After making the journey to Haines, Alaska, Yukon Little League baseball teams swung to victory, clinching a perfect streak of eight wins in a display of sportsmanship and skill.
Four Yukon teams took to the field on July 20 and July 21 to compete against Alaskan teams. The Yukon teams kicked off the tournament with a strong start, winning five games on the first day and achieving a flawless victory by Sunday’s end.
Out of the 125 kids registered with the Yukon Little League, 44 competed in Haines. The teams composed three age divisions, ranging from eight to 17 years old.
“They all came home champions, which is amazing. Haines has had a junior baseball team for a long time, and so that was exciting,” said Sara Skelton, chair of Yukon Little League.
Skelton observed that while the season started with some players as beginners, they quickly evolved into valuable assets for the league, with the youngest players making impressive catches of massive hits in the outfield.
Tyga Berman started the tournament with a bang, hitting a home run out the park from the first pitch of the opening game. Harlen Kiefer also delivered an impressive performance, striking out 15 batters in a single game.
According to league organizers, Baseball Canada flew in professionals over the winter to conduct training sessions at the Canada Games Centre. These clinics aimed to enhance pitching techniques and included coaching workshops.
“I think the coaching clinic and pitching clinic was important because Alaska had some great players, they had great pitchers,” Skelton said.
The league currently uses the McIntyre and Riverdale softball fields for practice sessions and match games, evenly distributing training across four nights a week among the three age divisions.
Skelton expressed her gratitude to the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwachan Council for providing the league with field space, overcoming previous challenges of finding playable fields. Teams from Haines were welcomed last year to compete at the McIntyre softball field, located opposite the Kwanlin Dün First Nation administration building.
Over the past two years, Yukon youth have had the chance to engage in organized MLB-style overhand baseball. Sara and Clark Skelton established the league to offer a substitute for softball. According to Skelton, the league grew from four to ten teams since last year.
