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Manchester wins two BSF awards |
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Sunday, 28 February 2010 |
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At the AGM of the British Softball Federation, which was held this year at Hough End here in Manchester, MSL was delighted and honoured to have won two awards. The League won the Glover Cup for the best league, recognition of our continued growth as an organization not just in size but also in the quality of the softball experience that our members get, and of course in the continuing excellence of our teams, both representative (our two representative teams both made the finals of the Allstar tourney) and individual, not least the Lions , who won the President's Cup for the best team, recognition of an outstanding season in which they won not one but two Nationals finals (the 2008 silver finals, postponed due to bad weather, and the 2009 gold), along with consistently excellent performances at numerous tournaments and of course at home where they gave the perennial Mavs and Greensox a run for their money in the league. Well done us!
The text of the nomination, which obviously impressed the judges, was as follows: I'd like to nominate Manchester Softball League for League of the Year award. I think they are very worthy candidates as a league that is continuing to grow each year in player numbers and teams, there is a strong ethos on both recruitment and training for all. A full winter indoor programme that is 'turn up and play' coupled with spring & summer rookie specific training sessions, single sex coaching ahead of SS nationals and open training sessions run by GB coaches for Marvels, the league representative A grade team, that this year saw almost 50 players try out and join in coaching sessions. There are three enterprising clubs in the league that each have at least three teams in the league and there are dozens of rookie players joining the league each season. Innovative tournaments and support of local charities together with a single tourney entirely for Christies Cancer hospital. All the above together with lots of effort from the exec, club captains and local coaches have seen the haul of silverware collected by Manchester teams and players grow each year in National level, NSL, Diamond and other regional tournaments held round the country. Overall the league has gone from strength to strength and the final icing on the cake this season was to have three new players including one rookie elected into the GB development squad to join 4 existing MSL players in the squad.
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