While softball teams from Australia and New Zealand played exhibition games in local communities, including Milverton and Brussels, to warm up for the World Junior Championships in Prince Albert, SK, Canada's team was in Saskatchewan participating in an exhibition circuit there.
That included three players from the Midwestern Ontario area.
Teewater's Mac Fischer, 19, Belmore's Logan Tolton, 19, and Willamsford's Owen Torrie, 18.
All three participated in a camp in P.E.I. late last year and were selected from a group of 30 players.
Also going to the tournament is Belmore's Mac Mulvey, a 16-year old who was called at the last minute and is expected to join the team Thursday.
For Fischer and Torrie, it will become a reality this weekend when the team plays its first game versus the U.S. Saturday night in Prince Albert.
Tolton's status is questionable after suffering an injury during a recent practice.
Before leaving for Saskatchewan, the outfilder was ready to go.
"The last camp we had, we were in a tournament in Innerkip," said Tolton. "Just throwing on the jersey, it gives you chills."
And there was a lot of work through the process, keeping tabs on workouts and diet.
"Every 2 and a half months we met in Mississauga at an indoor facility and had our baseline testing," said Tolton. "Basically every 15 days we had to submit our fitness numbers and make sure they were improving, things like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and speed tests."
Mac Fischer was a teamate of Tolton's for the past few years with the Chepstow Lang Farms team which won a national title last August at the U18 Canadian Softball Championships. For Fischer, his focus is a little different. He's one of Canada's pitchers.
"Speed isn't really a factor when you move up," said Fischer. "Batters are alwasy going to be able to catch up with your speed so you have to be able to mix things up and get a lot of movement on your pitches."
One Fischer's best pitches is his drop ball. And he learned from one of the best, Wingham's Doug Neil. He was the pitching coach for Team Canada Junior Men’s team in 2005.
"I first attended one of his pitching clinic's in Wingham," said Fischer. "After that I wanted more one on one stuff so I just phoned him up and asked if he would help me with my pitching."
The third player from the area is Williamsford's Owen Torrie. The 18-year old's enthusiasm for the sport began with some help from the family.
"I first started playing because of my sister," said Torrie. "I played out of Holland Centre, just local league. Then a couple of years after that we entered a rep tournament, were fortunate to win it and started to play rep ever since then."
Torrie is also a pitcher, part of a unit that will be tested well in a field that includes some international power.
"I want to inspire some people to start up in softball," said Torrie. "For myself, I want to see how good the competition is and hopefully work my way up."
Torrie also earned the Barry Ellerbeck Pitching Award for his performance with the Belmore Sting at the recent U19 Elmination tournament in Napanee. The team won a silver and advance to the nationals in August.
And the fourth player to join Team Canada's Junior Men's Softball team is also a member of the Sting, Belmore's Mac Mulvey.
The pitcher/outfileder was called Tuesday to help fill the roster. He also participated in the P.E.I. camp in late August and is the youngest player.
"All I can ask for is to gain some knowledge from them and learn what it is like to play with the best," said Mulvey.
He recently won a silver medal with the Belmore Sting at the OASA Eliminations in Napanee.
The World Junior Men's Softball World Championships start Saturday, July 7 and run to Sunday, July 15. For those who cannot make it in person, the WBSC is showing all games on You Tube, which can be found by clicking here. Canada is seeded second in the 13 team tournament.
Team Canada's Schedule: Round Robin - Group B vs. (6) USA, July 6 @ 9:30 p.m. EST vs. (7) Czech Rep, July 7 @ 10:00 p.m. EST vs. (11) Guatemala, July 8 @ 10:00 p.m. EST vs. (1) New Zealand, July 9 @ 10:00 p.m. EST Off Day, July 11 vs. (14) Hong Kong, July 12, @ 10:00 p.m. EST
Group A consists of Japan (3), Argentina (4), Australia (5), Mexico (8), South Africa (12), Denmark (10), India (13).
Playoff games are Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14 with the medal games on Sunday, July 15.