After 35 years behind the plate, Estevan’s Braden Lonsberry continues to prove why he’s one of Saskatchewan’s most respected baseball officials. This summer, he was selected to umpire at the Canadian Senior Men’s National Baseball Championship in Regina, his eighth national appearance and second time officiating at the senior level.
“I was one of 12 umpires and three supervisors,” Lonsberry said. “There were people from all over Canada, my roommate was from Quebec, and the other person on my crew was from Ontario.”
Lonsberry’s crew worked five round-robin games, and he was honoured with a spot in the bronze medal game, where Team Saskatchewan defeated the Regina Trappers 13–3.
“You see great baseball,” he said. “These are the best teams from each province. It’s a really good experience, not just for the ball, but to improve your umpiring ability as well.”
Each game was supervised, giving Lonsberry valuable feedback. “You get notes on what you did well and what you could improve on. It’s all geared at making you a better official going forward.”
Though his schedule is packed, Lonsberry hopes to mentor more young umpires in the future. “I’ve done clinics in Manitoba and Saskatchewan,” he said. “I’d really like to get into mentoring more, kind of like Kevin Culy, who does a ton of teaching and development.”
For Lonsberry, being selected for nationals is more than just a job, it’s a recognition of dedication. “It is kind of a reward for the time and effort you put in,” he said. “You’re not doing it for the money, it’s about the love of the game and the people you meet.”
