Softball NL 2014 Award Winners
 
The following 2014 Softball NL Awards were presented at the 2015 Annual General Meeting & Election of Officers on Saturday, April 25th at St. Paul’s Junior High School in St. John’s.
 
Home Run Sports Umpire of the Year
Kearney Druken (Shea Heights, NL)
 
Minor Female Player of the Year
Rebecca Maher (Petty Harbour, NL)
 
Minor Male Player of the Year
Nick Pittman (Placentia, NL)
 
Bob Whelan Memorial Award
Paul King (Paradise, NL)
 
Softball NL would like to Congratulate all of the 2014 Award Winners!
 
Softball NL
 
Softball NL 2014 Award Winner Bios
 
Home Run Sports Umpire of the Year
Kearney Druken (Shea Heights, NL)
 
This individual has been on the softball scene for a number of years mostly as a player, coach, and organizer. She is on the executive of the Shea Height’s Community Centre Board, President of the Shea Heights Softball Association, and Secretary of the Metro Umpires Association. She was named the Softball NL 2014 Adult Female Player of the Year.
 
In recent years, she became actively involved in umpiring and Softball NL is very fortunate that she has, given the fact that we have been experiencing very low numbers in our umpiring program.
 
In 2014, she not only umpired in the Moss tournament herself, but was very helpful in recruiting other umpires who really helped us along the way.
 
She umpired at Minor Provincial tournaments, Intermediate Men’s and Senior Men’s Provincial tournaments, and at the Senior Ladies tournament in Corner Brook. According to our Archivist, Bill Barron, she is the only umpire on record who umpired in a Provincial Semi-Final and went on to play in the Final of that same tournament. She also umpired at the U18 Girls Eastern Canadian Tournament in Kelligrews.
 
During 2014, she attained her Softball Canada Level III Umpiring status and has since been nominated to umpire at the 2015 U16 Girls National Fast Pitch Championships in Alberta.

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Minor Female Player of the Year
Rebecca Maher (Petty Harbour, NL)
 
She was a member of the following teams in 2014:
-Goulds U18 Girls (U18 Girls Provincial)
-NL Selects U18 Girls (U18 Girls E.C.)
-Goulds U18 Boys (U18 Boys Provincial)
-Dream Kitchens (Ladies Fast Pitch League)
-RMM Diamonds (Ladies Fast Pitch Provincial)
 
At the U18 level, this individual put together a fine season and made history along the way.
 
Led the Goulds U18 Girls Midget Fast Pitch team to a Silver Medal at the 2014 U18 Girls Fast Pitch Provincial. She was named the tournament’s Top Batter going 6-for-8 .750BA.
 
Was a member of the U18 NL Selects Girls Fast Pitch team that competed in the 2014 U18 Girls Eastern Canadian Softball Championship held in CBS. Her leadership and commitment to team success was evident and as one of the more experienced members of the team her work ethic set a higher standard that inspired many of her teammates.
 
Helped the Goulds U18 Boys Fast Pitch team to a Silver Medal at the 2014 U18 Boys Fast Pitch Provincial. Became the first female in Softball NL history to compete in the U18 Boys Provincial. Not only was this player on the roster, but she started all five games as an infielder splitting time between 1st Base and 2nd Base and played in 19 of her teams 31 innings (61%). She finished the tournament with a .222 Batting Average, 2 Runs Scored, 1 Stolen Base, 2 Walks and a 1.000 Fielding Percentage (13-13).
 
At the Adult level, this individual more than held her own during the season.
 
Helped Dream Kitchens to a 2nd Place finish in the St. John’s Ladies Fast Pitch League Playoffs. At the conclusion of the League Final, she was named the Golden Glove Award Winner for her team, as selected by her teammates, for her strong defensive play at the shortstop position (which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions) throughout the entire 2014 season.
 
Helped the RMM Diamonds of the St. John’s Ladies Fast Pitch League capture the 2014 Softball NL Coors Light Ladies Fast Pitch Provincial Crown held in Corner Brook. She finished the tournament with an impressive .583 Batting Average (7-for-12), 7 Runs Scored, 1 Double, 1 Home Run, 3 Walks and 4 Runs Batted In.
 
Overall 2014 Provincial Batting Stats (Minor & Adult)
15-29 .517BA, 14R, 2D, 2T, 1HR, 1SB, 8BB, 4RBI
 
Other Notable Awards: 2014 Premiers Scholarship Award Recipient.

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Minor Male Player of the Year
Nick Pittman (Placentia, NL)
 
He was a member of the following teams in 2014:
-CBC U18 Midget Boys (U18 Provincial)
-NL Selects U18 Midget Boys (Intermediate League & U18 Nationals)
-Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians (Senior League & U21 Nationals)
-Lafontaine Club Molson (Intermediate League, Swing & Provincial)
-3Cheers Pub Bud Light (Senior Playoffs & Provincial)
 
This individual was a key member of the CBC U18 Midget Boys team that participated in the 2014 Softball NL Pepsi U18 Midget Boys Fast Pitch Provincial. He contributed at the plate (7-13 .538BA, 4R, 4D, 6RBI) and on the mound (2-1 Record, 20.1IP, 6ER, 2.08ERA, 32K).
 
He was named the tournament’s Top Batter with a .538 Batting Average (7-for-13). He was an integral part of the NL Selects U18 Midget Boys Fast Pitch team that captured a Silver Medal at the 2014 U18 Canadian Men’s Fast Pitch Championship in Gander. At the plate, he finished the tournament with a .371 Batting Average (13-for-35), 15 Runs Scored, 4 Doubles, 2 Triples, 3 Stolen Bases & 5 Runs Batted In. On the mound, he finished with a 3-2 Record, 23.1 Innings Pitched, 21 Earned Runs, 6.36 Earned Run Average & 35 Strikeouts. His solid performance during the Round Robin (9-for-22 .409BA, 11R, 3D, 2T, 2SB, 4RBI) led to his Tournament All-Star Selection at the Outfield Position.
 
A member of the Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians Fast Pitch team that participated in the Molson St. John’s Senior Men’s Fast Pitch League and represented the Province at the 2014 U21 Canadian Junior Men’s Fast Pitch Championship in Irma, Alberta. Coming off an All-Star Selection at the U18 Nationals, this individual put together a solid performance at the U21 Nationals. He finished the tournament with a .500 Batting Average (9-for-18), 7 Runs Scored, 1 Double, 1 Triple, 1 Home Run, 3 Stolen Bases & 7 Runs Batted In.
 
Was a member of the Lafontaine Club Molson Intermediate Men’s Fast Pitch team that finished 2nd Place during the Regular Season, 2nd Place in the Swing Into Summer Tournament and 1st Place in the Playoffs. Had a consistent year at the plate (21-64 .328BA, 22R, 4D, 1T, 2HR, 5SB, 9RBI) and a solid year on the mound (5-2 Record, 42.2IP, 16ER, 2.65ERA, 69K, 1SHO, 1NH).
 
Highlight: On Friday, September 12th he tossed a No-Hitter in a 5-0 win over the CBC Junior Canadians in the clinching game of their Molson St. John’s Intermediate Men’s Fast Pitch League Best-of-3 Quarter-Final Series.
 
Played a handful of games with the Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians during the Senior Regular Season and gained valuable experience with 3Cheers Pub Bud Light during the Senior Provincial and League Playoffs.
 
Highlight: On Tuesday, September 23rd he connected for a Solo Home Run to straight away centerfield off Team Canada pitcher Sean Cleary in a 9-4 loss to the Kelly’s Pub Molson Bulldogs in Game 2 of the Molson St. John’s Senior Men’s Fast Pitch League Best-of-7 League Final.
 
Overall Stats for the 2014 Season (Minor & Adult)
Batting Stats: 70GP, 60-167 .359BA, 59R, 13D, 4T, 6HR, 11SB, 19BB, 34RBI
Pitching Stats: 34GP, 11-9 Record, 132IP, 96ER, 5.09ERA, 184K, 1SHO, 1NH

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Bob Whelan Memorial Award Recipient
Paul King (Paradise, NL)
 
This individual played in the St. John’s Senior Men’s Fast Pitch League from 1989-1995, 1999-2000
 
Career Regular Season Stats
137GP, 118-418 .282BA, 77R, 18D, 8T, 7HR, 34SB, 47RBI, .414SLG%, .344OBP & .930FP.
 
Career Playoff Stats
23GP, 21-74 .284BA, 4R, 3D, 1T, 1HR, 7RBI, .392SLG%, .312OBP & .977FP.
 
As a player, this individual was described as a great outfielder with range and speed, an above average hitter with some power, speed on the bases, a true competitor and had a passion for the game.
 
As a coach, this individual can be described as a competitor, with a no nonsense approach to coaching, who is direct with his players and at the same time provides solid leadership and is completely dedicated to his teams and players and continues to display a passion for the game.
 
This individual is a teacher by profession, but he might have missed his calling in the medical field because over the last four years he has saved two ball teams from flat lining.
 
Intermediate League (Waterford Valley & Game on Gear)
At the conclusion of the 2010 season, the 3Cheers Pub Bud Light Intermediate Men’s Fast Pitch team was faced with losing nine players and it looked as if they wouldn’t be returning in 2011. This individual stepped in to coach the team under the Waterford Valley name. The team entered the Intermediate League in 2011 and he laid the ground work for the team moving forward. The team continues to participate in the Intermediate League under new sponsorship Game on Gear.
 
U21 Men’s Program (Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians)
Coming off a Bronze Medal performance in 2013, the Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians U21 Program was faced with losing a number of key players to graduation and if that wasn’t enough they were also losing their coaches.
 
At the League’s Annual General Meeting held on May 5th, 2014 it was noted that the U21 Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians were in danger of not operating in 2014. This individual once again stepped up to offer to coach the team in the Senior League and take the team to the 2014 U21 Canadian Junior Men’s Fast Pitch Championship in Irma, AB. He started identifying and contacting players and the pieces slowly, but surely fell into place.
 
The Kelly’s Pub Junior Canadians participated in the Senior League and represented the province at the U21 Nationals. The fact can’t be lost that 16 players that would have otherwise not had the opportunity to attend the 2014 U21 Nationals were afforded that opportunity and the experience gained will serve those players moving forward.
 
It is outstanding that this individual in a four year span stepped up to save two teams in two different leagues. It is a significant contribution to softball considering that the Intermediate League didn’t lose a team, that the Intermediate players remain in the game and that the U21 Men’s Program that started in 2006 remains in place and hopefully will continue for years to come.