The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Weyburn Beavers return to Tom Laing Park this Thursday, officially kicking off the collegiate baseball season.
Head coach for the Beavers Cam Williams says the team is excited to start the action. Players arrived in town yesterday from across Canada and the United States yesterday, on the tails of their college ball seasons.
“Obviously a lot of guys had really good school ball years, but overall summer ball is just a different ball game to use the term. The guys are just really excited.”
While there are some new names on the roster this season, Williams says they have a strong core of returning players excited to be back in the community and their billet families. Still, many of the new additions are no strangers to the organization.
“A lot of the new faces are still guys that we're kind of familiar with, either they’re teammates with some of our returning players at their schools or their Canadian guys that were buddies from with them in high school.”
A couple of still really fresh faces that it's their first time being in Canada or first time being in the WCBL, but even with the new faces, there's a lot of consistency and familiarity as well, which I think will be really big for team bonding and culture, especially in the early stages of the season.”
Williams regards some of the new additions, noting WCBL West Division all-star Noah Brooks, and solid additions from Central Baptist College Dylan Parton and Gram Middleton. We’ll also see the return of East Division all-star pitcher Ian Heck.
He reflects on last year's season saying they finished strong and are looking to build off that success.
“With the core pieces coming back, they had some really good seasons, a couple all-stars coming back, it should just be a lot of fun. Our pitching staff should be steadily improved, which will be big, especially late in games or the bullpen, which is always huge in the WCBL.”
This Thursday's game against the Saskatoon Berries will be both the home- and season-opener, followed on Friday with a game against the Regina Red Sox. Williams notes his anticipation to face Regina saying, “we love beating them, they love beating us”.
The games will be packed with excitement as players will be sporting brand new jersey sets and apparel, which were unveiled at the sports dinner earlier this year. Williams also teases more to be unveiled at Friday’s game.
“There's a surprise on stage for Friday night as well, so make sure you come on out to Tom Laing Park to catch that.”
Fans can hit the stands at Tom Laing Park this Thursday at 7 p.m. to kick off the new season.