Five years ago a softball tournament was conceptualized by members of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) including current executives, Ramchand Ragbeer, president, Ricky Deonarain, Ramesh Sunich and Jailall Deodass, vice-presidents, Mike Singh, treasurer, Lalta Gainda, secretary and Wayne Jones, assistant secretary.
The competition, first held in 2011, saw Cotton Field Wild Oats, New York All Stars, Trophy Stall and Wolf’s Warriors winning the Open category while Regal, Savage, New York Better Hope and Floodlights have won in the Masters category.
Little did the group know back then in 2011, that the fledgling tournament would blossom forth and become one of the biggest softball tournaments in the English speaking Caribbean attracting teams from North America in addition to the finest local softball teams one can imagine.
But that’s just what happened.
Last week, the fifth annual tournament, known as the Guyana Softball Cup 5 concluded watched by a capacity crowd at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, Queenstown, home of cricket legends of another version of the sport namely Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs.
Deonarain, one of the key players behind the staging of the tournament, is overjoyed at its growth and success.
Asked to compare this year’s tournament with previous tournaments, Deonarain said: “Well I would say that every year the tournament seems to be going from-strength-to-strength. This year I think was even bigger than the previous years. This can be judged by the large crowd that we had at the finals. That alone tells you that the tournament is growing and that there is a lot of interest. People came from different parts of the country to witness the finals, all parts of Guyana,” he told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview.
This year’s tournament attracted teams from the United States of America and Deonarain said the tournament also attracted the participation of teams from the outlying areas.
“Yes! We had teams from Essequibo, two teams from Berbice. Parika, we had three teams, from the West Coast Demerara, one team, from the East Bank we had one team, on the West Bank of Demerara we had another team, on the East Coast of Demerara, Mahaicony area, we had several teams, and of course there were a few teams from Georgetown for a total of 26 teams.”
According to Deonarain, those teams represented the best softball teams in the country.
Growing popularity
Despite its popularity, there is no governing softball association and softball associations such as Floodlights, are independent organisations with their own agendas and objectives.
Asked the state of softball in the country in terms of its popularity and its structure, Deonarain said: “Softball cricket is always popular. Let’s say 25 years ago, or 20 years ago, no one could have imagined that it would reach this stage. We had big tournaments with GTT. GTT 10/10 softball competitions filled the Providence National Stadiums to capacity especially during the second edition of the tournament.
“We have an association, the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA). We are an independent association. We are registered with the relevant bodies, the Friendly Society and the National Sports Commission. We are a legal body but of course, there might be other associations too that are registered as well but those associations are independent just like us.”
Asked whether there was a functioning Guyana Softball Association Deonarain answered: “Not any more. We have the Georgetown Softball League which is an independent organization. I know they have been vibrant as we have been.”
Thrilling finals
The annual tournament is contested in two categories Open and Masters and this year’s tournament was no different except for probably the fact that Regal cricket team swept both categories, an unprecedented feat in the history of the competition.
Over the years, Regal and the GFSCA have been bitter enemies on the field, arch rivals so to speak, battling each other for the right to be known as softball kings of Guyana. In the Masters categories the two teams reached the final which was won by Regal and Deonarain was asked to give his take on what transpired as his team, favourites before the tournament started, was beaten by their nemesis.
“The game was a thriller! The game ended up just like last year in New York. In this year’s Masters final, Regal required 11 runs from the final over. In the final against Regal in the Independence Cup last year, we (Floodlights) too required 11 runs from the last over.
“this year Regal scored the winning runs off the fifth delivery just like we did last year when we too scored the winning runs from the fifth delivery of the final over.
“In a way there were a lot of similarities in this year’s and last year’s masters’ final,” he explained.
“I think we are the two best teams in the Masters division. Recently, we have been putting up good performances against them. Over the last year or so we have been getting the better of them, we won the two previous finals and then they won here.”
The final of the Open category between Regal and the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) was affected by the walking off of the field by the NYSCL in protest at a decision by an umpire.
Deonarain said that the incident was disappointing to some extent.
“Yes it was unfortunate. It does not look good for the sport. My only concern was for the fans and here again I must take the opportunity to apologise to them. There were so many people there females especially, mothers with their children…. people sat waiting for over 45 minutes hoping for play. Nobody left.”
He said in future teams should think a little more about the paying public.
“I think they should have thought about the fans. Those who left their homes to come and see softball cricket and pay their hard earned money to witness the matches.”
Looking ahead to next year Deonarain said he is not sure at this point whether to go ahead and plan to make the tournament bigger and better simply because of the hard work and tremendous sacrifice it takes to make the tournament a success.
He said that this year’s tournament cost around nine million dollars and in some instances the organisers were forced to go into their own pockets.
However, he said the influx of players and supporters from North America resulted in valuable foreign exchange being brought into the country which even though small, is a boon to the economy.
“There were hundreds of people from overseas. From Orlando alone there were 38 persons and most of the people are returning mainly for this tournament,” he declared.
Deonarain says if they are to go ahead and stage Guyana Softball Cup 6, the GFSCA would probably seek to engage the government on ways with which it can lend some assistance.
“If the government becomes involved they can do a lot of things they have the resources,” he said.
“We would want the tournament to be run smoothly and professionally,” he declared.
Deonarain said the standout performers at this year’s tournament were
Richard Latiff, Player of the Series in the Open category and winner of a gold bracelet and Ramesh Narine Player of the Series in the Masters Category and also winner of a gold bracelet.
At Finals night, the GFSCA gave away some 12 hampers in addition to three return ticket to Barbados.
Deonarain said that the spectators that thronged the venue to see the matches received lots of giveaways from Mike’s Pharmacy and Rubis Guyana.
“Those two companies brought a lot of stuff which they gave away. There were lots of giveaways and almost everybody benefited.
Deonarain said he would like to thank all the sponsors that contributed to making the tournament a success such as Trophy Stall which for the fifth year donated all the trophies. Other sponsors include
Trophy Stall, which has provided all the trophies since the tournament’s inception a testament to his desire and commitment to assist sports disciplines, Rubis Guyana, Survival Travel Agency, Stag Beer, Clear Waters, Nauth Auto Spares, Ansa Mc Al, Rohan Auto Spares, GTT, Mike’s Pharmacy, WJ Enterprise,A& R Geewan Ram Printery, Busta Soft Drinks and Ramchand Auto Spares.
