Tournament to support itself
- Details
- Published on Friday, September 5, 2014
By Sheila Runions
Banner Staff
After seven years of experience planning hockey tournaments in his former hometown of Cardale, Scott Peters of Rivers is switching seasons and co-ordinating a ball tournament in Rivers. The two-day affair will be held Sept. 19 and 20 on the UCT diamond and the old senior diamond, northeast of the easily recognizable UCT field. Scott admits he needs to clean that area before then but believes it to still be a playable space. But it is this lack of space that prompted the tournament.
鈥淎llistair McFadden actually approached me; he鈥檇 like to try and raise a senior ball team in Rivers. There鈥檚 a lot of guys from here who play in the league in Brandon, but we don鈥檛 have enough space here. I have no goals or expectations for this tournament, we鈥檙e just going for what we can. A success would be over $2,000. Preliminary figures Allistair came up with are $25,000-$40,000, but that was before he knew about the donations I鈥檝e already got.鈥�
Scott works for Crop Production Services and when his employer heard about this situation, they agreed to provide all the fencing. Westman Steel is going to donate dugouts, and Scott expects a lot of volunteers will cut expenses as well, but still the price tag could be huge. When UCT redid its diamond in 1999, the cost then was $22,000.
There are already eight teams confirmed and as of Aug. 29 another two have contacted Scott for details. All teams 鈥渉ave roots in Rivers鈥� but they are registered as Winnipeg, Brandon, Rapid City and Rivers. Scott expects the first game to start at 6:30 or 7 p.m. on Friday with play continuing all day Saturday.
Because the event will have a beer garden, a small admission fee must be charged at the fairgrounds gate; that admission will include free access to the beer garden. Scott has rented Cardale鈥檚 portable dance floor and a Rivers Ag Society tent, so with sport, supper (barbecued food will be on site) and shakin鈥� some bootie, the tournament should be a lot of fun. Scott is looking for volunteers at the gate, beer garden or as needed; if you would like to assist, please contact him at 204-365-0309 after 5 p.m.
