SouthEast Ontario 20 Fastball Team Hosts Czech U16 Team in Sydenham

Jeff Green | Jul 10, 2025

The Southeastern Ontario (SEO) Under  20 Fastball team - The Screaming Eagles,  based out of Sydenham, is playing in the Napanee men's league this year. The team is new this year, and has players from all around Eastern Ontario who come out to Sydenham to practice.

The team's coach, Jay Fowler, is hoping to bring fastball back to prominence, after falling back in the region over the past 10 years.

On July 3rd, the U20 team hosted a travelling under 16 team from the Czech Republic, for a double header. The first game started just after 6pm.

Lanark Frontenac Kingston MPP John Jordan attended the game, along with South Frontenac Mayor Ron Vandewal. At a ceremony before the game, Jordan presented each team with a bat.

The bats were made by Bill Ryan, a constituent in the riding who has been making bats for the past 15 years, that he donates to players in Cuba.

While the Czech team's visit to Eastern Ontario culminated in a visit to Toronto, where they took in a Blue Jays game this weekend, the Sydenham-based SEO were tuning up for a trip to Owen Sound this weekend, where they played in an elimination tournament, in an attempt to qualify for the provincial finals in Grafton.

The game with the Czech team came about when a friend of Jay Fowler, was contacted by a friend of his from Ottawa, who was in touch with the Czech team.

Fastball has become big in the Czech Republic in recent years, and because it is not as popular elsewhere in Europe, the team came to Canada to find more suitable competition. A stop in Sydenham fit their itinerary and so the games were arranged.

The two teams were pretty well matched, and as the warm evening wore on, a larger and larger crowd gathered at the Diamond. Fowler estimates up to 150 spectators were on hand by the end of the second game, and the canteen that the team set up did some brisk, raising $400 after expenses to help fund the team.

While the Czech team took the first game, the local boys got their revenge in game 2, splitting the doubleheader.

The teams got to know each for a short time after the game, posing for a group photo, before the Czech's headed off to Toronto. The Screaming Eagles were also busy on the weekend, heading off to Owen Sound for a provincial qualifying tournament.

For Jay Fowler, the excitement generated by the game is a good sign of the interest in fastball in the Sydenham area and across Frontenac County. Fowler is originally from Parham, and he knows how popular the sport has been in the past.

“We started this team this year, partly for my son to have a place to play, and by pulling in some kids who were in the same boat, from Oshawa, Stittsville, and Sydenham, we were able to get the team going. All of the boys will still be eligible next year, and many the year after, so this is at least a three year project.

With help from other Frontenac Softball Association organisers, Fowler is hoping to encourage fastball teams at the U13, U15 and U17 level to get involved.

And he is also hoping to bring the provincial tournament to Sydenham, at the Keeley Road double diamond and the Sydenham diamond, next year.

“We have the facilities for it, and support from the township and the MPP, maybe we can make it happen," he said.

The team did not fare that well in Owen Sound over the weekend.

“We did not have the easiest draw, because we drew the defending provincial champions on Friday night. It was quite an experience playing them. We played again on Saturday morning and did really well, but lost a close game and our tournament was done,” he said.

The team will continue to play in the Napanee men's league this summer.

For further information about fastball, go to SEO Screaming Eagles on Facebook.