Anyone with a bat, a glove and a few friends can help make a difference next weekend in the lives of kids who can’t afford to participate in organized sports.
Anyone with a bat, a glove and a few friends can help make a difference next weekend in the lives of kids who can’t afford to participate in organized sports.
The Get Kids Playing Charity Slowpitch Tournament for Kidsport runs June 9 and 10 at Meadowview Diamonds and is the brainchild of St. Albert son Tyler Bunz, an Edmonton Oilers prospect and the WHL’s Goaltender of the Year last season.
“I’ve always been big into sports,” said Bunz, who says he has spent the last couple of months organizing the tournament. “You see a lot of people who can’t afford to play around the country and the world. I love playing sports and if they can’t afford it and I can help them, it would be a great cause.”
To date about 12 teams have registered, but Bunz says there is room for as many as 24 for the two-day tournament. Teams must have a minimum of 10 players with at least four women, with a max of 14 players. Each player on a team pays a $50 registration fee.
The motivation to organize a charitable event is not as foreign to Bunz as slowpitch is (he played softball one year, in Grade 3). This past season, his last as the goaltender for the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, Bunz organized the team’s first-ever skills competition, all the proceeds of which went to support multiple sclerosis. It was a cause dear to many Tigers’ players.
“One of our billets, she has MS so it’s close to home. So we might as well raise money for something like that,” Bunz said. “It was actually a pretty good success for the first time and it sounds like they’ll keep doing it. It kick-started my motivation to give back to the community.”
There will be no silent auction, but Bunz has in his possession a few jerseys from teams such as the Tigers and Eskimos, as well as a goalie stick signed by NHL netminders Roberto Luongo, Marc-André Fleury, and Jean-Sébastien Gigučre.
Bunz said a few WHLers will be coming to town to help out on his team.
“If everyone just comes out and plays ball and has a good time, so be it.”
One teammate who will be able to give Bunz a few pointers on the diamond is Liam Liston, also from St. Albert and a WHL goaltender with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Liston also had a successful career with the St. Albert Cardinals baseball organization, playing in two western and two national championships.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Liston said. “I talked to Tyler and knew I wanted to be involved in it. I’ve got a bit of a baseball background.”
Liston has also done his share of charitable work in the WHL, visiting schools and taking part in blood drives, so he said he’s happy to help out.
“It’s definitely not too much to ask to help community.
“Obviously Kidsport is a great cause for this event. I can’t imagine too many other great things to be doing next weekend. You can make a charitable donation and still have fun at night,” Liston said.
Anyone interested in registering a team can email Bunz at [email protected].
