teams in [the Fort Frances area], I still think there’s room to grow,” Wilson reiterated,
As with every defending RRDFL champ, Wilson and the rest of the Blue Knights will have to contend with the rest of the league trying to dethrone them after they beat the Pirates in the final last year.
JJ Landry and Brandan Pratt deliver a strong 1-2 punch from the mound while regular catcher Kevin Gemmell will step out from behind the plate and also try his luck from the rubber.
“We’re going to face a few challenges with work schedules, but the plan is to have a little more versatility on our team,” Wilson remarked.
“It was crazy to watch the younger guys develop through the season last year,” he added.
“If that continues to happen this year, we’ll be in good shape.
“I love that we have that target on us,” Wilson stressed. “That makes for more intense practices.”
The league will play a round-robin format in the first half, then split into two divisions, with teams playing one game against every other team in its division to close out the regular season.
League playoffs feature a double-elimination tournament held in each division, with the winners facing off for the championship in a best-of-three series.
The East Division will include the two Northwest Bay teams, along with the Braves, Sight & Sound Wolves (Fort Frances), Manitou Thunderbirds, and the duo of the Couchiching Raiders and Windey’s Warriors, who will share the Rodrick and Telford Bruyere Ball Field on Couchiching as their home diamond.
In the West Division, it will be Barwick and Big Grassy joined by the Rainy River Royals, Dawson Tigers, Stratton Eagles, the Sabaskong Lakers, and the Sabaskong Cubs.
