Treaty 8 sports association director starts fastpitch league

FORT NELSON, B.C. — A First Nations sports advocate seeks to continue the success of implementing programs for Indigenous youth with a new softball league.

Treaty 8 sports director Cedar Wechlin is actively seeking youth to join the Muskwa Softball Association (MSA) in Fort Nelson in a Facebook post on Tuesday, April 29th.

A sports enthusiast, Wechlin has organized trips for First Nations youth of northeast B.C. to participate in the Junior All-Native Basketball Tournament (JANT) for the past two years.

Also known as fastpitch, Wechlin feels a league may be able to have the same impact and is open to all youth, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.

Wechlin is a member of Softball BC’s Indigenous long-term development committee.

“Softball BC has been around for years,” said Wechlin. “They are a really inclusive organization. 

“We have a board of directors, and we’ve set up an association. My end of it is just trying to get all the logistics going, like volunteers and coaches, score keepers and just parents that want to be involved.”

A former softball player who landed a scholarship with the University of Mississippi in the 1990s, Wechlin was inspired to begin a league from the success of the Yellowknife Fastball League.

A senior men’s team, the Yellowknife Merchants, captured the Alberta provincial title in 2024 in what was described by media reports as a “Cinderella story.”

“They have a strong program now,” said Wechlin. “If Yellowknife can do it, we should be able to at least attempt and try to do this.

“I’ve connected with coaches there to see how their program works and softball BC was really good about sending some of their teams and players and support systems to the Northwest Territories and doing clinics.”

Through cooperation with Softball BC and Canada Futures sport development executive Joni Frei, Wechlin has been able to get subsidies for start-up, including equipment and bases.

In addition, coaches from Softball BC and players from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia will come to participate in ‘learn to play’ camps. 

The camps begin near the end of May, with hitting clinics to follow in June. Eventually, exhibition games will be played in June and July. 

The league is designed for players aged five to 13 years old.  

While Wechlin feels there might be challenges due to the high number of families travelling outside of the town during the summer, he also acknowledged the potential for growth.

Wechlin is also seeking volunteers for other positions, including scorekeepers, coaches and grounds crew.

Umpires who officiate the game will be doing certification via online and in-class instruction through Softball BC.  

Wechlin says candidates will travel to Fort St. John to obtain certification and compensation will be awarded.

“I’m trying to get some [older] youth involved,” said Wechlin. “It can maybe be some summer jobs for them, and something on their resume to put towards [that] they worked with recreation and programming.”

A long-term goal of Wechlin’s is to compete in large tournaments outside of the region, but the first step is getting members to sign up.

“I think [sports] fosters a sense of belonging,” said Wechlin. “When you’re on a team, you [can] form a friendship, even though you don’t know the people.

“Within a few practices, you’re buds and by end of the season, you’re bros.”

Registration is now open to all, and subsidies will be available for families as well.

For further information about the Muskwa Softball Association or how to register, visit the website here.