Photo: Shane Clausing

By Shane Clausing

fastball diamonds

Grande Prairie Pirates looking to add more fastball-specific diamonds

Apr 1, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Members of the Grande Prairie Pirates fastball organization are requesting the city look into converting some baseball diamonds into fastball diamonds as we draw closer to ball season.

On Tuesday, members of the Grande Prairie Pirates presented to a city committee regarding converting some of the baseball diamonds to fastball-specific diamonds.

The call for more diamonds comes as the Pirates organization has tripled in size since 2019 – with over 200 members and more expected to join.

Pirates Executive Director Ashley Porterfield says there are a few minor tweaks they would need to make to some diamonds if change were to happen.

“In a baseball diamond the mounds are raised and in fastball/slo-pitch they are level. A baseball diamond doesn’t work for either of us,” she explained.

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“We need smaller diamonds. There are some areas around the city that do have smaller diamonds that we just need to get resurfaced, and fences put up.”

It should be noted that Porterfield is speaking about baseball diamonds located in places like school areas and not baseball diamonds already in use.

When presenting to committee, Porterfield said helping convert more diamonds into fastball-specific diamonds would allow for the Pirates to grow the sport and attract more major events.

“We want to hold major events and so does slo-pitch. We all need more diamonds so we can host nationals, westerns and all of that to bring more people into our city,” she stated.

Porterfield added committee was very helpful in helping them hopefully find a solution.

“Some of their suggestions were to get these smaller diamonds fit for fastball, also putting more lights out on diamonds at South Bear so there are more diamonds available for slo-pitch at the large diamonds.”

Committee recommended council to receive the report for information.