Baseball BC Coaches Conference

Having the luxury of being able to chat with the President of Baseball Canada is great and in honesty, just a phone call away.

With 50 years under their belt and no indication of stopping, given it’s popularity, it’s easy to see why today’s youth get involved and play the sport.

Great Coaches, they teach and the level of success from Minor, through the system and on to pro is nothing short of exceptional in all areas of the sport.

Ray has been involved in various areas of the sport, starting on the diamond as a volunteer, through the ranks and now the President and he is truly dedicated to this sport as well as today’s youth, with no barriers to limitations.

Ray has been running the bases since 1999 and is the one everyone looks to and is setting his sights on the future of the game, and not spending time on the past.

Regardless of what you might think the Tsawwassen resident is slugging his way through papers or e-mails in search of a way to grow the sport for everyone.

Canada ranks 6th in the International rankings and with the help of the likes of  Jim Baba, Greg Hamilton, Andre Lachance, Kelsey McIntosh, Adam Morissette and Denise Thomas things are on the move.

Regardless of the fact that Canada is the only one of the top 15 ranked countries that don’t have a pro league, as a Country we continue to produce pro players such as Ladner’s James Paxton and Gibson’s Ryan Dempster to name only two.

Looking back, do you remember Ferguson Arthur “Fergie” Jenkins?

He was born December 13, 1942 and is a former Right Handed Pitcher MLB who was a three time All-Star and the 1971 National League CY Young Award winner three-time All-Star player.

In 1991, Jenkins became the first Canadian to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York.

While playing over 19 successful seasons he pitched for four (4) different teams, spending the most of his career with the Chicago Cubs organization.

He won 20 games or more for six consecutive seasons from 1967-72 – no pitcher has achieved that since – and is one of four pitchers to have more than 3,000 strikeouts and less than 1,000 walks.

When not playing ball he took to the hardwood from 1967-69 and suited up as a famed member of the travelling Harlem Globetrotters, which is a feat not many can say!!

Back to the Diamond – er story. We continue to produce players such as the following:

Jason Bay of Trail, Justin Morneau of New Westminster, Ryan Dempster of Gibson, Jeff Francis of Delta and Larry Walker of Maple Ridge.

What do all these players have in common – they played because they love the sport and its fun.

This weekend Baseball BC is hosting a Coaching Conference from Friday to Sunday at the Langley Event’s Centre and it’s “ALL ABOUT BASEBALL”

For those who are attending they will take away valuable information to use both on and off the Diamond.

Congrats to Baseball BC on hosting such an event. Now if more sports would follow, but that’s another story for another day!!