Learn to Play is a Softball Canada initiative targeted at children ages 5-10. This program promotes the development of fundamental skills like hand-eye coordination, balance, agility and team work. NWT Softball offers its members the opportunity to host Learn to Play clinics in their community where children are not only taught the basic fundamentals of softball in a fun atmosphere, but they also walk away with t-shirts, stickers, frisbees and other prizes. For more information about the program or hosting a clinic in your community, please feel free to contact NWT Softball via e-mail kdobson@sportnorth.com or (867) 669-8339. Softball Canada also has more information available on their website www.softball.ca.

 Learn to Play in NWT

 NWT Softball slid into the softball season by hosting a Learn to Play clinic in Yellowknife the beginning of May. More than 70 participants engaged in fun activities delivered by Tracy Blanchard, Head Coach for the 2009 Women’s Alberta Summer Games team. These children were very receptive to the techniques taught and as a direct result of this clinic, Yellowknife Minor Ball was revitalized by a group of parent volunteers and more than 50 children participated in a softball league that took place three times a week for the month of June. Another successful clinic also took place the end of May in Hay River, where Jackie Desilets from Softball Alberta worked with a group of 65 eager children.

The results of the Learn to Play program are evident in the northern community of Inuvik, where this program has been implemented since 2004. Inuvik is about to witness the first complete turnover of the Learn to Play program as the kids who entered at the age of 5 are now moving into a modified program for children aged 11-13. Throughout the past 6 years, between 100 and 150 children have participated each season in Inuvik. The program has expanded to allow players to continue to participate and now is comprised of 3 distinct groups with one volunteer organizing a league for children 5-10, another working with those 11-13 and a final group for participants aged 13-17. The unique aspect about Inuvik is that this program currently takes place on a soccer pitch.

Regardless of the facility, whether it is indoors in a gym or on a soccer pitch, softball is alive in the Northwest Territories!