We need more people stepping up to play host.
On the weekend I had the pleasure of attending a provincial softball event, and while I was there it was mentioned to me that if this community did not step up to host the event then there would not have been one.
This concerned me and got me thinking.
Why would someone not want to host a provincial championship?
One answer that was mentioned to me was that it was a lot of work and that might be why.
Another answer I came up with was that there was a shortage of volunteers to help out, making the work that much greater.
Both of those are valid reasons, but both of those are concerning as well.
How have we gotten to a point where people do not want to spend time organizing a provincial championship?
A shortage of volunteers I can see to a certain extent, especially considering a number of the championships are held on the same weekend, thus thinning the volunteer pool.
But not having someone who wants to at least try to organize it?
Provincial championships are great on a number of levels.
First, they are great for the kids because it allows kids to compete for a prestigious championship and it also helps improve their skills as they have teams and players from across Saskatchewan to base their own skills off of.
Second, it is great for the association.
Over the course of the weekend the host can sell concessions, which if the concession is run by the ball association is resulting in a small bump in revenue.
And although, I would not say it is a great option, the hosts could also sell entry fees to spectators, which will generate addition revenue that way.
Both streams of revenue could be used to help pay for field repairs or new jerseys, saving the association from having to dig into much of their reserves.
Another great benefit is to the whole community.
Hosting a provincial championship in your community is a great way of showcasing the community to other parts of Saskatchewan.
From the monetary side it also will benefit the businesses within the community.
Those who come from all over the province will need somewhere to stay, somewhere to eat, or somewhere to buy gas.
There are many benefits to hosting a provincial ball tournament.
And my hope is that in the next few years we see an upswing in communities asking to host, not a downswing.
