The race for teams in the Lunenburg County Youth Baseball League (LCYBL) to crown their princess the 2016 Princess has unleashed some remarkable fundraising efforts, one of which was on open display last weekend in Victoria.

The Nationals team in LCYBL’s machine pitch division, which features 7- and 8-year olds, put on a kickball tournament for the LCYBL on Saturday, and it was a big success.

“They raised over $800 that night,” LCYBL President David Clark said.

Each year, every team competing in the Lunenburg County Youth Baseball League nominates a girl in the area to be its princess and seeks to raise money for her throughout the year. The team raising the most money in its age division gets to crown its princess the 2016 Princess, and she receives a sash and crown.

The money raised goes to the LCYBL.

The machine pitch Nationals team had been raising money in various ways throughout the year, but its idea to hold a kickball tournament for players ages 15 to 50 was a particularly big hit. It featured eight teams of about 10 people per squad, including parents, brothers and sisters of the Nationals players.

“We had about a hundred people up there participating,” Clark said. “It was a great idea, and I hope it continues from year to year. I think the kickball tournament will definitely be back next year.”

The Nationals team ended up being able to crown its princess, Emily Gosney, the 2016 Princess.

There were 17 teams in the LCYBL this year, each raising money for its own princess, and Clark said, “All the princesses together this year raised over $9,000.”

“This was the best year of fundraising in many years,” he said. “All together, all of our fundraising, we raised over $20,000 this year. So we done good.”