Brookfield Elks win Canadian under-17 softball championship in B.C.

Published Aug 13, 2026Last updated 2 hours ago8 minute readThe Brookfield Elks won the Softball Canada under-17 nationals in Surrey, B.C., on Aug. 9. Team members are, front row, from left, Jon Prosper, Chesleigh Davis, Cale Fraser, Liam Jamieson, Jacob Cogger, Trent Euloth, and coach Shannon Isenor. Second row, coach Garth Perrin, Aidan Stewart, Cameron Isenor, Garrett Searle, David Perrin, Cooper Singer, Rigby VanTassell, Ewan White, Mason MacIsaac, and coach Bryant Fraser. Photo by ContributedArticle contentThe Brookfield Elks have made a lot of people in central Nova Scotia proud.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe Elks won the Softball Canada national under-17 championship Aug. 9 in Surrey, B.C., running the table with a perfect 8-0 record at the five-day tournament. It is the storied Elks program’s first national title since the 1980 senior men’s championship.Article contentArticle content“This community has always been a ball community,” said Rigby VanTassell, a 17-year-old Brookfield resident. “It feels good being an Elk for sure and better being a champion.”Article contentArticle contentThe players are from South Colchester and East Hants. They played against each other before joining forces four years ago. They now have memories they will share for a lifetime.Article content“These kids will never forget this,” said Bryant Fraser, who coached the team with Garth Perrin and Shannon Isenor.Article contentHe credited the special bond the team forged for a big part of their success.Article content“It’s such a tight group. They’re all best friends.”Article contentArticle contentRecapArticle contentThe Elks went 5-0 in the preliminary round of the 12-team tournament and won all three of their playoff games.Article contentVanTassell said opening with a 3-0 win over Ontario One got the team going.Article content“Our pitcher, David Perrin, he’s phenomenal,” the middle infielder said. “He threw a hell of a game.”Article contentArticle contentThe Elks kept rolling through the preliminary round, defeated Quebec One and Ontario Two to reach the finals.Article contentArticle contentIn the championship game, a rematch with Quebec One, Brookfield took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. They added one in the fourth and tacked on three more in the fifth before Quebec scored one in the sixth.Article contentGetting the lead early was key.Article content“Once we scored that first run, I just knew Dave was going to be hard to score on,” Fraser said.Article contentCameron Isenor scored the first run after leading off the second with a single up the middle and advancing to third on Aiden Stewart’s double to centre field. Cale Fraser plated Isenor with a ground ball to second.Article contentQuebec threatened to tie it in the top of the fourth with a runner at second and one out, but Perrin struck out the fourth and fifth hitters in Quebec’s lineup.Article content Stewiacke’s David Perrin warms up during a kickoff tournament in Brookfield earlier this year. The Brookfield Elks pitcher was named the playoff round MVP at the under-17 nationals in Surrey, B.C., earlier this month. Photo by Jason Malloy /Annapolis Valley RegisterArticle contentEwan White started the two-out rally in the fifth inning with a walk on a full-count pitch. Perrin reached on a single before Cooper Singer hit an RBI single and Isenor drove in two more with a single to centre field.Article contentQuebec got the leadoff hitter on in the seventh on a single to right. He advanced to second on a wild pitch before Perrin struck out the next three hitters to end the game.Article content“It was a pretty amazing feeling,” Fraser said of the championship victory. “I don’t think I’ve taken the smile off my face for a few days.”Article contentPerrin allowed a run on four hits. He struck out 13.Article content“I’ve never seen a pitcher dominate like he did,” Fraser said. “It was just complete control.”Article contentPerrin, a Stewiacke native, was named the all-star pitcher and playoff round MVP.Article contentWhen the ball was put in play, the fielders did their job.Article content“We really stressed playing good defensively,” Fraser said.Article contentArticle contentCompleting the setArticle contentA number of the Elks players had won medals previously at nationals.Article contentThe majority of the squad has been together for four years. They won silver at the under-15 championship in 2024 and bronze at the under-17 event in 2025 with the youngest team at the tournament.Article content“It definitely felt good to finally get it, complete the collection,” VanTassell said. “Every guy wanted to win it that much more just because we’ve been there … before and haven’t got it yet.”Article contentArticle content Some members of the Brookfield Elks under-17 team have won bronze, silver, and gold medals at Softball Canada national tournaments during their careers. Photo by ContributedArticle contentThe previous experience was invaluable and the Elks went to B.C. this year on a mission.Article content“It just seemed like they were ready,” Fraser said. “They never got rattled.”Article contentArticle contentProud communityArticle contentWithin a couple of days of the championship game, the video from the final had been viewed more than 7,000 times on Facebook. The team had generated a lot of buzz locally even before the tournament started and they turned heads from people watching in Surrey.Article contentMike Henderson, the president of the Brookfield Athletic Association and the second baseman for the 1980 championship squad, said he was full of joy and pride upon hearing of the under-17s victory.Article content“It’s absolutely thrilling,” he said. “It’s wonderful.”Article contentHe noted there are family connections between the two teams.Article content“They are a good bunch of ballplayers and they’re well-coached and they’re keen,” Henderson said. “Combine that with some pretty good talent and it’s a good recipe.”Article contentRobert Putnam, who was also on the 1980 championship team, welcomed the squad back at the airport.Article contentArticle content“That’s pretty awesome,” he said of the team’s showing. “I’m just proud of the boys.”Article contentHe said it brought back memories of the 1980 run and noted it is quite an accomplishment for the Brookfield area, which has a population of about 1,000 people.Article content“To turn out the ball teams that we’ve turned out ever since I was a little kid, it’s pretty amazing,” he said. “I was just as proud of being able to play ball with the friends I grew up with and still call friends.”Article contentHenderson said the association helped the team with some of its expenses to get to the west coast. The funds come from the Brookfield Elks Sports Draw & Hunt Contest, the Whing Ding, and some hockey pool fundraisers.Article content“The kids, even at 17, are aware of the effort the community puts in to sponsoring and supporting them,” Henderson said proudly.Article contentArticle contentRareArticle contentDespite the province producing some of the country’s top softball players in the past 50 years, Nova Scotia has only won 12 national titles at any age level. Fraser, who has been around the sport his whole life, said Aug. 12 it hadn’t completely sunk in what the team accomplished.Article content“They’re not easy to win,” Fraser said of the national title, so “(we’re) pretty proud of them.”Article contentTeams from Ontario had won nine of the previous 10 under-17 championships.Article contentKings-Hants MP Kody Blois won a national junior title in 2011 with Halifax Murphy’s Fish and Chips Eagles. He said it takes a year-round commitment to reach the sport’s pinnacle.Article content“It’s great to see young athletes from Nova Scotia being the best in the country in any sport, let alone softball,” he said, in congratulating the team.Article contentArticle contentLong-term impactArticle contentThe win means a lot within the softball community.Article contentMany people in central Nova Scotia grew up playing the sport and it is one of the regions where the sport still thrives. It is because of the coaches and organizers who invested many hours to make it a reality.Article contentFraser said the national championship will impact the sport for years to come.Article content“This is going to keep kids playing,” he said.Article contentHe also stressed the importance of the Shooters Bar & Grill Fastpitch League where the under-17 players get an opportunity to compete with senior- and intermediate-level players each week.Article contentArticle content“We owe a lot to the older guys that still continue to play us all summer long,” Fraser said. “Without them guys, this doesn’t happen.”Article contentVanTassell echoed the importance of the veterans, including pitcher Randy Frame, playing against them and preparing them for nationals.Article content“They help these dreams come true,” he said.Article contentFraser also thanked the parents, sponsors, and the community for their support in making the trip to the west coast a reality.Article contentArticle contentNational teamArticle contentFollowing the tournament, Softball Canada announced 28 players would be attending its under-18 national team selection camp, Aug. 11-12 in Napanee, Ont.Article contentIt included five Elks. They are Isenor, Perrin, Singer, Stewart, and White.Article contentFollowing camp, the coaching staff will finalize the team for the under-18 men’s softball World Cup. It is expected to be played in June in Czechia.Article contentBlois said the province consistently sends softball players to represent Team Canada.Article content“There are very few sports in Nova Scotia for rural athletes where we have a continuous pipeline of kids that are going off to represent their country internationally. I think that’s a testament to the people who have been involved in the sport, the people who continue to coach and give their time back. I just couldn’t be prouder to see that Nova Scotia’s legacy in that national sport scene in softball continue.”Article contentArticle contentArticle contentBronzeArticle contentIt was not the only Elks squad to have a great week at nationals.Article contentBrookfield’s under-20 team won bronze at the Canadian championship in Carp, Ont. The Elks went 6-1 in pool play at the eight-team tournament with the lone loss being a 1-0 decision to Ontario One.Article contentBrookfield ran into an injury to a key player late in the tournament.Article contentThe Elks lost their first playoff game 12-10 to the host squad before losing 2-0 to Ontario Two Aug. 9. The host team won the championship by defeating Ontario Two 7-6 with a walk-off solo home run by Kaden Fowler in the bottom of the seventh inning.Article contentBrookfield infielders Ty Campbell and Broden VanTassell made the all-star team and Keegan Maguire was named the top pitcher.Article contentA lot of the under-17s will graduate to the under-20 program next year.Article content“The future is seriously bright,” Fraser said.Article contentArticle contentRoad to gloryArticle contentA look at the Brookfield Elks games at the Softball Canada under-17 nationals in Surrey, B.C.Article contentBrookfield 3 Tavistock, Ont. 0Article contentBrookfield 9 Yukon 2Article contentBrookfield 15 Quebec Two 2Article contentBrookfield 7 Tara, Ont. 6Article contentBrookfield 6 Valley, Sask. 4Article contentPlayoffsArticle contentBrookfield 3 Quebec One 1Article contentBrookfield 2 Elmira, Ont. 2Article contentFinalArticle contentBrookfield 5 Quebec One 1Article contentArticle contentRare companyArticle contentA look at Nova Scotia teams to win Softball Canada national titles.Article contentSenior men’sArticle content2017 – East Hants Mastodons.Article content1998 – Halifax Jaguars.Article content1980 – Brookfield Elks.Article contentMasters men’sArticle content2015 – LouAnns Cafe Cardinals.Article contentJunior men’sArticle content2011 – Halifax Murphy’s Fish and Chips Eagles.Article content1983 – Halifax Midtown Juniors.Article content1982 – Halifax Fisherman’s Market.Article contentUnder-20 men’sArticle content2002 – Antigonish Central Home Improvement Warehouse.Article content1984 – Antigonish Robertson.Article content1983 – Halifax Olympics Bingo.Article content1981 – Halifax Fisherman’s Market.Article contentUnder-17 men’sArticle content2026 – Brookfield Elks.Article content