These girls didn't make their London high school baseball team, so they started their own
The pair got responses from 40 girls, enough to make two separate teams for their May 30 tournament
Avery Inkster and Amelia Baragar of London, Ont., were nothing short of disappointed when they found out they weren't selected to be on A.B. Lucas Secondary School's co-ed baseball team.
But the Grade 10 students didn't take no for an answer and with the help of some teachers, they're spearheading a first-of-its-kind girls' softball team at their school. In fact, so many young women expressed interest, they have enough players to make up two teams.
"We thought it was only going to be a couple of girls including us but when we eventually got to the meet, about 40 girls showed up," said Inkster.
"It just sparked the interest for how many girls wanted to play softball, which just blew both our minds and made us wonder why we don't have a girls softball team."
The two play softball — also known as fastpitch softball, or fastball — which is slightly different from baseball in that it uses larger balls, with different types of bats and gloves, closer bases, and is overall more fast-paced.
Despite their different skillsets, Inkster and Baragar thought they'd have a decent shot at making Lucas' baseball team because only three girls tried out for the co-ed team.
"Baseball has always traditionally been a boy's sport. When you think of it, you imagine guys throwing a ball around, but girls want to play, too. We learned that even though softball isn't the first sport anyone thinks of, there's a lot of interest in it," Baragar said.
Although they were reassured the team at their school is co-ed, it is almost always advertised as the boys baseball team, Inkster said.
The pair and their team will play a one-day tournament in Drumbo, Ont., against the girls' team at Medway High School on May 30.
'Girls' athletics shouldn't be overlooked'
When they heard the girls didn't make the co-ed team, teachers Paul Stevenson and Jeff English agreed to coach the newly-formed softball teams.
"There's just so many things that get overlooked, and girls athletics shouldn't be one of them," English said.
"The focus on boys sports just seems to take away from the girls too much and so we need to open up more opportunities for girls."
Fewer girls participate in sports because of how they're marketed, said Baragar.
"It's a matter of the way you talk about it. You have to emphasize that anyone's welcome and you have to get it out there. If people don't know about it, then how are they going to be there?"
Practices have been full of laughter and excitement, especially for those who have never played softball before and want to try something new, Stevenson said.
"We've gone through two years of no sports and COVID, and you can see just how passionate the kids are about getting back into regular things, sports being one of them," he said.
Baragar and Inkster are excited to be out on the field with their new teammates, who they hope will also develop a love for the sport, but above all, enjoy the experience.
They want to encourage more girls to take part in sports and hope to do that by showing the Thames Valley District School Board what their team can blossom into, so it can stay for years to come.
"We're not going to let this die down this year. We're going to keep getting other girls involved and try and make softball a thing within the TVDSB because we don't want this to be a one-time thing," Inkster said.
