A $5,000 bottle drive. A $7,100 donation. And one international team that nearly didn鈥檛 make it to the Canada Cup 鈥� until the View Royal Vipers got involved.
The View Royal Vipers 09, a U17B softball team raised thousands to help the Ukrainian national team attend the prestigious tournament, hosted this week at Softball City in Surrey.
When Vipers head coach Aaron Mercer reached out to Team Ukraine in May 鈥� he was unsure if the squad would be able to make the trip.
鈥淵ou have no idea what $2,000 would do for this group,鈥� Team Ukraine head coach Vasyl Kysil told him.
鈥淲ell then, dude,鈥� Mercer replied, 鈥渟ay no more.鈥�
The Vipers got to work fast, organizing a bottle drive in the parking lot of Lumber World. With help from local businesses, the single-day event raised $5,000 鈥� the largest individual donation Team Ukraine received. One anonymous donor dropped $100 for a hot dog.
鈥淲e actually made a giant fake cheque for them that said: 鈥楾o Team Ukraine, from the Royal Vipers 09 鈥� $7,000,鈥欌�� Mercer said. 鈥淚t ended up making the difference to get them to come to Canada.鈥�
The need was real.
Mercer said it costs Team Ukraine up to $70,000 to travel, with more than $20,000 going toward accommodations alone. The team had to take a train from Ukraine to Poland, then fly across the Atlantic 鈥� all while their families remain in a war zone.
鈥淜ysil told me, 鈥楳y wife and son are in Kyiv, not in danger. But they can鈥檛 sleep because of the bombing',鈥� Mercer said. 鈥淚t really put everything in perspective.鈥�
Despite the language barrier 鈥� only a few players spoke English 鈥� the two teams met up for a backyard barbecue at the Vipers鈥� rental house in Surrey.
Team Ukraine brought gifts, including hats that read 鈥淧lay ball, not war.鈥� There were smiles, stories, and a couple of long hugs from Mercer.
鈥淚 told him we鈥檙e friends for life,鈥� Mercer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more than just softball. It鈥檚 about spreading love across the globe.鈥�
That鈥檚 been the team鈥檚 unofficial motto for years. It started with a Notorious B.I.G. lyric and became part of their annual team values 鈥� 鈥淪pread Love.鈥�
The Vipers are no strangers to community service.
In past seasons, they鈥檝e raised money for the SPCA, BC Children鈥檚 Hospital, and local families in need. Last year, they helped clean beaches with the Surfrider Foundation.
鈥淚t really takes a village,鈥� Mercer said. 鈥淧layers, parents, coaches 鈥� everyone just kind of came together.鈥�
On the field, the Vipers made it to the round of 16 in their first-ever Canada Cup appearance, falling 8-7 to a Washington state team, Kitsap Ospreys U16 Lane.
But Mercer said the real takeaway had little to do with wins and losses.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 show up to win 鈥� we show up to compete, to carry ourselves with respect,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his whole Ukraine experience was just icing on the cake.鈥�
Team Ukraine opened the tournament against New Zealand, with the final score not yet posted. They're scheduled to face Team Canada on July 8 鈥� a squad featuring two Victoria-area athletes: Peyton Bryden and Emma Entzminger, fresh off winning gold at the Pan American Championships in Colombia.
For Mercer and the Vipers, though, the memories were already made.
鈥淭his is about setting young athletes up to be successful people outside of the game,鈥� Mercer said. 鈥淭he softball community 鈥� it鈥檚 a special one.鈥�
