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When the Canadian U15 Softball Championships came to Winkler and Morden, Portage’s Larry Dewis found himself right at the heart of the action.
A lifelong fastball player, he volunteered to work as an announcer throughout the five-day tournament.
“Overall, it was a fun experience. Portage la Prairie hosted several similar events in the past, those who have been involved can relate to the feeling of accomplishment when it's all said and done. Volunteering is good for the soul. Good times for sure,” notes Dewis.
He committed to three shifts, which added up to five games, and explains what the role involved.
“You welcome the fans to the game and then you acknowledge the sponsors and you and talk about the lineups and introduce the players as they come to the plate and the scores after each inning and keep the fans abreast of what's going on after every,” says Dewis.
Learning to announce
Announcing is not something Dewis ever formally trained for, he just picked it up over the years when Portage hosted events.
“I’ve done it here in Portage on and off whenever we host events. I just sort of learned along the way,” adds Dewis.
His background as a player gave him the confidence to take on the job.
“I’ve been a fastball player all my life. I realized that it just enhances the environment when you do have an announcer,” continues Dewis.
Giving back to the game
For Dewis, volunteering at this championship was about more than being part of the action; it was about returning a favour.
“The city of Winkler, back in 2001, when my son was 15 years old, he didn't have a team to play for in our town. He was looking to play, and they opened their arms to him. He played a couple of years in Winkler. It was just my way of giving back to them at this time,” remarks Dewis.
He also recognizes the sheer number of people needed to make a national event run smoothly.
“It takes an army of people to make an event like this happen,” mentions Dewis.
Calling memorable moments
During his shifts, Dewis had the chance to announce three games involving the host team, Central Energy, including a semi-final.
The team went on to capture a silver medal, its best-ever finish at nationals.
“It was really exciting to see to see how they scraped their way through to the finals, their previous best finish was 7th. Bringing home the silver metal was a big deal for them, and it was an exciting final game, too. They're leading 1, nothing going into the bottom of the 7th, and it was a strong Fraser Valley team from BC that beat them. They got two in the bottom of the seventh, but the silver was a tremendous accomplishment,” says Dewis.
Hoping to inspire others
Looking back, Dewis sees the event as proof of the commitment shown by young athletes.
“These young people must be committed and well-coached in order to play at this level. I'm just sort of hoping that the other young girls and boys who saw these games aspire to follow in their footsteps,” adds Dewis.
For him, the championship was both a personal highlight and a chance to give back to the game he has always loved — with a microphone in hand.
- with files by Ty Hildebrand
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