There’s no crying in 10-and-under fast-pitch softball! Nor will there be any crying for the Canby Rebels 10U softball team this weekend, as they don “Rockford Peaches” uniforms inspired by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — made famous by the 1992 film A League of Their Own.
Head coach James Heckathorn said the team voted to honor the Peaches and the other athletes of the AAGPBL when they take the field at Keizer Little League Field to compete in the Halloween Scream NAFA Softball Tournament Saturday and Sunday.
“We are teaching the girls about the women of Cooperstown who inspired the movie but who also broke barriers in professional sports,” Coach Heckathorn said. “We have been taking inspiration from history and the movie.”
That has included sharing with the girls the original guidelines AAGPBL players were expected to follow, an amazing historical document that is also on display in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.
It included, among many things, extensive rules for etiquette and “beauty rituals” for players to observe before and after games.
For fun, Coach Heckathorn took the girls out, in costume, Wednesday for a “high tea” and impromptu etiquette class at Wait Park and the Backstop Bar & Grill.
A friend of his, Andrea Puente, dressed up to host the event but, for some reason, chose to channel a different ’90s classic, appearing as Winifred Sanderson from Hocus Pocus.
Softball was one of the few sports played this summer due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, Heckathorn said, and the Rebels have played a lot of fall ball.
“The girls work hard and have great attitudes,” he said. “They are very fortunate to be playing, as teams not far from us haven’t been able to get on the field due to Covid.”
He said his players observe strict mask guidelines and other restrictions implemented by the NAFA that have allowed games to be played.
The Rebels’ assistant coach is Lindsay Monk, a former University of Washington Huskie and a member of their 2013 College World Series team.
The Rebs will take the field at Keizer Little League Park at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Sunday game times TBD.
Anyone interested in sponsoring or supporting the Rebels for the 2021 spring/summer season can reach Heckathorn at coachjamesrebels@gmail.com.
