NEW MINAS – It’s another year and another tournament for the annual Fallen Heroes Softball Tournament, but the goal is the same – to play and honour fallen police officers.
Over 30 teams from as far as New Brunswick signed up to play. And with around 10 players on each team, games were steady all weekend.
Several teams from Halifax participated in the tournament. Amanda Dabis, a player who took part this year for the first time ever, said she and her teammates had heard nothing but positive things from people who’d played in it before.
“We put a team in because we heard this was a fun tournament,” she said.
Dabis and several other players are not seasoned softball players, but skill is not the main goal of this tournament.
The goal, rather, is to remember those who’ve been lost in the line of duty.
Dabis said that she has never known a colleague who’s fallen, but feels touched by the experiences others have had. She said it’s something that leaves no one untouched.
“Everyone knows someone at some point, you know?” she said.
Others, like Krista McKenzie, return year after year. For McKenzie, it’s been four years, and she intends on returning again next year.
“It’s a great time here, each year. This is probably our favourite tournament to play all year,” she said.
Dabis’ team, like others, spend the weekend in the area as they play games for the tournament.
The mood is a happy one as players hit the ball and run to first base. But it’s obvious those who’ve fallen are with those on the field, as Dabis and others keep their fallen members in mind as they play the game.
“You see them here when we play. Their presence is here, you can really feel that,” she said.
