By Amy Flexman, Glacier Challenge events coordinator
The 27th Glacier Challenge is here! Welcome back to so many teams, friends, family and supporters of this great tournament year after year. The Glacier Challenge tournament unfolds each year to reunite old buddies and fun rivalries, create new friends and contacts, and of course capture the magic of the annual fun mixed slo-pitch tournament attracting more than 80 teams every year. The original committee started up this tournament 27 years ago to bring a great group of players and fans to a solid, centrally located ball tournament with a picturesque riverside setting here in beautiful Revelstoke, B.C., and the tradition continues.
Many of the teams have been coming to this mixed slo-pitch tournament for 27 years and have witnessed the changes each year with tournament. With this year comes another big change with a fresh board of directors and new committee members to continue to grow the tournament.
Many thanks go out to the board of directors, committee members and people in the community who continuously help support the tournament!
If you see any of these people around during the tournament, make sure to say thank you for a stellar ball tournament!
Thank you to: Brad Beerling, Daniel Kellie, Graham Harper, Mavis Cann, Judy Goodman, Lise Somerville, Meghan Tabor & the Chamber of Commerce, Chuck Ferguson & The Rotary Club, Alan & Linda Chell, Erin Russell, Meghan MacIsaac, Suzanne Grieve, Laurie Donato & the community centre team, Adam Kidd, Jason Zimmer, Laurel Corrigan & the City of Revelstoke, Kurt Grabinsky & the RCMP, Mike & Heather Welch and the Revlestoke Ski Club, Jen Kipling & Integrated Apparel, Kat Chabot, Shannon Browning, Lerritt Robinson, the Revelstoke Derailers Roller Derby team, Ralph & Torino Pasceri, Stoke FM, Matt Murphy & Molson, all of the delicious food vendors, Warren & Turner Security, Carol & Apex Janitorial, Sutton Place Hotel, Everything Revelstoke Shuttle, Galactic Entertainment providing the sound, the musical entertainment of The Bitterweed Draw, Current Swell, & The Hip Show, all of the volunteers and especially to all of the fans who cheer you on!
A massive thank you to YOU for coming back for a great weekend, for bringing another friend or team with you and for continuing to enjoy the incredible spirit that lives on with the Glacier Challenge here in Revelstoke!
We have tried to listen to the requests and feedback of tournament participants to bring you a new twist to the Glacier Challenge each year. Swing by the registration booth to fill out your survey, provide your feedback and help improve the tournament year after year!
This year we have updated our logo to a fresh look, thanks to a local design team from Somewon. Pick up a new piece of clothing from our merchandise booth or put your order in for next year’s team outfit! We have also added in fun new beer garden games, the RCMP radar fast gun competition and more solid live music to the Rotary beer gardens plus a few new flavours behind the bar!
As one of the tournament organizers I look forward again to the ball games, crazy antics, costumes, high-spirited teams, excellent food vendors, grooving to great live entertainment in the gardens, and seeing the happy campers, fans, ball players and good energy surrounding the tournament under the sunny skies of the tournament all weekend long! There is a special magic that the Glacier Challenge creates in Centennial Park each year and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it!
Get out and explore Revelstoke if you have a chance – there is way more beyond the ball diamonds and you’ll love the charm of our cool little town too! It’s really easy to fall in love with this place. When you aren’t playing ball, hike, rent a bike or paddleboard and explore our trails or waterways, sample some of our incredible restaurants, check out the free live music in Grizzly Plaza each night, shop in our diverse selection of stores, or take in a flick at the historic Roxy Theatre! Swing by the Visitor Information Centre located beside Pharmasave and extend your stay or plan another visit in any season!
Thank you for being here this year! Be smart and safe, have fun, but know your limits and remember the good spirit of the tournament!
Play ball!