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.
91裸聊视频淭he trend we91裸聊视频檙e seeing is that after we open up registration on January 1, usually by mid-February we91裸聊视频檙e 75 to 80 per cent booked, some divisions are right full,91裸聊视频� said Russell. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of out-of-town teams feel it91裸聊视频檚 a great opportunity to bond and play some good baseball. There aren91裸聊视频檛 a lot tournaments in the summer that run from the 11U to 18U age groups, so that91裸聊视频檚 another reason it91裸聊视频檚 a popular draw.91裸聊视频�
In past years, the tournament was just too far away for some teams to justify making the trip but that, too, is changing. It91裸聊视频檚 no longer out of the ordinary to see clubs making the journey from Vancouver Island.
91裸聊视频淲e now get teams from Victoria, they come because they91裸聊视频檝e heard the tournament is great and they can91裸聊视频檛 wait to get here,91裸聊视频� Russell added. 91裸聊视频淲e treat the teams well, it91裸聊视频檚 a great weekend for them and their families. It comes two weeks before provincials, so it91裸聊视频檚 a great opportunity for teams to work on things and tune up.91裸聊视频�
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 players91裸聊视频攊ncluding 840 in Kelowna91裸聊视频攔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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