THE stage is set for this weekend’s Unity Softball Cup, with the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc aiming to end the 2025 season in a blaze of glory.
Originally set for last month end, the GSCL was forced to postpone the tournament due to the unavailability of grounds. The action bowls off on Thursday with six women teams vying for supremacy at venues in Georgetown while the men will take centre stage on Friday.
The tournament climaxes on Sunday with the staging of all the finals at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary and according to Managing Director of Regal Stationery & Computer Centre, Mahendra Hardyal, spectators can expect lots of giveaways during the course of the day, more so with the festive season approaching.
Trophy Stall, through its proprietor, Ramesh Sunich, like he has done over the past years, has once more agreed to support the GSCL and will be providing all the trophies to be distributed on Sunday when it’s also expected that Vice-president Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Ministers Charles Ramson and Steven Jacobs from the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport will be on hand to officiate in the presentation.
The tournament is being held in keeping with the wishes of Ministers Ramson and Jacobs, who delivered remarks at the inaugural One Unification softball tournament, urging the GSCL to ensure they make full use of venues across the country.
Minister Ramson advised the tournament’s organisers and players to consider rotating their tournaments around the country in order to broaden the reach and impact.
Following closely on the successful staging of the recent One Guyana Unification extravaganza, the GSCL is once more collaborating with the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport to stage the Unity Softball Cup.
According to the organisers, this tournament is being used “to bring our people together through sports and by extension the grassroot game.”
Meanwhile, Over-40 matches are scheduled for Essequibo while the Over-50s will battle for supremacy in Georgetown. Due to a lack of entries, the GSCL has decided to cancel the Open category which was supposed to be held in Berbice.
The winners the men’s categories are guaranteed $500,000 while the runners-up will take home $100,000. Other incentives will also be up for grabs, with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in each category, including the women, riding off with a motorcycle.
The winners of the women’s category will be awarded $200,000 and the losers $100,000.
The draw is set to be held at the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) ground at 17:00 hours on Tuesday.