Special to The Coast Guard
The Clark’s Harbour Mosquito Foggies have not been the most successful team on the field this season in terms of wins and losses, but they are creating a buzz in the local baseball world for other reasons.
With a roster of 15 players, the Foggies hit the field with seven female players. Madison Sears, Tori Smith, Brea Finlayson, Madison Atwood, Katelyn Ross, Danisha Nickerson, and Jessica Swim are the seven female players on the Foggies. Historically, some female players have participated in hardball, or as it is sometimes referred to, ‘boys ball’. Any fans who have watched the Clark’s Harbour squad in action, will quickly attest that the term ‘boys ball’ is making way for the more aptly named ‘girls ball.’
Coach Brennan Goreham said, ‘I am proud of all of the players on our team. They each offer something different to our team in terms of their play. We have some great fielders, pitchers, bunters, base-runners, and some kids who are great for team morale. But when anybody asks me about our team, the first thing that I mention is our seven female players. And they are always mentioned positively. Not to take anything away from the boys, but I think that it is great that the girls are chasing their ball dreams playing hardball. I really hope that they all stick to it.”
So far this year, there has been no distinction in playing time or position time when it comes to the male and female players. If anything, because many of the girls are in their second or third year of Mosquito baseball, they have been placed in the pressure situations. “I don’t think twice about who to put into pitch in a tight spot. I want all of the players to learn about baseball and have a chance to be challenged”, added Goreham.
The team has faced some comments from opponents regarding the irregular make-up of their team. “Whenever I hear another player say to one of their teammates ‘you just got put out by a girl’, I always smile, because it just shows that the girls on this team can compete in a game that is mostly dominated by boys” commented Coach Goreham.
Of the seven female players on the team, six of tried their hand at pitching. They see regular action in the infield, and during at least one point this season, all six players in the infield were female players. Katelyn Ross can regularly be found catching, at short stop, or in the outfield. Tori Smith and Madison Sears split their playing time between second base and the outfield. Brea Finlayson and Jessica Swim can be found all over the field, playing well at many positions. Madison Atwood spends most of her time at first base, where seemingly nothing gets by. Danisha Nickerson has logged many innings pitching and catching, as well as playing short stop.
