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Newmarket Hawks crowned champions at Aurora baseball tourney

14 teams with more than 300 players from Ontario played in the Aurora King Baseball Association (AKBA) tournament last weekend
NewmarketHawks
Newmarket Hawks have been crowned champions at the the Aurora King Baseball Association (AKBA) tournament.

NEWS RELEASE 
SPORT AURORA
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Fourteen out-of-town teams from as far away as Sudbury, Ont., joined two local 10U baseball teams this past weekend to compete in the Aurora King Baseball Association (AKBA) tournament held at Aurora’s Family Leisure Complex and Optimist Park. From Friday at 4 p.m. until Sunday at 6 p.m., a total of 31 games were played, resulting in the Newmarket Hawks being crowned champions and the Orangeville Bengals runners up. 

Over 300 players, coaches and parents attended the weekend, supported by Sport Aurora’s Sport Concierge Service, which helped sports visitors find places to eat and stay, and provided on-site customer support. 

The Town of Aurora sponsored the event and provided permit subsidies and financial assistance to help deliver a positive visitor experience. 

Tournament director Kevin Charbonneau congratulated the two finalist teams at the awards ceremony, assisted by Mayor Tom Mrakas. Coach Charbonneau noted how close the final game was and the general quality of all teams. 

“This tournament was the first for the AKBA at this age group, and we were very pleased that the event was so well received,” he noted. “The games were all contested with fair play and intensity, and it was great to see some familiar faces and meet some new teams as well. Each team represented their towns well, with teams coming from as far away as Sudbury to attend. We were happy to have Sport Aurora’s Sport Concierge Service to help us welcome the teams and provide services to them that made Aurora look very good.”

Charbonneau also praised his own AA team for their effort. 

“Our team did very well all tournament but, unfortunately, ran into a dominant pitcher against the eventual finalist, Orangeville Bengals, in the quarterfinals,” he said. “While we didn’t win the championship, we were proud to have represented Aurora well and to have competed against other teams in our sport community.” 

At the closing and award ceremonies, all teams were thanked for their participation, and the Aurora Optimists were singled out for their provision of food and beverage services throughout the tournament. Mayor Mrakas reiterated the town’s commitment to building the town as a sports tourism destination. Sport Aurora’s Concierge Service was thanked for helping with the ‘guest experience’ at both sites, with signs, banners, and social media posts, as well as directing the visitors to local food and beverage options. They also helped recruit volunteers in the community to help make the tournament a success.

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