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More than 50 Indigenous fastball squads from across the country will be in Alberta next month to decide national bragging rights.
The Canadian Native Fastball Championships will be staged Aug. 4 to Aug. 6 in Calgary.
The tournament will feature five divisions.
The highest calibre of play will be in the senior women’s and senior men’s categories.
There will also be masters divisions, both female and male, for those players who are 40 and over.
And there will also be a junior men’s grouping for those players who are 23 or younger.
Though some individuals had participated in more than one category in the same year, organizers have a rule in which athletes can only take part in one division this time around.
As of July 19, a total of 21 senior men’s clubs had confirmed their participation in the event. And 13 senior women’s squads had registered to take part.
All tournament participants must have First Nations, Métis or Inuit ancestry.
Matches will be spread out at three different venues throughout Calgary.
Both of the women’s divisions will be staged at the Shouldice Athletic Park. Men’s matches will be contested at the Calgary Industrial Fastball Association fastball diamonds.
And the junior men’s contests will be held at Optimist Park.