Photoessay #737 - Canada Cup 2004

Could it really be 5 years ago?

U Oregon softball players pose together at 2004 Canada Cup tournament. From left to right Dani Baird (rising junior, outfield), Briane Sabol (jr, ss), Amie Morris (soph, catcher), Ani Nyhus (sr, pitcher), Susanna Barnes (soph, of/if), Amy Harris (jr pitcher).

Teams represented

Washington Absolute Blast (club)
White Rock Renegades (club)
Team Canada (national)

The club teams are usually assembled just for these tournaments. It's hard to get a picture like this; it stayed on the U Oregon softball site for some months.

Susanna is going to play for a few days with the California Goldrush team for a few days next week. It really becomes a financial thing. What young people can afford to come up in mid-summer to Canada, stay in the specified hotels (not cheap) and feed themselves. People have jobs and summer school. The people who attempt to put together these teams think they have enough players and then they start to flake.

One REAL downside this year is that they've segregated the pool play. Can't remember if I wrote about that earlier. The club teams only play club teams; national teams only play national teams. Then they insert 3 club teams into the Championship Round. Bummer! Part of the appeal was that you got to try your hand against Team USA. Maybe get a hit off Yukiko Ueno (from the gold medal Japanese team). You and the Australians, who knows? This is MUCH more boring. In 2004, the Washington Blast beat China with Amy Harris pitching. Wow, that was a BIG deal, whooo hoo, when are you ever going to get a chance to do that?

Susanna says that this is JUST FINE with her as she has not played fastpitch competitively for two years. "I'm going to SUCK" she wails. We all doubt it. Hope she gets the chance to play. Her in onto the Goldrush team is her current roommate Gina who is also an asst coach at Washington.

I offered to give her a ride on Monday up there. Gin's coming with me. The club game is actually at the remote location at Cloverdale. but I love Canada Cup, even if I just get to go up for one day. Just across the border. The venue is fun with lots of good food choices. Lots of softball people watching and gossiping. The community involvement. The National Teams. You see the best of the best. White Rock, a very cute beach town with a long board walk, nice pier, lots of beach, gelato and fish and chips shops is right nearby. My buddies, my Canada Cup guys, Irwin, Paul and Ben (may he rest in peace) to fill me in and get the Pac 10 news from me. One year, I stayed there the whole week in a b&b apartment overlooking the water.

Even, one particular dad who didn't much approve of much said to me "Think of the most fun softball tournament you can think of and double it. That's Canada Cup"

I'm on! I'm going! Wouldn't miss it!