Baseball Canada Announces Award Winners
Saturday, November 6, 2004
VICTORIA – Baseball Canada today honored its top umpire, coach, women’s national team player, volunteer and province at its annual awards banquet, held in conjunction with Baseball B.C., as part of this year’s fall convention, held at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort & Spa.
Lisa Turbitt won the Dick Willis Senior Umpire of the Year award, being recognized for her local and national umpire development. Turbitt gained another accolade in her career when she was given the home plate assignment for the gold medal game at this summer’s inaugural IBAF World Cup of Women’s Baseball in Edmonton.
This year’s Lionel Ruhr Coach of the Year award went to Richard Émond, who helped guide Les Ailes du Québec to a second straight Baseball Canada Cup title with a 6-0 record at this summer’s national championships. At this year’s MLB amateur draft, major league teams selected five players coached by Émond, who serves as director of high performance for Baseball Québec and who was also named Baseball Canada’s Coach of the Year in 1989.
Melanie Harwood won the inaugural Women’s National Team MVP award, having helped Baseball Canada’s first-ever women’s national team to bronze medals at this summer’s Women’s World Series in Uozu City, Japan, and at the first-ever IBAF World Cup of Women’s Baseball in Edmonton. Harwood also excelled on an individual note, being named one of the outfielders on both of the tournaments’ all-star teams.
Joe Wiwchar was named the Baseball Canada & Major League Baseball Volunteer of the Year, receiving recognition for more than 50 years of volunteer service in the Canadian baseball community. Wiwchar was commended for his tireless work locally, provincially and nationally, ranging from player and coach to committee and executive member. One of the founders of the Manitoba Baseball Association in 1967, Wiwchar currently serves as the curator of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Alberta and Québec were named Baseball Canada’s Provinces of the Year, becoming the first co-winners in the history of the award, created in 1982. Alberta won for the first time, capping off a season that included two gold medals and five medals overall at this year’s national championships. Québec, named top province for the fourth time overall and second year in a row, captured five medals at the national championships this year, including two gold medals.
Baseball Canada will present its men’s national teams awards at the annual alumni banquet, to be held January 15, 2005 in Toronto.
Player of the Week
Kiera (MB )
Week of June 21, 2010:
Kiera, as a first time participant in the Rally Cap Program has shown great enthusiasm from the first practice. She has recently shown how terrific of a "little slugger" she is. She consistently gets up to the "T" and hits the ball past the infield. Kiera has also learned to "run like the wind" when she sees another player hit the ball when she is a runner on base. We love to watch Kiera play T-ball and her infectious smile makes all spectators smile as well. We are proud of you, Kiera!
Kiera, à sa première participation au programme Rallye Cap a démontré beaucoup d'enthousiasme dès la première pratique. Elle a récemment démontré tous ses talents au bâton. Elle est constante au marbre et la plupart des balles frappées dépassent l'avant champ. Kiera a aussi appris à courrir comme un lièvre lorsqu'un coéquipier est au bâton et qu'elle est sur les sentiers. Nous aimons voir Kiera jouer au T-Ball et son sourire contagieux donne le sourire à tous les spectateurs. Nous sommes fiers de toi, Kiera!
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2010 Baseball Canada National Teams Awards Banquet & Fundraiser
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Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD)
What is LTAD?
Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) is a systemic approach being developed and adopted by Baseball Canada
to maximize a participant's potential and involvement in our sport. The LTAD framework aims to define optimal training,
competition and recovery throughout an athlete's career to enable him / her to reach his / her full potential in
baseball and as an athlete.
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RBI PROGRAM - Reaching Baseball Ideals
What is the RBI Program ?
Ensure that local baseball associations apply core common criteria to ensure that consistent good practice is in place - To empower parents when choosing a local baseball association for their children.
- To ensure that RBI Accredited Associations are recognized through a common approach to branding.
- To provide a focus around which all baseball associations in Canada can come together to support good practice in working with children and young people.
- To promote and reward registration/membership within Baseball Canada, baseball's national federation of sport, as well as within the Provincial Baseball Associations.
