Vancouver Island Construction Association sponsoring top giveaway of 2018 season

VICTORIA, B.C. — Women belong in baseball — and women certainly belong in the trades.

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) have partnered together to bring you “Hardhats in the Ballpark” and are pleased to announce that a limited-edition Claire Eccles bobblehead will be given away to the first 800 fans through the gate prior to the game on Sunday, June 10, at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP. The game is a 1:00 pm start, against the Coquitlam Angels in a preview of the Baseball Canada Men’s Championship, which arrives in Victoria again in August.

“This is a great way for the tremendous people at VICA  to further get the message out about women looking at working in the trades as a fulfilling employment option,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats. “Claire has shown everyone she can compete at this level, breaking new ground. That same message is driven home with the trades with this very unique baseball-themed promotional giveaway.”

“This is the only bobblehead we are doing in 2018, and this is our biggest single-game promotion. We’re so glad to work with VICA on this event.”

Eccles, entering her second year as the only female to play in the West Coast League, is excited to see the bobblehead unveiled on June 10.

“The ‘hammer’ is my out-pitch, my curveball — people talk about my knuckleball, but my ‘hammer’ gets more off-balance swings,” said Eccles, 20, who plays softball with the UBC Thunderbirds. “I’m honored to be part of this campaign to help lead more people into the trades — women can do anything they set their minds to, and I thank VICA for making this effort such a priority.”

• The bobblehead is sure to become a highly-valued memorabilia item, and includes some unique features:
• Claire is wearing a hard hat, not a baseball cap, with the club’s signature ‘V’ logo
• Instead of a baseball in her left hand, she is throwing a hammer — baseball slang for a great curveball, one of the pitches in Claire’s arsenal
• The head bobbles — so does the ponytail!
• Claire is wearing the team’s white uniform, ‘Eccles’ on the back, and her familiar No. 8 jersey
• The distinctive Vancouver Island Construction Association logo decorates the pitcher’s mound

“The entire theme of that day will be around acknowledging and recognizing the trades and all they do for our region,” said Rory Kulmala, CEO of the Vancouver Island Construction Association. “The amount of construction taking place on Vancouver Island is at an all-time high and shows no signs of slowing down in the next few years.  We want to demonstrate to women and youth in our communities that the construction industry is a lucrative, inclusive and stable career choice with opportunities for growth.”

This family event will showcase the various elements of the construction industry and the young men and women who are working in the trades as apprentices.

“We are very pleased to have the HarbourCats and Claire show such great support in promoting women and youth entering the trades,” said Kulmala.