In keeping with a summer tradition in the Okanagan, teams came from far and wide to play baseball and soak up the sun last weekend at the annual tournament.
Sixty-six teams, including 51 from out of town, converged on Kelowna and West Kelowna to compete in the 11U to 18U divisions.
Now 16 years after its inception, tournament director Todd Russell said the VOC is proving as popular as ever.
害羞草研究所淭he trend we害羞草研究所檙e seeing is that after we open up registration on January 1, usually by mid-February we害羞草研究所檙e 75 to 80 per cent booked, some divisions are right full,害羞草研究所� said Russell. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of out-of-town teams feel it害羞草研究所檚 a great opportunity to bond and play some good baseball. There aren害羞草研究所檛 a lot tournaments in the summer that run from the 11U to 18U age groups, so that害羞草研究所檚 another reason it害羞草研究所檚 a popular draw.害羞草研究所�
In past years, the tournament was just too far away for some teams to justify making the trip but that, too, is changing. It害羞草研究所檚 no longer out of the ordinary to see clubs making the journey from Vancouver Island.
害羞草研究所淲e now get teams from Victoria, they come because they害羞草研究所檝e heard the tournament is great and they can害羞草研究所檛 wait to get here,害羞草研究所� Russell added. 害羞草研究所淲e treat the teams well, it害羞草研究所檚 a great weekend for them and their families. It comes two weeks before provincials, so it害羞草研究所檚 a great opportunity for teams to work on things and tune up.害羞草研究所�
As always some of the proceeds from entrance fees to VOC go back into minor baseball in the Central Okanagan, including for coaching development and umpire training.
There are currently more than 1,200 players害羞草研究所攊ncluding 840 in Kelowna害羞草研究所攔egistered in minor baseball in the Central Okanagan.
Meanwhile, the West Kelowna Dbacks were the lone local team to win their division at VOC, capturing the 18U (midget) for the fourth straight year.
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