Get to know your PSO (Provincial Sport Office) is back in time for the 2015 season with the aim to provide an informative look at each of the ten Provincial Baseball Organizations throughout Canada. The 2015 baseball season is already underway for some provinces, while others are still counting down the days until they can get on the field. Either way, baseball season is upon us so let’s take a closer look at the organizations that help bring baseball to communities across our country!
Name of PSO: Baseball Manitoba
President: Tony Siemens
Executive Director: Morgan de Peña
Headquarters: Winnipeg
Phone #: 204-925-5763
Website: baseballmanitoba.ca
Twitter: @BaseballMB
Established: 1967
Number of staff members: 3 (Executive Director - Morgan de Peña, Program Director - Jason Miller & Executive Assistant - Brenda Horz)
Major Awards: Province of the Year (2014, 2010, 2008, 1999, 1995, 1990 and 1987)
Membership: In 2014 Manitoba had 9,612 players representing a 6% increase in the number of players from 2013.
Annual Provincial championship events: Baseball Manitoba conducts 15 Provincial Championships from 11U to Senior.
Number of regions/associations in province: 16 minor leagues province wide, 7 senior leagues and 2 - 21U leagues.
Notable baseball player(s) to come out of province: Corey Koskie (MLB-Twins, Jays, Brewers/WBC); Russ Ford (MLB-New York Highlanders)
Famous non-baseball alumni: Burton Cummings & Neil Young (music), Monty Hall (TV personality), Jonathan Toews (hockey)
Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games connections: Manitoba umpire Ron Shewchuk will be officiating at the 2015 Pan-Am Games. This will be Ron’s ninth international assignment. He has done 5 World Junior Championships, 1 World Senior Championship, the 2006 Olympic Qualifier and the 2008 Olympics. This will be his first Pan-Am Games. Steinbach native, Dave Blatz will be the Athletic Therapist for the men’s Pan Am Games team.
Three areas of focus in 2015:
Strategic Plan
Baseball Manitoba is in the midst of developing a four-year strategic plan. With an eye on completing the plan this summer, Baseball Manitoba is hoping to start implementing some of the goals and tasks that the plan calls for.
“This strategic plan is a major component in our funding application to Sport Manitoba for (the) 2015-19 funding cycle,” said Baseball Manitoba Executive Director, Morgan de Peña.
“We will be in contact with our membership and use their feedback to plan the path going forward. It is important to involve all the partners in this plan so we are achieving it together.”
2015 Western Canada Games/ 2017 Canada Summer Games
Baseball Manitoba will run two provincial select teams in 2015 with one competition in the Baseball Canada Cup (17U) in Saskatoon, while the other will head to Fort McMurray, AB for the Western Canada Games (15U).
“An initial core of players has been identified for both teams, so now it is a matter of getting good weather so we can determine the rosters,” explained de Peña.
Two events to keep in mind down the road on the Baseball Manitoba calendar include the 2017 Canada Summer Games that will take place in Winnipeg and the 2016 Manitoba Summer Games.
“While (the Canada Summer Games) may be two years away, a lot of planning and preparation have to be done to make the event a success along with the 2016 Manitoba Summer Games (14U) event requires planning and player development this summer.”
Coaching
On the coaching side of things, Baseball Manitoba is currently working on setting a newly outlined 3-year plan for coach requirements for baseball coaches.
“Baseball Manitoba believes that the best way to provide a positive sport experience for participants and improve the level of play in Manitoba is to improve the standard of coaching,” commented de Peña.
With nearly 60% of baseball coaches province wide lacking any formal coach education, Baseball Manitoba has implemented a mandatory coaching certification process that will take three years to achieve.
“This will require all coaches on a Baseball Manitoba roster to be trained to the levels required by the Baseball Manitoba Coaching Committee,” continued de Peña. “If we are successful in doing so, we believe that player retention from year-to-year will improve, that our regional and Provincial Championships will evidence greater parity and better competition, that our teams will perform better in inter-provincial competitions, and that our players will be more successful in reaching their individual performance objectives.”
