'They'll always remember this': How a fiddle united P.E.I., N.L. softball teams
Cody MacKay | CBC News | Posted: September 4, 2018 8:13 PM | Last Updated: September 4, 2018
'The other team came over and joined in right from the word go'
To get fired up before a game, some sports players plug in their headphones and bob their heads to the beat — others, however, take home plate to step and stomp along to the fiddle.
Before every game for P.E.I.'s Under-16 Eastern Braves, Cailyn MacAulay, 15, breaks out the fiddle and plays — sending her team clapping and dancing to the rhythm to get pumped up for the match.
They'll never remember a score that they win by or they lost by, but they'll always remember this. — Rod Creaser, head coach
"It gets us all excited and it kind of brings us together as a team," MacAulay said, noting the team has been doing the ritual most of the summer.
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But the pre-game ritual against a team from Newfoundland and Labrador at the Eastern Canadian Softball Championships recently in Cole Harbour, N.S., was different — this time their competition joined in on the fun.
P.E.I. head coach Rod Creaser said other teams had clapped along to the music from their own dugouts before, a bit shy to take part.
However, in this final game of the season, Creaser explained the pre-game ritual to the N.L. coach and he said the team was excited and wanted to join in.
"The other team came over and joined in right from the word go," Creaser said.
"We had a ton of fun prior to the game, relaxed both teams."
'We just wanted to show that P.E.I. spirit'
Before the first pitch, players from both teams huddled at home plate, circling around MacAulay, the young fiddler.
And as she began to play, Islanders and Newfoundlanders began stepping, clapping and spinning to the sound of the strings.
"It was incredible. Everything happened so quickly, it was amazing …once they got into it they were all clapping and cheering," MacAulay said.
"We just wanted to show everyone that P.E.I. spirit."
Creaser said the fun before the game took the tension off the competitive nature of the game and allowed the girls to just have fun.
After the game the teams got together for pictures, and later hung out together at the hotel, forging friendships MacAulay hopes lasts a lifetime.
"It was just a great moment. We're two teams coming together," she said. "Creating friendships with other people from different provinces, it was good."
Creaser said it's one of the the biggest highlights of his entire coaching career.
"You always aim to win and do as good as you can, but at the end of the day the girls have memories going forward for the rest of their lives," he said.
"They'll never remember a score that they win by or they lost by, but they'll always remember this."
MacAulay plays gigs professionally and has recorded a CD of traditional fiddle tunes.