Editor’s note: This story appeared in the Financial Post on December 2008.
From:
Kathryn Willms, The StarPhoenix
Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Two years ago when the announcement was made that the 2009 ISF world men’s softball championships were coming to Saskatoon, Keith Mackintosh made himself a deal. If he made the 2009 team, he would put off retirement and finish his career at home. His presence at Tuesday morning’s tournament press conference tells the rest of the story.
“I’m going to be the old man on the team,” says Mackintosh, who will be 41 when this summer’s tournament rolls around. “So the decision had to be made. I was obviously happy to be representing Canada in my home province, in my surrogate hometown. It was good but definitely mixed emotions. I was ready for retirement I think. So one more year in the sun and hopefully it’s a good one.”
The Melfort native remembers being in the stands when Saskatoon last hosted the tournament in 1988. Twenty-one years later, Saskatoon is the first-ever two-time host and Mackintosh has become part of the Canadian softball tradition. He has five Canadian senior men’s titles under his belt, two All-Canadian titles and has been a member of the national team for many years, an experience highlighted by a win over the U.S. in the gold medal match at the Phillippines’ world championships in 2002. When the anthem cut out halfway through the podium ceremony, the Canadian team or “seventeen grown men balling their eyes out,” as Mackintosh puts it, silenced the arena with their acapella finish in — what Mackintosh calls — “the most glorious moment of my sporting career.”
Mackintosh will be looking for gold again this July alongside the two other Saskatchewan players who have been named to the national team. Veteran Dean Holoien and rookie Trevor Ethier will pitch for the Canadians. Saskatoon’s Ethier made the team after an impressive performance at this summer’s nationals where he was named MVP and threw a shutout in the final.
“I’m very happy for Dean and I but I’m ecstatic for Trevor,” says Mackintosh. “I think it’s the most well-rounded team Canada has put on the field in the last few championships. We’re deep in every position. I think we have the best four pitchers on the planet right now wearing our colours. Every guy on our team can hit. It’s funny, even (Ethier) and (Holoien) can hit. There’s not too many teams that can say 15 of their 17 guys can go to the plate and get a hit if they need to.”
The coaching staff, led by Mark Smith, has implemented a rigorous fitness routine over the past four years to address the changing face of the sport. Once dominated by the Canadians and the Kiwis, a number of countries have since stepped up the plate to become softball powerhouses.
Assistant coach Don Bates says Australia, Japan, Argentina and Venezuela, in particular, will challenge for the title. Cuba, Denmark, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Botswana, Czech Republic, Great Britain and South Africa will also send teams to Saskatoon. Bates says that if Canada is going to compete in this new world order, they are going to have to be in peak physical condition.
“That’s something where the program has changed,” says Bates, of the team’s commitment to fitness. “I think we need that edge. You look at who’s winning, who’s beating us and why. We’ve lost to New Zealand recently. Many of these guys, granted, play ball two seasons. They really are in outstanding condition. We recognize that, if we’re going to play with them, we have to get bigger and faster and stronger and our players are working hard doing that.”
Mackintosh is well aware that there will be no easing into retirement.
“What’s happened is Canada’s always been able to rely on the talent and talent always won out in the end. Now all these other countries have caught up to us,” he says. “I think the sport has kind of been lashed with that weekend warrior type mentality. When you play at this level, it’s not that way. The level of ball we’re playing, you have to be in shape physically and mentally in order to perform at the highest level. Kudos to the coaching staff for realizing that.”
At Tuesday’s press conference, the Minister of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, Christine Tell, announced that the provincial government will commit $100,000 to the tournament. Co-chair Keith McLean announced the creation of the event website www.2009worldsmensfastpitch.com and the sale of reserve tickets which begin Dec. 15 at Ticketmaster. The Worlds which run July 17-26 at Bob van Impe and Gordie Howe stadiums are expected to draw 14,000 sports tourists to the province and generate a $1.3 million boost to Saskatoon’s economy.
kwillms@sp.canwest.com