Batter Up!

Posted on: J A McRae

Shannon LeClair – Times Reporter

The Alberta Summer Games are coming up in just a few weeks, and another Strathmore teen will be heading off to compete. Logan Crooks, 13, was picked for baseball as a pitcher for his zones team. Logan has been playing ball for eight years, and his dad, Jim, has been his coach for most, if not all, of those eight years.

“He has a real passion for the game, he just loves to play ball, it’s all he does at home,” said Jim.

“Its good for him too, you have to go to ID Camps and compete for a position.”

Each athlete had to participate in at least one AABC Talent ID Camp before they would be considered for the Summer Games.  The first Alberta Sumer Games with zone participation was held in 1974, and began as a provincial government initiative allowing all Albertans to participate in amateur sport.  Every year the games are hosted in a different location around Alberta,.This year it will be at Peace River. Currently Logan is on the Strathmore Bantam Reds AA and he hopes to one-day play ball professionally.

“I want to try to get into Berkley,” said Logan. He is already looking ahead to the future and plans to apply for a scholarship to Berkley. “When you’re about 15 you get put into a bantam drafters and there are colleges that come to look at you and stuff,” said Logan.  His team will be playing five to six games from July 19 to 22. His team is made up of other members in his zone, and he met his teammates when the Reds faced them a few weeks ago.

“We actually played against them here in Strathmore,” said Logan adding that the Reds lost. Another member from the Reds did try out for the Summer Games, but Logan was the only one picked.

“Some of the guys are happy, some don’t care,” said Jim, about the team reaction.

Logan hopes to play for either the Philadelphia Phillies or the Toronto Blue Jays when he’s older.