Jason Kerr
Daily Herald
The Prince Albert U17 Astros have honed their skills against local competition this season, but that will change on June 27 when they welcome a U18 development team from the New Zealand International Softball Academy (ISA) to the Max Power Ball Parks.
Prince Albert is the first stop on the ISA’s 22-day tour. The club will also play games in Laird, Saskatoon, Kahhewistaw First Nation, and others. U17 Astros head coach Neil Finch said it’s a great opportunity for both teams to see some new competition.
“It’s going to be really exciting for the boys just to play, not only a team they’ll never get to probably play against ever again, but coming from a different country,” Finch said.
Softball officials have been planning this game for a few months, Finch said. The Astros were looking for a competitive game against a team in their age group, while the ISA team looks to hone its skills against international competition.
“The energy, the competition, and the camaraderie will be unforgettable,” reads an ISA statement posted to their Facebook page. “For these players, it’s not just about winning—it’s about growth, resilience, and learning from the best.”
“They’ll be a little bit older than us, but there’s benefits in challenging yourself and playing a little bit of an older age group,” Finch added. “(There’s) also learning how people play the game from across the world. Ball can be played differently and there’s different strategies. We’ll learn from them and be in a competitive game.”
In addition to their regular season in Saskatchewan’s U17 league, the Astros have also played games in the Saskatoon Men’s Fastball League. Finch said development has been the focus.
“(We’re) just trying to compete in every game that we’re in. We’re not real focused on our wins and losses right now. (It’s) more around competing and learning from the teams that we’re playing against.”
The two teams are scheduled to meet for a doubleheader at Prime Ministers Park. Start times are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The New Zealand team will also perform their traditional Haka before each game.
Finch said the game will be a great tune-up for the Astros, with provincials scheduled from July 4-6 in Laird. He also expects sports fans will have some fun.
“If people have the evening free, come out for $5 at the gate to watch a really good ball game and even witness the Haka,” he said. “If they’ve never done that before it’s definitely worth coming out to see. (There’s) some competitive ball, and some unique experiences prior to the ball game even starting.”
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
