Holland College starts women's fastpitch softball team

For the first time, a women's fastpitch softball team will be joining other sports teams at Holland College in Charlottetown.

Albert Roche, director of Athletics and Recreation for the college said the decision to field a team came after the success of the men's baseball team that began in 2014.

He believes having a women's softball team will also benefit the college.

"The reality that came out of the baseball exercise was that this made very good business sense for the college," Roche said.

A training camp will be held in early September. The team will play exhibition games with local club and collegiate teams once a roster has been selected.

Roche said 40 students have expressed an interest in playing on the softball team.

"You know there are a lot of students that were looking at the potential that existed with combining their studies with sport of choice. And it doesn't take too many people making that decision to carry the cost of a team."

While fastpitch softball is played at the high school level, it is not a recognized collegiate sport in Atlantic Canada.

But Roche said Holland College is hoping to lead the way in growing the sport in the region and to convince other colleges and universities to follow suit.