The West Kootenay Kodiaks U16 Junior B girls fastball team is heading to the Canadian Open Futures fastball tournament at Softball City in Surrey to play against the best teams in the west.
The Kodiaks are a tournament team that have been winning games and medals at a variety of tournaments this summer including a bronze medal at the fourth of July Shootout in Spokane last weekend.
“This tournament is a Futures tournament, and supposedly there will be more than 85 universities and colleges that have representation there looking for talent,” said Kodiaks’ coach Bob Johnson who is assisted by his two daughters, pitching-catching coach Emma Johnson and manager Robyn Sofonoff.
The team is well represented from players across the West Kootenay including Salmo, Beaver Valley, Montrose, Trail, Castlegar, and Krestova.
“I have been coaching ball now in the Kootenays for a few years, and this is one of the most exciting teams we’ve ever had,” said Johnson who has close to 50 years of coaching experience.
The Kodiaks will play in a division of 20 teams from Washington State, B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
The Kodiaks open the tournament with a game against the Langley Xtreme today at 8:30 p.m. and play three games Saturday versus Ridge Meadows Rage 98, Federal Way Lady Knights, and the Vancouver Wildcats 99 team.