Delta Sports Hall Of Fame New Members

Photo Credit Delta Sports Hall of Fame

Sportswave continues with the names selected into the Delta Sports Hall of Fame banquet and we congratulate everyone recognized on such a prestigious milestone in their career.

Hall of Fame – Coach   Terry McKaig

Tsawwassen’s Terry McKaig is this year’s inductee to the Delta Sports Hall of Fame as coach. Terry is most well known for his accomplishments in pioneering, building, developing and coaching the UBC Baseball program to what it is today.

Upon taking the helm at UBC in 1997, Terry accumulated over 600 wins during 18 seasons, won seven league playoff championships and an NAIA Super Regional title. On four occasions Terry was named Coach of the Year in the NAIA West or NAIA Region 1. 

Terry literally built the UBC program from the ground up and created a perennially respected top-25 team in the NAIA. 

Terry has been key in not only producing winning teams but has also developed over 26 players who were taken in the MLB draft, including Delta’s own Jeff Francis (Colorado Rockies, 2002). 

Following his time coaching at UBC, Terry became the Director of Baseball and left a legacy of first class facilities, youth programs (3 teams in the BCPBL) and sponsorships to keep UBC Baseball healthy for years to come. 

This included fundraising over $10 million dollars, designing and overseeing the construction of the state of the art Rose Indoor Training Centre and Tourmaline West Baseball Stadium. 

This year, Terry was honored by the UBC Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions in 23 years at UBC.

Terry has also been Head Coach for Canada’s Collegiate National Team over 12 years including at the 2004 World University Baseball Championship in Taipei and 2008 World University Baseball Championship in Czechia. 

In 2009, Terry led Team Canada to a third place finish at the World Baseball Challenge.

 He has also managed Team Canada’s entry in the Grand Forks International Tournament 10 times. Prior to UBC, Terry coached the Vancouver Mounties of the Premier Baseball League

Terry had an outstanding playing career of his own. He starred as a power hitter and outfielder at North Idaho College (‘90-93), Albertson College of Idaho (‘94) and the National Baseball Institute (‘95-96). 

He also spent time with the Kelowna Grizzlies of the semi-pro Pacific International League (summers of ’93, ’94 and ’96) and went on to represent Canada on the Senior National Olympic Team in 1995.

Terry has always been generous with his time and talents and has even helped Tsawwassen Minor Baseball to coach his children, Jenna and Trenton as well as many other young baseball players in Delta.

Delta Blue Jays 15U   National Champions

The Delta Blue Jays were crowned 15U National Champions in 2022 and the significance of this accomplishment is that it has been 24 years since a Delta based team has had a minor baseball National Champion. 

But that is exactly what Cam Frick’s (Head Coach) team achieved by winning and bringing the Ray Carter Cup to Delta.  

The Delta Bantam AAA organization began in 2015 when Wayne Laviolette hired Cam to start the Delta Tigers AAA program.

Together they set out to build the top Bantam program in the country. After the 2019 season, the team joined forces with the North Delta Blue Jays and in 2020, became the Delta Blue Jays. 

To reach the championship calibre, Frick credits hard work. “We play a ton of games (91). We practice more than anybody and we always want to challenge ourselves and play the best teams. I think every year it seems we peak at the right time. We treat every game seriously and it helps us stay more relaxed than our competition when we get to those championship games.”

Qualifying for the National Championship is a feat in itself, as you must win the Baseball BC Provincial Championship open to 27 15U AAA teams. 

In 2022, the Jays won all their games at Provincials concluding the Championship with a 7-4 win over the Whalley Chiefs.

At the National Championship in Saskatoon, the Jays kicked off the tournament with a thrilling 7-6 extra innings win over the Quebec Selects Provincial Team. Most provinces send a Selects team made up of all-stars. Only Alberta, BC and Ontario send club teams. 

The Jays continued their winning ways beating Saskatchewan 6-4, Ontario 8-5 and Manitoba 6-1 in the semi-finals. 

In the finals against Quebec, a two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th inning and amazing pitching in the 7th inning gave the Jays a 4-2 win and the National Championships.

The Championship roster included: 

Brayden Abenojar, Smyan Billing, Noah Farnden, Jake Fehr, Connor Fischer, Lucas Holt, Kotaro Kawai, Nathaniel Kolmel, Luke Laird, Hunter McLean, Jimmy Mellios, Nathan Reynolds, Sawyer Shears, Ivan Simbulan, Desmond Tregaskis, Brodie Tse, Ian Vandepol and Ed Wilde, Coach Cam Frick, Pitching Coach Tim Fehr and Assistant Coaches Tim Frick, Christian Deane and Joe O’Krafka.

It should be noted that although this award is for the 2022 Delta Blue Jays, the team repeated as National Champions once again in 2023.

Congratulations to the 2023 Inductees!!