With the 2013 baseball season right around the corner Baseball.ca will visit with each of the 10 Provincial organizations during a 10 week period. This week we meet with Baseball Nova Scotia’s Brandon Guenette.
Baseball fever is sweeping through the province of Nova Scotia as players, parents, coaches, umpires and volunteers prepare for another great summer of baseball.
Executive Director Brandon Guenette has been on the job for nearly a year and is looking forward to the new season ahead.
“Registration is going well, as there is great excitement in the baseball community for 2013,” he said. “At the association level, many (associations) have began organizing “Opening Days”, as well as “Intro to Baseball Camps” that allow kids from their respective communities come experience baseball for a day.”
Baseball Nova Scotia has placed an emphasis on coach education which will hopefully correlate to a better experience for players.
“Better coaches make a better experience for athletes in any sport, and Baseball Nova Scotia believes that is what will make an impact on a young athlete’s perception of the sport,” explained Guenette.
Five new Learning Facilitators were trained during the off-season to deliver NCCP clinics throughout the province. Coaches now have better access to coaching clinics which should lead to better trained coaches on the field.
“The extra emphasis being put on coach education is allowing us to ensure a quality product on the field for our athletes,” added Guenette. “Children (who play baseball) can expect a summer of fun, learning, and positive experiences all round.”
Many of the players signing up for baseball in Nova Scotia will be exposed to the ever growing Rally Cap program for kids aged 4-8.
As in many areas of the country, people are taking notice of the Rally Cap program which Guenette says is exciting in a couple of areas.
“More businesses are becoming interested in being a part of the program, because of the positive attention it has created, he said, and the retention numbers of players in the 5-9 age bracket has dramatically increased in Nova Scotia since its inception.”
Other exciting news has seen Baseball Nova Scotia make efforts to improve their website which Guenette says will enhance their marketing profile and allow for people in the baseball community to access information easier and get the tools they need.
“Our revamped website has provided us with capabilities that were not possible under the old site,” he said. “It is a much more marketable site, and allows users to navigate information much easier.”
The baseball calendar is jam-packed with exciting events for baseball enthusiasts all across Nova Scotia this summer.
“It’s hard to choose just one event to be excited about this year for Baseball Nova Scotia,” added Guenette.
The Toronto Blue Jays will be in town for a Honda Super Camp at Mainland Commons Field in Halifax May 31-June 2 where Sandy Alomar Sr., Frank Catalanotto, Cecil Fielder, Lloyd Moseby and Duane Ward will be on hand as instructors.
The Blue Jays will return to Mainland Commons Field on August 11th to hold one of four Blue Jays Baseball Academy Girls Days across the country.
For registration information for either event, please click HERE
The Bantam Girls International Invitational returns to Bedford for a second consecutive year August 22-26 and the Baseball Canada 21U (Junior) National Championship will be in Dartmouth August 15-19.
Finally, Baseball Nova Scotia will welcome the entire country October 24-27 when the annual Baseball Canada Convention comes to Halifax which will officially close the 2013 baseball season.
It’s safe to say that baseball fever has his Nova Scotia!
For more information on Baseball Nova Scotia, please visit www.baseballnovascotia.com
