Source: Department of Youth Affairs and Sports
Sports Officer for the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and President of Virgin Islands Softball-Baseball Association pictured with the 2016 DYAS Industrial Softball League Champions. Photo: DYAS/Terrence Chinnery
Fourteen teams representing both public and private organisations will compete in the 2017 Industrial Softball League Championships on April 11. The league is a collaborative effort of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports (DYAS) and the Virgin Islands Softball-Baseball Association, formerly known as the British Virgin Islands Amateur Softball Association.
Director for the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mrs. Brenda Lettsome-Tye explained that the league is being held as part of the department’s mission to develop recreational spaces and opportunities for leisure and competitive sport.
Mrs. Lettsome-Tye said, “As the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, it is our role to use sports as a tool for national development and to foster wider community involvement. We are happy to see so many teams registered and look forward to an exciting event.”
Sports Officer, Ms. Sharlene Hill explained that every year, the department focuses on a sport and allows for public and private organisations to form a team and compete.
Ms. Hill said, “Teams have taken the league to an entirely different level through strategic recruitment this year. As such, I think it is safe to say that we will be having a short, sweet and competitive league to look forward to.”
The league is divided into two divisions. Division A consists of the teams: Financial Services Commission (Regulators); Public Works Department (Pavers); DYAS After-School Programme (Rookies); Social Security Board, and Town and Country Planning (Sandflies); Fire and Rescue Department, and Primary and Secondary Physical Education Instructors (Ensport).
Division B consists of the teams: Health Services Authority (Medics), TMF BVI Limited (Bombers), Road Town Wholesale (Vipers), Caribbean Insurers Limited (Desperados), local banks (Loan Rangers), Department of Motor Vehicles and CITCO BVI Limited (Mixers).
The teams consist of both male and female players. A minimum of three female players must be on the field at all times and the males must bat from their non-dominant side.
The Ministry of Education and Culture is committed to ‘Creating a Culture of Excellence’ through the development and promotion of sports.
For more information, persons should contact the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports at 468-4949.
