It was a wild, terrific season for the Eastman Wildcats U15 softball team that culminated in a top 6 finish at Nationals in Saskatoon. 

"It was kind of a whirlwind," explains coach Dwight Heppner. "We got there on Monday night, kicked things off on Tuesday with a banquet for the players and coaches then got into games starting Wednesday. We had two games Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. That was our round robin that determined who would make the playoffs."

Heppner says they got off to a strong start but stumbled a bit after that. "We kicked'er off on Wednesday with two big wins. We had a tough go on Thursday but Friday we picked up another win that got us into the bracket."

As a coach, Heppner says he was thrilled to see the team play so well but it was the moments away from the field that as a parent, Heppner really enjoyed. "I couldn't be prouder of what this team and these girls accomplished. It's something that was talked about by the parents quite a bit. It's the memories that you have from attending an event like this. You may not remember each and every game looking back ten, fifteen, or twenty years down the road. It's the fun you had with teammates, the parents cheering you on, and the excitement that you really take going forward. It really was an amazing event to be a part of."

Having some time to reflect on a magical season, Heppner says he couldn't be prouder of how it ended. "We finished 6th in all of Canada. There were 21 teams there. After the playoff round, we beat Westman to move on and eventually lost to the BC Surrey Storm. We ranked 6th in the country. It's absolutely amazing. I couldn't be prouder of the girls and this will be fantastic to look back on for everyone that was there."

For more information on the Wildcats at all age levels, check out their website, Home - Eastman Wildcats Fastpitch