Entering their 10th full season in existence, the Women's Faspitch team will be celebrating their milestone by welcoming home its Fastpitch Alumni this September.
This competitive club has come a long way in its young history; from a small group of interested athletes who wanted to create a softball team and were able to do so in 2001, although struggling in its early years, they have now become one of the most successful university softball programs in the country.

All former Golden Hawks Fastpitch players are invited to return home to Laurier on September 8th when they will take part in a variety of activities as well as have a pair of exhibition games against the current Golden Hawks as they wrap-up their 2012 training camp and prepare for the teams home openers against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and Guelph Gryphons on September 15/16, 2012.

 

"Our Fastpitch Alumni are doing some great things in the world and we are excited to reunite with the whole group of them," says Head Coach Kevin Fagg who has been with the program since 2005. "Whether they have continued their careers in softball or have now settled down with a family, I think it is a great initiative to re-connect with the players who started this program ten years ago."

"These girls will be quite surprised to see how far we've come since then." added Assistant Coach Matt Allen and newly appointed President of the Ontario Intercollegiate Women's Fastpitch Association (www.oiwfa.org) in which the Golden Hawks compete in.

In its first four years, the team was under the umbrella of WLUSU Campus Clubs and struggled to find any success on the diamond. It was in 2007 when the Golden Hawks would upset the heavily favoured Western Mustangs 4-3 in extra innings in what is still considered one of the most exciting games in the Ontario Intercollegiate loop. This victory marked a noticeable change for the club who went on to be invited to the first ever National Championships in Calgary capturing a silver medal, only to host the following year in 2009 and claim the National title against the same University of Saskatchewan Lady Saxons who defeated them the year prior.

 

Since 2008, the Golden Hawks have captured four medals and have finished no lower than third place in the regular season. 2011 marked an historic year for the Lady Hawks Fastpitch program as they were moved from WLUSU Campus Clubs under the Athletics and Recreation Department as a Competitive Club.

 

"We have come a long way, commented Fagg. "We've had the opportunity to host both a Provincial and National Championship in the Region of Waterloo and managed to bring a pile of well-earned hardware back to the school. Our alumni have really set the bar high for our program and we will continue to pursue our own excellence moving forward."

 

Fagg adds. "not only have we had an impact on the school but there seems to be a new buzz in the softball community. From hosting mini-clinics to making our appearance at minor sports events, we feel like we have been making a difference in the softball world and can only hope to continue doing so in the future."

 

Any alumni interested in attending the Fastpitch Homecoming on September 8th, 2012 in Waterloo are asked to RSVP to Matt Allen