The original U17 Chaos Softball team will play an exhibition game as part of the second annual Taylor Bennett Girls’ Softball Memorial Tournament this weekend in Quesnel.
The U17 Chaos was the team Taylor Bennett, the namesake of the tournament, played on during her time playing with the Quesnel Girls Softball Association.
“They came back together and said this was something they wanted to do, and I think it’s a special way to remember Taylor,” says Jen Hydamacka, the tournament coordinator for the Quesnel Girls Softball Association.
“The original girls are going to be playing our new U17 B Chaos Team, which Taylor’s sister plays on. It’s really special for us to be able to do this, and we’re preparing for it to be an emotional one because Taylor meant so much to all of us.”
Hydamacka says the U17 B team is a new team for the Softball Association, playing at an upper level of softball, and has been competing through Western Canada since the team was put together in September.
This year’s tournament has grown to 19 teams of three age groups, U13, U15, U17 from all over the Cariboo coming to fill the dugouts in West Timber Park.
Teams from Prince George, Smithers, Kamloops, Kelowna, Terrace, and Enderby will be joining the hometown Quesnel teams.
All four diamonds at West Timber Park will be filled across the three days, starting on today, Friday, June 6 at 4 p.m.
The teams will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, going until 6 o’clock, when a special presentation will take place.
Awards named after Taylor Bennett will be given out to most players who show the most sportsmanship across all three divisions. The Taylor Bennett scholarship and bursary will also be awarded during the ceremony.
Hydamacka says this year the scholarship has also grown with the help of the community. The Terrace Softball Association is donating $500 to the scholarship.
The special exhibition game will commence right after the ceremony and presentation on Saturday, June 7, night.
Sunday, June 8, will be the final day of the tournament, and the games will start bright and early at 8 a.m., and go until 4 p.m.
“It’s going to be a special tournament each year,” says Hydamacka. Who says she is thrilled and amazed by the support from the community, and all the volunteer effort to put the tournament on.
“This is huge for our league and for all the families that are involved in this. It’s a way to keep Taylor’s memory alive so that she’s not forgotten because she was a huge mentor to all the girls and just such a great kid that we just want to keep her memory strong.”
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