Strathmore baseball wants players to have fun

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The 2015 Strathmore baseball season is shaping up to be another successful campaign.
There has not been much change from last year and the association simply wants the kids to enjoy themselves on the diamond.
“The purpose of minor ball is to organize a program where the kids can have fun and learn the game of baseball,” said Strathmore baseball president Daren Kennett.
There will be lots of baseball being played locally this year will a significant number of kids registered.
“We have about 350 kids playing baseball this year. There is seven girls teams playing in the Calgary softball league,” said Kennett. “The baseball (divisions), either will play in the Baseball Alberta league or they’ll play in a Rocky View league consisting of Drumheller, Standard, Hussar, Irricana and Siksika. We’ll have 75 kids that are playing t-ball, there’s about 60 kids playing rookie ball, mosquito will have four teams, peewee will have one play in the Baseball Alberta League and two play in the Rocky View league and bantam that will have one in each.”
The midget triple A Reds will be playing more home games this year at Kinsmen Park as they are joining the NorWest league.
“They’re our top team in town this year in the NorWest league and their big trip this year is going to Tennessee to play for eight days,” said Kennett.
He believes that there is a lot of potential on this team, and that it’s a team that will be exciting to watch.
“They’ve got some very capable baseball players on that team and it’s exciting to have some more home games. Part of the issue with the tournaments, it that we were always gone and so we wanted to try to get some home games and showcase the kids a little more,” said Kennett.
Coaches are always needed and Kennett admits there are always spots to fill.
“We always need more volunteers, what we do is go through the list to see if we got coaches and we contact them, if we don’t, we go and ask people to see if they’ll coach,” said Kennett.
Strathmore Minor Baseball held their AGM on April 13, and there were a few topics that were discussed which will be addressed during the course of the season and ones that may take awhile.
The one major issue was the lack of facilities in town for baseball.
“We have a lot of teams in town and not enough baseball diamonds. I think that’s probably the biggest issue, Strathmore is not getting smaller, it’s only getting bigger,” said Kennett. “As an example, Kinsmen Park is the only place in town that bantams and midgets can play and we have three teams playing on that diamond for the year which is very difficult.”
Kennett added they have had a subcommittee approach the town about an indoor facility but no progress has been made yet.
The season will officially begin on May 1.