The Kevin Quinn Re/Max Ravens are taking flight again.
The under-23 junior team is gearing up for a summer that will see them compete at Softball Canada’s nationals at the end of July in St-Leonard-D’Aston, Que.
It comes after the team finished sixth at last year’s Canada Games in Winnipeg.
“It’s probably one of the tightest teams I’ve ever been a part of,” catcher Parker Ronahan said.
“We do something, we all go. It’s great. Everyone gets along. We’re a tight-knit group and that’s what I love about coming to the field – you’re playing with your best friends.”
The team has come a long way in about three years since Mark Quinn, Mike Bishop and George Weatherbie began the process of forming a team from scratch. There was no boys’ softball being played at the under-16 and under-18 age categories at the time, but with men’s softball returning to the Canada Games for the first time since 2005, the trio began building a squad.
Most of the players came from baseball and committed to giving softball a shot.
Ronahan, who was involved from the early stages, said it’s great to see the team live on after the Canada Games.
“We have a good ball team here,” the 20-year-old Charlottetown native said. “I’m excited to get away to the nationals and show off what we have.”
The team has a strong core of returning players, including Johnny Arsenault and Logan Gallant, workhorses who shared time at pitching and shortstop a year ago, and Stephen O’Shea at first base.
Ronahan said guys really stepped up at the Canada Games, including Ty McAdam and Matt Lange.
“Lange was great,” Ronahan said, “probably one of the biggest bats at the Canada Games.”
Ronahan said Sam Walsh never played third base until a year ago, but made a smooth transition. Parker Day and Bret Cheverie also jumped on board.
“Those guys never played softball (until) last year,” Ronahan explained. “You’ve got two months to learn the game and you’re in the Canada Games where the guys have been playing for four, five (or more) years.”
Bishop is pleased to see the team stay together.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I said to them last year, after we were done, if they wanted to keep playing, approach me.”
They did in the fall and the off-season workouts began soon after. A few players have been added to this year’s lineup, including Owen Arsenault and Grant Grady. Arsenault had played with the squad in the past and gives them another needed chucker and experienced player while Grady made the decision to play softball after the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders senior baseball team took a year’s leave of absence.
Grady, who played softball in high school and with the Kensington Marlins a few years ago, said he was looking to play with a competitive team and when Gallant reached out, the ball started rolling.
“All these guys are committed, so definitely it was a good fit and I am glad I am here right now,” he said during a recent practice at City Diamond.
Grady, who has experience playing the middle infield and in the outfield, is just looking forward to sharing the field with his new teammates, many of whom he played junior baseball or hockey with.
“Last year, they turned heads at the Canada Games,” the 23-year-old Kinkora native said. “I’m just here to come along for the ride. They already have a good group, so hopefully I can just fit in and help out where I can.”
The team is hoping a three-team Island league gets up and running for Thursday nights while planning to play in a couple of tournaments and daytrips to the mainland.
The Ravens will participate in the Spudchuckers tournament during the June 15 weekend in O’Leary and then a tourney in Fredericton, N.B., the next weekend.
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Roster
A look at the Kevin Quinn Re/Max Ravens roster for the softball season.
Name Position
Logan Gallant - Infield/pitcher
Stephen O’Shea - Infield
Matt Lange - Infield
Owen Arsenault - Pitcher/infield
Parker Day - Outfield
Parker Ronahan - Catcher
Jonathan Arsenault - Pitcher/infield
Bret Cheverie - Outfield
Sam Walsh - Infield/catcher
Grant Grady - Infield
Ty McAdam - Outfield
Alex Jabbour - Outfield
Brett Birt - Outfield
Coach staff
Mike Bishop - Head coach
Steven Bishop - Assistant coach
George Weatherbie - Team manager/assistant coach
