This past weekend saw the fourth annual Energy City Exposure Showcase deliver its most ambitious and successful event yet at Nickle Lake Regional Park. The three-day showcase brought together softball players from across the Prairies for a weekend of skill development, games, and face time with college scouts.
“Overall, I thought it was a really great success,” said Morgan Walter, one of the showcase organizers. “It was a great weekend, not only for the park, but for these athletes who came out and got to show their talent in front of the college coaches.”
The showcase kicked off Friday with skills sessions and metric testing, giving players a chance to show their potential in a focused setting. On Saturday and Sunday, the attention turned to game action, with nearly triple the number of teams compared to the previous year, including squads from Alberta and Manitoba.
“It was a little stressful at the beginning, trying to get it all organized and arranged,” Walter admitted. “But with the great amount of volunteers that we had and parents stepping up to lend a hand… it was actually pretty easy to accommodate that many people.”
Perhaps most importantly, the event drew serious attention from post-secondary programs.
“We had a total of five college coaches that came out and watched in person, and I believe we had about three or four watching online,” said Walter. “That’s a pretty great turnout… needing to cross the border and come all the way up into southeast Saskatchewan to watch.”
For players like Reegan Chicoine and Karis Gerle of the U17 Southeast Sun Devils, the experience offered more than just game time; it was a shot at the future.
“The energy was definitely there,” Chicoine said. “Everyone was hitting, everyone was fielding really well… A lot of people, I think, were getting out of their comfort zone… Got to communicate with different coaches and meet new people.”
Gerle echoed the sentiment.
“It was great for all the high school athletes to get noticed by some college scouts. So it's a great opportunity for us and other teams from all around.”
Beyond the exposure to scouts, athletes also benefited from sessions aimed at preparing them for the next level of play. One highlight was a talk from Weyburn native and national softball team member Jorde Chartrand, who shared advice on the college athlete experience after playing softball at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
With temperatures high during the day on Saturday, and games taking place non-stop, the weekend demanded as much on the body as it did skill.
“Drink lots of water. It’s really important,” Gerle noted with a laugh.
As for what’s next, both players have their eyes on the road ahead.
“Right now, hopefully reach out to a few college coaches,” said Chicoine. “Next year, maybe reach out to a few communities, try out for a few teams and see where that takes me.”
Gerle added that the team is now off to provincials, with several teammates exploring recruiting opportunities of their own.
And as for the future of the showcase? Plans are already underway for year five.
“We expect to be back here in Nickle Lake one year from now,” Walter said. “We hope that next year is bigger and better than this year was.”