City will welcome about 400 athletes from 20 international teams this July
By Philippe Morin, CBC News
Whithehorse is set to host 20 softball teams from around the world, as Yukon’s capital prepares to host the 2017 Men’s World Softball Championship.
The city’s is preparing for the biggest Men’s World Softball Championship in 20 years.
“It’ll be a challenge”
George Arcand is chair of the host committee for the 2017 Men’s World Softball Championship.
He announced today he’s expecting teams from Argentina, Australia, Botswana, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey, United States and Venezuela.
That means about 400 athletes in all, plus coaches and other guests flying in. Umpires from 15 different countries will also take part.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase our territory to the rest of the world,” says Arcand.
However, it will require some clockwork-like coordination.
“With 20 countries we expect to see 103 games in ten days,” he says. “That means six games a day on each park until the playoffs begin.”
The tournament is looking for 200 volunteers to help run the tournament, which is scheduled to take place from July 7 to 16, but Arcand is confident it will go smoothly.
“Barring any weather issues, we’ll be fine,” he says.
Whitehorse had previously hosted the women’s world championships, as well as the world junior championships, but this is its first time hosting the men’s iteration of the tournament.
When asked how Whitehorse fields compare to previous host cities, Arcand said that “the only thing we don’t have is more than two fields. Otherwise, we compare as well or better than other locations. At least that’s what we’re being told.”
Click here to continue reading at CBC.ca
Editor’s note: George Arcand and his crew at Softball Yukon have done an outstanding job hosting ISF/WBSC world championships in Whitehorse, with the Junior Men in 2008 and 2014 as well as the Women’s World Championships in 2012. Ballpark Radio broadcaster Kyle Smith and I got our first look at Whitehorse in 2008 when we were invited to broadcast a dozen games at the 2008 Junior men’s world championship over the final 3 1/2 days of that tournament. The championship game between eventual gold medalist Australia and silver medalist Canada played to a packed house, as well as a radio audience of thousands. Our broadcast crew got to return in 2014 for the Junior Men’s World Championship, on Live streaming video, partnering with Choyal Brown and Kat Britten’s Sports Canada TV production crew, for over 50 live streaming video broadcasts. Media specialist for 2014, Echo Ross is heading up media for the 2017 men’s world championships. For fans Around the world who like to follow world championship play, The hosts in Whitehorse will ensure a top shelf program.
To read another article on the WBSC event, at insidethegames.biz, click here.