The Albion Sports Complex was recently flooded with local youth softball athletes as part of the very first Pride in the Park event.
This inaugural event was put on by the Ridge Meadows Minor Softball Association (RMMSA), which is the largest association for girls softball in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
Misa Van Der Mey, communications manager for RMMSA, explained that despite the name, this celebration had no connection to LGBTQ+ pride events such as the Pride in the Park thrown earlier this year in Memorial Peace Park.
READ MORE: Pride in the Park coming to Maple Ridge on Saturday
“Knowing how much work it takes, the athletes that made a Pride team (Pride is the name of our teams in rep) we wanted to congratulate and celebrate them and their accomplishments,” said Van Der Mey.
Rep teams, of which the organization has 14, are the highest level of competition and include age groups from 10 to 19-years-old.
“It takes a lot of hard work and commitment to the sport to make a rep team,” explained Van Der Mey. “The dedication level to be on one of these teams is very high because your team is training in the off-season anywhere from four to six times a week.”
Approximately 100 players and RMMSA members gathered in Maple Ridge to enjoy some food and participate in various team-building activities.
“Each team had their own potluck/barbecue style dinner,” said Van Der Mey. “The association planned games like tug of war and races. Prizes were awarded to the winning teams. We rented a combi sports arena and a ninja race.”
Van Der Mey, and the rest of the RMMSA, were very pleased with the turnout for the event and already have plans to make this celebration of their rep teams an annual thing.
“We definitely liked the positive vibes it created within our association,” said Van Der Mey.
“The smiles and giggles we saw and heard, the pictures that every team shared on their own social media pages, and the feedback we got, made us see that we need to make sure we continue to celebrate and appreciate these athletes and their commitment to this sport and our association.”
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