'Batter Up!' for N.L. Summer Games in C.B.S.

DanielHogarthcan bring the heat. He's been working on his best pitch, a four-seamfastballsince he first started pitching ten years ago. But the young reliever is more than a one-trick pony.

"I got acurveball, two-seam...changeup, a lot of stuff," he said from the mound of the Stoney Hill baseball field in Conception Bay South, N.L. on Friday.

NowHogarthis hoping he can use that stuff to close a few games for his Avalon Region teammates in the Newfoundland and LabradorSummer Games - and bring home the gold.

The hurler is one of over 1500 athletes between the ages of 12-18 who will gather in C.B.S. in two weeks' time to participate in the provincial youth games.

The event features summer sports mainstays like swimmingand golf, but this year's tourney will also add beach volleyball into the competitive mix.

Host committee member Terry French said the event is a big deal for the province's promising jocks.

"We got 'em coming from every nook and cranny in the province," he said. "For some of the athletes here this will be the pinnacle of their athletic career."

Games will leave lasting legacy: French

Another first for this year will be the inclusion of an Aboriginal team from various communities in the province. They will join regional contingents from St. John's, Mt. Pearl, Avalon, Eastern, Central, Western and Labrador.

French says hosting such a large influx of out-of-town teens requires a major community effort including the labour of some 500-700 volunteers.

"You can imagine the production to feed 1505 athletes for seven days," French said. "It's a big piece of work for a community to take on but I know we're up for the challenge."

The effort will come with lasting rewards for the C.B.S. community. They'll get upgraded sporting facilities out of the deal, like a scoreboard and lights for the baseball field and the new beach volleyball courts.

French also said the Games' legacy is more than physical. "If you went back and saw many of the leaders of today, you'll find a good many of those people have sporting backgrounds and come from sporting communities," he said.

The 2016 N.L. Summer Games runfrom Aug 13-21 in C.B.S.