AURORA, Ontario — The Aurora Diggers continue planning the 2022 season; in recent months, they have carried tryouts for the U19, U17, U15 and U11 categories. The excitement to return to the field is unique in all branches of the organization after difficult moments caused by COVID-19.

It has been a long time since softball and other local sports had a typical year in Aurora; however, the situation in Ontario is slowly improving, and the hope of returning to the field is getting closer and closer. In 2019, the Aurora Diggers performed outstandingly in all categories of the organization.

The U16 girls had significant achievements: Eastern Canadian Championship bronze medalists, Provincial Silver and Provincial Qualifier gold medalists. Meanwhile, the U12 team also excelled by winning the Darien Lake tournament over the Pittsburgh Roadrunners. In the same season, the U14 ladies won the Barrie Bash against the Whitby Eagles 05, a longtime rival.

When everything was ready for the 2020 season, the pandemic appeared in March, and all activities had to be suspended, which is why virtual meetings and training at home became common among the members of the Aurora Diggers in the following months.

In August 2020, activities in Ontario returned with small events and short seasons that continued throughout 2021. In September of this year, the representative U12 finished with the silver medal in the first-ever hosted mini-tournament by the Aurora Diggers, Oakville Angels, Mississauga North Tigers and Vaughan Vikings.

Currently, the Aurora Diggers continue preparing everything for the 2022 season; in September, they completed the roster of the U17 team; in addition, the organization reported that they are close to presenting the U11 representatives, while the U19 and U15 completed their tryouts and through social media, continuously inform if there is still room for a player.

Unfortunately, the U13 team will not open any program for the 2022 season as the Diggers reported on their social networks, where they thanked all the athletes who attended the tests, hoping that by 2023 the panorama will be different.

Coach Colleen Merlin will lead the U15 team, the 2011 U11 Mite by Pat Donevan, the 2012 U11 Mite by Chris Gordon, the U17 by Todd Martin and the U19 by Lee Green. All of them have done a great job so that the girls in different categories continue at the highest level to face the challenges that are to come. The Aurora Diggers will have friendly games to prepare everything related to the 2022 season in the coming months.

For the Aurora Diggers, October began with a friendly game against the Barrie District Girls. Beyond the final result, the important thing is that competitive softball is returning with all the COVID-19 protocols that are required for players to be safe, as well as fans who wish to attend the matchups.

In the 2022 season, the illusion of seeing the Aurora Diggers in the field again will return in search of more triumphs that will make the city proud, so we will have to be aware of them throughout the year, hoping to continue the good results in all categories.

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