DEFENDING champion Tanauan begins its quest for a back-to-back crown when the Philippine Junior Women’s (18-under) Softball Championship opens on Saturday at the Sto. Niño Softball Field in Marikina City.
The weeklong tournament, supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, drew 20 teams from all over the Philippines and is part of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asaphil) program in women’s softball, which the country has been dominating in this part of the world.
Asaphil will also use the event as basis in selecting the members of the junior women’s (19-under) team for the next world women’s junior championship.
“We have shown that in women’s softball, we can compete at the world level. But for us to maintain this, we should have a good grassroots program to ensure a base of future national players—and this under-18 tournament for women serves the purpose,” Asaphil President and sportsman-businessman Jean Henri Lhuillier said.
The final will be held on December 22 in the same venue.