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Fundraising drive launched to bring Team Ukraine to Canada Cup

91ƵWe are going to make it happen91Ƶ: event chair Greg Timm
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A player on Team Ukraine in action. (Contributed photo)

Canada Cup representatives are hoping the public will help them bring Team Ukraine to Softball City in Surrey this July.

The board of directors of the international women91Ƶs softball championship has accepted the Ukrainian team and, in light of the circumstances, has established a fundraising campaign in collaboration with the BC Amateur Sport Fund to support their efforts to play in the July 7-16 event in South Surrey.

91ƵThey applied for a late entry, which was instantly granted,91Ƶ said Canada Cup media contact Laura Ballance.

91Ƶ(Team Ukraine91Ƶs intent) is to provide for their young people some sense of normalcy91Ƶ a chance to focus on the Canada Cup, and not the conflict happening at home.91Ƶ

The war in Ukraine has placed a tremendous strain on the country91Ƶs ability to financially support the participation of their athletes on the world stage, she noted.

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Despite this, the leadership of Ukraine has continued to encourage its athletes and their desire to proudly represent their flag in international competition.

91ƵEach year our committee reaches out to the international community to bring world-class teams to our event. When we learned that the U19 junior national team from Ukraine desperately wanted to participate in the Canada Cup, but didn91Ƶt have the resources to do so, we saw it as our duty to simply do the right thing,91Ƶ says event chair Greg Timm.

91ƵOur understanding is the team has a great deal of enthusiasm and have a great desire to represent their country 91Ƶ so we are going to make it happen.91Ƶ

The Ukrainian team has tried to its best to stick together throughout the war, but because of the consistent threat of attacks in Kyiv, many of these brave young women have been forced to leave their families behind and flee to the Czech Republic and Poland.

Representing their country at the Canada Cup will also allow the team to fully reunite and get back to the sport they love, Ballance said.

91ƵNothing unites people like sports and we are thrilled to be coming to Canada to compete in this world-class tournament,91Ƶ says Team Ukraine U19 Coach Vasyl Kysil, in a release. 91ƵWe have had to overcome some major obstacles, but we have remained committed to fielding an elite fastpitch team that prides itself in representing our great country.91Ƶ

Team Ukraine U19 Coach Vasyl Kysil. (Contributed photo)
Team Ukraine U19 Coach Vasyl Kysil. (Contributed photo)

In a video, Kysil explained it91Ƶs sometimes 91Ƶhard to watch as young women go out onto field of play and bravely compete despite the fact that in many cases their fathers, mothers, grandfathers, brothers and sisters and a lot of friends are on the front lines, fighting for the freedom of our country.91Ƶ

91ƵWe must continue to provide opportunities for our young people and our athletes to represent the flag of Ukraine. I hope that we get the opportunity to come to Surrey and play and represent our country.91Ƶ

Individuals and corporations can financially support Team Ukraine U1991Ƶs ability to participate in two ways: by donating to a that has been set up, or, to get a tax receipt for the donation, visit .

The Canada Cup will run from July 7-16 at Softball City (2201 148 St., Surrey). The 2023 event will be the largest in the tournament and Canadian history with more than 1,500 elite athletes already confirmed to compete, including the Canadian National team.

For more information about the tournament visit



tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com

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Tricia Weel

About the Author: Tricia Weel

I91Ƶve worked as a journalist in community newspapers from White Rock to Parksville and Qualicum Beach, to Abbotsford and Surrey.
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