Baseball Manitoba 2017 Awards Banquet Clarion Hotel Brandon, Manitoba Saturday, November 4 6:30 p.m. Baseball Manitoba Mission Statement

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1 Baseball Manitoba 2017 Awards Banquet Clarion Hotel Brandon, Manitoba Saturday, November 4 6:30 p.m. Baseball Manitoba is committed to furthering the development of amateur baseball at both the national and international levels. While the pursuit of excellence at all levels is a primary goal, we realize the need to provide participants with opportunities which enable them to reach their realistic level of potential, ability and interest. We realize the need to continually develop our programs and resources, thereby improving both the technical and administrative delivery of services to members and participants across the province. Baseball Manitoba Mission Statement To foster and provide leadership in the development of baseball to our members and the Manitoba baseball community. Creating a memorable baseball experience! 1

2 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE On behalf of Baseball Manitoba, I would like to welcome all the athletes, volunteers, coaches, parents and family members to the 2017 Baseball Manitoba Awards Banquet. Tonight, we celebrate baseball by recognizing outstanding performances and valuable contributions by our baseball community. This season down the road to the east in Thunder Bay the U18 World Baseball Cup the host Canadians celebrated a fourth-place finish! Many of us followed the edge of the seat MLB post season action. As of writing this the Champion still hasn t been determined. There were best games ever, every night of the Series. As fans of baseball we were interested, invested and followed these events pitch by pitch. More locally, in the American Association the Winnipeg Goldeyes are the first back 2 back champions in ten years capturing the title at Shaw Park. Shaw Park was also the venue where #CSGBaseball captured the attention of the whole province and the Canadian baseball community. Team Toba managed to Pack the Park as more than 7,000 fans witnessed the final game. This team provided a memorable silver medal performance in the week-long tournament. Some of the best Canadian baseball players were in Stonewall for the 21U Women s Invitational Championship. Teams from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba competed for gold in this tournament hosted in Manitoba for the first time. Teams representing the Keystone province created baseball memories across the country this summer. 16U Girls earned a bronze medal in Vaughn. Manitoba s 13U team had a memorable trip to the National tournament in Quebec and finished the tournament in 4 th place. Manitoba teams competed in PEI (15U), London (18U), Ottawa (21U), Victoria (Senior), Spruce Grove (13U). Western Canada Baseball Association AAA Championships were held in Manitoba in Ile des Chenes and Brandon. Carillon and Bonivital competed in the 18U Tournament with Bonivital earning a silver medal. At the 21U tournament, Brandon won the gold and St. James the silver in an all Manitoba Final. The Southwest Senior All-Stars captured a AA Gold medal in Prince George. Also near the left coast in Kamloops Manitoba s 14U girls competed for a Western Championship and North Winnipeg placed 3 rd in the AAA 15U event. WCBA also held the AA Championships in Kamloops, representing Manitoba at 13U was 5 th place Bonivital, Gold medalists LaBroquerie A s at 15U and 3 rd place Portage la Prairie in 18U. I trust all our worthy representatives brought home some wonderful baseball memories. In July and August there were 16 provincial events with great baseball played at every age group while determining provincial Champions. Each community had a tremendous team of volunteers and the baseball community is grateful. Challenger Baseball had a year of growth with leagues in St. James and Winnipeg South. Once again tremendous groups of volunteers helped more than 60 participants create a memorable baseball experience. This night is to recognize countless hours and great effort to improve baseball in Manitoba. Stakeholders such as players, coaches and umpires worked together this season to improve and challenge each other. Parents and volunteers who strive to give opportunity with facilities and events. Congratulations to all nominees, award winners and inductees. I would on behalf of all of Baseball Manitoba like to acknowledge and show appreciation to our sponsors. Without their support we would not be able to provide the programs and services that we do. I would like to recognize and thank Baseball Manitoba s Management Committee and our office staff for their dedication and efforts in helping baseball grow and prosper in our province. Finally, I would like to thank you, our members, for your commitment, passion, enthusiasm and time in helping deliver and grow baseball in Manitoba. Tony Siemens President 2

3 PROGRAM INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME Master of Ceremonies Clayton Dreger, Sport Director Golden West Radio PRESIDENTIAL GREETINGS Tony Siemens, Baseball Manitoba GRACE BUFFET DINNER Assorted Salads Assortment of Cold Trays Fresh Sliced Fruit Tray Certified Angus Oven Roast Carved Beef Roast Chicken Oven Roasted Potatoes & Perogies Fresh Mixed Vegetables & Honey Glazed Carrots Dessert Slices Dinner Rolls Coffee and Tea GUEST SPEAKER Jim Baba, Baseball Canada AWARDS PRESENTATION Challenger Player of the Year Brett Hutton (Winnipeg) Youth Umpire of the Year Carter Williamson (Dauphin) Umpire Award of Merit Marty Flett (Ebb & Flow) Volunteer of the Year Bobbi Bottle (Winnipeg) First Honour Society Inductee Patti Hacault (Bruxelles) 13U (Pee Wee) Player of the Year 15U (Bantam) Player of the Year 18U (Midget) Player of the Year Second Honour Society Inductee Female Player of the Year 21U (Junior) Player of the Year Senior AA Player of the Year Third Honour Society Inductee Grassroots Coach of the Year High Performance Coach of the Year Fourth Honour Society Inductee Sponsor s Presentations Grassroots Team of the Year High Performance Team of the Year: Minor High Performance Team of the Year: Major Baseball Manitoba Region of the Year CONCLUSION & RAFFLE PRIZES 3 Dillan Thiessen (South Central) Dawson Tanner (Carillon) John Patmore (Oildome) Brian Hodgson (Winnipeg) Jamie Johnson (Arborg) Cole Armstrong (St. James) Ryan Shaw (Rivers) Mike Johnson (Baldur) Jeremy Culleton (Carillon) Faron Asham (Team Manitoba) Marvin Mills (Boissevain) La Broquerie 15U "AA" Team Manitoba Canada Games St. James A s 21U

4 HONOUR SOCIETY Each year at the Annual Awards Banquet, Baseball Manitoba takes time to recognize those individuals who have paved the way, and have spent their lifetimes involved in baseball as either a builder, player or official. These honorees are very valuable to our sport and it is their countless efforts and dedication that keep baseball moving forward INDUCTEES Patti Hacualt Brian Hodgson Mike Johnson Marvin Mills MEMBER (CITY) YEAR MEMBER (CITY) YEAR Cliff Cory* (Virden) 1970 Lorne Lilley* (Brandon) 1984 Alex Turk* (Winnipeg) Louis Molgat* (Ste. Rose) Cecil Murray* (Lyleton) Jake Epps (Winnipeg) Jack Thompson* (Winnipeg) Garth Seafoot (Carroll) 1986 Curly Haas* (Winnipeg) 1971 Glennis Scott (Minnedosa) Fred Parnell* (Winnipeg) Ab Richardson* (Brandon) Steve Clark* (Brandon) Gladwyn Scott (Warren) 1987 Hub Orchard* (Miami) 1972 Almer McKerlie (Miami) Bob Wilson* (Grandview) Scotty Oliver (Winnipeg) Clark Simpson* (Winnipeg) Jim Mutcheson* (Morden) Lloyd Orchard* (Miami) Maurice Meyers* (Wawanesa) 1988 William White (Winnipeg) 1973 Al Robertson (Hamiota) Ernie O'Dowda* (Winnipeg) Al Seymour* (Winnipeg) 1974 Dr. Gordon Bonar* (Deloraine) Joe Wiwchar (Morden) 1989 Len Gzebb* (Winnipeg) Lorne Caldwell* (Hamiota) Sam Burns* (Winnipeg) 1976 Lloyd Brown (Brandon) Cliff Seafoot* (Carroll) Murray Zuk (Souris) 1990 Sam Tascona* (Winnipeg) Bob Brown (Winnipeg) Dick Campbell* (Boissevain) Gerry Couthard* (Pilot Mound) 1977 Stan Oleson (Glenboro) Bob Dobbelaere (Cartwright) Roy Cuthill* (Welwyn) Walter Proutt (Winnipeg) Bill Stephen (Winnipeg) E.C. "Kay" MacKelm Joe Sandryk* (Winnipeg) Bob Wasslyn (Winnipeg) 1991 Don Sumner* (Brandon) 1978 No inductee 1992 William Neville* (Binscarth) John Parobec* (Angusville) 1993 Monty Montague* (Rivers) J.C. Chuck Winram* (Pilot Mound) 1979 Andy Alexiuk (Winnipeg) Tom Town (Brandon) Gayton Labossiere (Rivers) 1980 Graeme Shaw* (Cardale) George Robertson* (Hamiota) Bill Kirkup (Souris) 1994 Claude T. Gagnon (Lac du Bonnet) 1981 Bill Carpenter* (Libau) Bobby Bend* (Stonewall) Mike Makowski* (Teulon) Ian Lobban* (Hamiota) 1982 Ian Lowe* (Bradwardine) Red Sangster* (Thompson) Don Hunter (Souris) Gerry MacKay (Brandon) Don Breen (Winnipeg) 1995 Terry Hind* (Winnipeg) 1983 Tom Thompson (Winnipeg) Joe Pethybridge* (Carman) George Leduchowski (Teulon) Andy Newton* (Dauphin) Daryl Steen* (Winnipeg) Ross Kinley* (Winnipeg) Maurice Kohut* (Winnipeg) 4

5 HONOUR SOCIETY MEMBER (CITY) YEAR Irv Powers (Brandon) 1996 Ray Simms* (Brandon) Roy Seidler (Giroux) Ollie Schroeder (Winnipeg) Walter Meuller (Manitou) David Boileau* (Vassar) 1997 Henry Constant (Winnipeg) Don Duncan (Winnipeg) Alex Campbell (Brandon) 1998 Jake Sanheim (Elkhorn) David Olsen (Winnipeg) 1999 Gord Leduchowski (Riverton) Gord Fines (Stonewall) Grant Norman (Winnipeg) 2000 Bob Jones (Winnipeg) Dean Danforth (Winnipeg) 2001 Art Essery (Stonewall) Walter Hillhorst (Killarney) Harry Lalonde* (Glenboro) Ray Walker (Plumas) Bev Fisher (Winnipeg) 2002 Ted Nowicki* (Winnipeg) Garth White (Neepawa) Barry Wowk (Brandon) Wally Walker (Plumas) 2003 Bill Smigelski* (Dauphin) Duane Boutang (Winnipeg) Ron Jaremy (Ste. Rose) Al Kinley (Winnipeg) Gary Crellin* (Winnipeg) 2004 Brian Smitten (Winnipeg) Linda Tomanek (Winnipeg) Gil Normandeau (La Broquerie) 2005 Brian Savage* (Stonewall) Jack Hrehirchuk (Dauphin) Ed Shamray* (Oak River) 2006 Sam Katayama (Winnipeg) Larry Ausman* (Winnipeg) Jim Giesbrecht (Morden) Ken Prociw (Sandilands) 2007 Allan Maxwell (Pilot Mound) Orville Renwick (Melita) Joe Scheiring* (St. James) 2008 Bob Boyce* (Winnipeg) Rita Morton (Stonewall) Byron Morton* (Stonewall) Mervyn Sharpe (Minnedosa) 2009 Jack Kostiuk (Angusville) MEMBER (CITY) YEAR Bryan Hodgson (Winnipeg) 2010 Ken St. Germain (Winnipeg) William Sidoryk* (Angusville) Winston Smith (Winnipeg) Murray Wiegand (Winnipeg) Ian Wise (Winnipeg) 2011 Joe Raposo (Winnipeg) Don Krawsowski (Winnipeg) Ken Wiebe (Altona) Ron Ramsey (Hamiota) 2012 Ross Tycoles (Reston) Gerry Falk (Carman) 2013 Ray Mutcheson (Morden) Larry Nicholls (Killarney) Curtis Smith (Lorette) Dino Garroni (Winnipeg) 2014 Paul Lagimodiere (Winnipeg) Eugene Letkeman (Altona) Bob Shipley* (Winnipeg) 2015 Mike Labossiere (Brandon) Perry Kalynyuk* (Virden) Mike Anderson (Winnipeg) 2016 Mo Gervais (Winnipeg) Rodger Sheldon (Ste. Rose) * deceased 5

6 GUEST SPEAKER JIM BABA Baseball Canada Director General An elite player in his home province of Saskatchewan, and now the Director General of Baseball Canada, Jim has seen baseball take him literally around the world. Prior to his time with Baseball Canada he was the Director of Operations for Baseball Saskatchewan for 10 seasons, where he worked as a Sask First coach, technical director and executive director. During his decade of work with Sask Baseball, the province was named the National Province of the Year four times and Jim was a driving force behind the Saskatchewan Baseball Coaches Association and had a big role in organizing the yearly conferences. At the same time he was also with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau. In 1989 he served as Head Coach of Team Sask at the Canada Games in Saskatoon, and won the silver medal. The next year he was a guest coach at the National Baseball Institute in British Columbia. In 1991 Baba coached at the Pan American Games in Cuba, then in 1993 the World University Championships and in 1994 the Baseball World Cup. He managed Team Canada in the 1998 Baseball World Cup and 2005 Baseball World Cup. During his time with the national team, Baba won bronze at the World University Games and America's qualifier for the Olympics and qualified for the world championship. He became Canada's Manager of Baseball Operations in 2000 and has since served as Director General. Jim is currently the Chair of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Tournaments Commission, a group in charge of the rules and designs international baseball championships. 6

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8 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR CHALLENGER PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2016 Evania Diaz-Rojaz (Winnipeg) 2017 CHALLENGER PLAYER OF THE YEAR Brett Hutton (Winnipeg) The Challenger Player of the Year is nominated by their coaches and decided upon by the Provincial Challenger Committee. They look at several different attributes that the player should possess, specifically sportsmanship, teamwork, coachability, a love for the game, and whether they have made a positive contribution to Challenger Baseball as a whole. They also encourage all players to set a personal goal at the beginning of the season and want to see that they have worked towards improving on that goal. It was a unanimous decision by the Manitoba Challenger Baseball Committee to award Brett Hutton as our 2017 Challenger Player of the Year. This was Brett s first year with Challenger Baseball but from day one, he stood out with his display of sportsmanship and overall love for the game of baseball. He was always encouraging and cheering for his teammates and also the other team. He could very often be seen engaging everybody on the field, helping out where he could. He came to every game with a big smile and a hug or high five. Brett s Coach awarded him the Most Versatile Player Award at the end of the season. Brett s personal goal for 2017 was to work on his catching skills, though a particularly comical moment for Brett was that while he was supposed to be hitting the ball off the tee into the backstop. He couldn t seem to avoid hitting fly-balls into the water at Chancellor Field. He thought it was hilarious! Brett was also very receptive to the Buddies that had joined the program and always listened to his coaches. No matter what, Brett was always having fun and smiling the absolute definition of a true Challenger Player! 8

9 UMPIRE AWARDS YOUTH UMPIRE OF THE YEAR 2000 Aaron Tycoles (Reston) 2001 Ashton Liskie (Winnipeg) 2002 Benjamin Ericson (Killarney) 2003 Eric Ledoux (Winnipeg) 2004 Brenden Sommerhalder (Winnipeg) 2005 Sid Rashid (Morden) 2006 Devon Moore (Pilot Mound) 2007 Adam Barr (Brandon) 2008 Jared Bruce (Balmoral) 2009 Roddy McLeod (Portage la Prairie) 2010 Quinn Thacker (Dauphin) 2011 None 2012 Lane Reed (Winnipeg) 2013 Noah Letkeman (Altona) 2014 Rudy Neufeld (Lowe Farm) 2015 Will Hlady (Dauphin) 2016 Riley Nordman (Winnipeg) 2017 YOUTH UMPIRE OF THE YEAR Carter Williamson (Dauphin) Carter has been an umpire with Dauphin Minor Baseball for 3 years, and this season earned Level 2 status. He turned 15 this past month and has been a great influence on the younger players in his community. He encourages the players and offers kind reminders of the rules. Carter is developing official, noted for his discipline, willingness to learn and to take direction, and uses the umpiring skills he has been taught to their fullest. He displays fairness, good judgment, and shows respect to managers, coaches and players alike. His confidence is increasing, and he is becoming a better manager of the games. He communicates the count and outs with a clear loud voice and receives high praise for his officiating. Both local and visiting coaches comment about his impartial and fair performance, while parents have mentioned that he is a great young umpire that they enjoy having at their children s games. This year he also helped coach in the Rally Cap program. Umpires are difficult to find in the Parkand region and Carter has made himself available to all the surrounding towns. A reliable, self-motivated, and hard-working individual, Carter enjoys the challenges associated with umpiring. As a confident official who makes a very good impression displaying excellent umpire skills, Carter has a fine umpiring career ahead of him. 9

10 UMPIRE AWARDS UMPIRE AWARD OF MERIT 1986 Gilles Taillon (Winnipeg) 1987 Ron Shewchuk (Binscarth) 1988 Percy Cassel & Walter Weremiuk (Wpg.) 1989 Garth Sararas (Hamiota) 1990 Larry Nicholls (Killarney) & Merril Kiliwnik (Binscarth) 1991 Don Howard (Winnipeg) 1992 Lloyd Orchard (Miami) 1993 Brian Hodgson (Winnipeg) 1994 Maurice Kohut (Winnipeg) 1995 Sam Tascona (Winnipeg) 1996 Bob Senff (Oak Lake) 1997 Wilbert D. Funk (Altona) 1998 Orville Renwick (Melita) 1999 Bob Boyce (Winnipeg) 2000 Stan Plewak (Grandview) 2001 Alvin Semenek (Winnipeg) 2002 Glenn Perrin (Killarney) 2003 Emile Jacob (Ste. Rose) 2004 David Whitehead (Winnipeg) 2005 Bruce Potter (Pilot Mound) 2006 Vic Fron (Dauphin) 2007 Weldon Newton (Neepawa) 2008 Don Adamko (Woodlands) 2009 Bill Salyn (Brandon) 2010 Kevin Crouch (Winnipeg) 2011 Clarence Ledoux (Winnipeg) 2012 Wayne Rankin (Morden) 2013 John Unger (Grunthal) 2014 Jim Welwood (Oakbank) 2015 Peter Perreault (Russell) 2016 Kevin Kozielic (Winnipeg

11 UMPIRE AWARDS 2017 UMPIRE AWARD OF MERIT Marty Flett (Ebb & Flow) The late Marty Flett was a great ambassador for the Parkland umpires, and his passing this summer at the age of 65 was a deep loss to baseball in the Parkland region and in Manitoba. He was an umpire first and foremost and every game was important to him. Marty lived his whole life near the Ebb & Flow First Nation community and he always wanted to help any community. His umpiring began in the early 1980 s, and he worked both the east and west sides of Lake Manitoba, mainly doing senior tournaments, which were very popular at that time. During these tournaments it was learning on the fly as Marty usually did games by himself, and he was not a certified umpire until he took his first clinic in Thereafter, he attended clinics annually and began to improve and strengthen his officiating skills, eventually moving to Level 3 certification. He took great pride in attending the classes, and looked forward each spring to learning more about the game. Umpiring provided Marty with some unique experiences including the 1993 North American Indigenous Games in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and the 2002 North American Indigenous Games in Winnipeg. He also worked many provincial championships that came to the Parkland region. He had a great sense of the game and developed a professional demeanor on the field always well dressed, very disciplined, and displayed great commitment and dedication to umpiring. Quiet and calm, but firm and decisive on the field, he never missed an assignment, and umpired all levels of ball, from 11U to senior with the same relevance and professionalism. He also played in the early 90 s with the Ebb & Flow Lakers senior team that was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame this past summer. In the winter months officiated hockey. Marty s 23 years of umpiring may make him the longest tenured Manitoba First nations certified umpire. The Honour Society was designed in 1968 to recognize individuals for long term dedication to baseball, and Marty Flett is definitely a deserving individual. Marty Flett photo courtesy of Doug Zywina, Dauphin Herald 11

12 1984 Maurice Kohut (Winnipeg) 1985 Joe Wiwchar (Morden) 1986 Larry Nicholls (Killarney) 1987 Don Duncan (Winnipeg) 1988 Henri Constant (Winnipeg) 1989 Bill McKetiak (Miami) 1990 Maurice Meyers (Wawanesa) and Dick Campbell (Boissevain) 1991 Brandon World Youth Baseball Committee 1992 Gary Crellin (Winnipeg) and Guy Yerama (Winnipeg) 1993 George Leduchowski (Teulon) 1994 John Kroeker (Stonewall) 1995 Jerry Maryniuk (Niverville) 1996 Gladwyn Scott (Stonewall) 1997 Sam Katayama (St. James) 1998 Winston Smith (Winnipeg South) 1999 Maurice Kohut (St. James) VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2000 Al MacDonnell (Thompson) 2001 Ken St. Germain (Winnipeg) 2002 Jake & Angie Spenst (Grunthal) 2003 Faron Asham (Brandon) 2004 Gord Selinger (Portage la Prairie) 2005 John Matas (Winnipeg South) 2006 Shelley Old (Brandon) 2007 Al Kinley (Elmwood) and Tom Yandeau (Plumas) 2008 Conley Kehler (Altona) 2009 Scott Johnston (Brandon) 2010 Brad and Diana Drews (Lundar) 2011 Patti Hacault (Bruxelles) 2012 Nicole Madsen (Hamiota) 2013 Doug Quark (Winnipeg South) 2014 Alex Grenier (Ile des Chenes) 2015 Louis Cote (La Broquerie) 2016 Kristal Benton (St. James) 12

13 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2017 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Bobbi Bottle (Challenger Winnipeg) Challenger Baseball is a program that provides an opportunity for children with cognitive or physical disabilities to enjoy the full benefits of participation in baseball at a level structured to their abilities. Bobbi Bottle has worked very hard to bring baseball to kids with special needs here in Manitoba. She was asked to take on this huge task and did so with such amazing commitment. She often works hours a week to make sure that Challenger players have everything they need to participate in the game. That may be minor things such as making sure equipment is adapted and in the equipment bags at the start of the season, to making sure each player has a team uniform, and that teams have a place to play and a schedule. She plans all of the Challenger events, making sure coaches have all the tools they need to coach these special athletes. This includes keeping the committee on track and taking thousands of pictures to share! If there's an opportunity for Challenger, Bobbi is there trying to make it happen, be that across Manitoba or even in Toronto. At the National Challenger Jamboree in Toronto, she acted as the chef de mission for the Manitoba players and families, and fundraised to help the players reduce cost. Not only does she take care of all the administrative functions of Challenger, wearing many hats, she also tries to take the time to get to know each player individually to make them feel special and included. She encourages everyone to put their best foot forward and swing for the fence. Challenger Baseball would not be here in Manitoba without Bobbi. 13

14 HONOUR SOCIETY 2017 HONOUR SOCIETY INDUCTEE Patti Hacault (Bruxelles) The best volunteers usually end up wearing many hats. With that thought, Patti Hacault must have a closet full of lids - as she serves in numerous capacities for both the Pembina Hills Baseball League and Baseball Manitoba. A local artist of some renown, Patti has painted her way across the local baseball landscape. For many years, Patti has been the backbone of the Pembina Hills Minor baseball league working at both the grassroots and elite levels, along with various administrative roles. As a member of the Baseball Manitoba Sport Development Committee, she has championed the Rally Cap cause in her region, along with organizing the Grand Slam Jamborees. Each year she coaches at least one club team. She not only sits on the Baseball Manitoba Girls Baseball Committee but has taken charge in leading the way for girls around the province to play baseball, helping the office to organize the Girls Baseball Days, and continuing the effort with additional player camps throughout the summer. For the past six years, she has served as the manager for the provincial Girls teams, promoting, advertising, recruiting and organizing almost all aspects of the program. She has even gone so far as to set up a Manitoba Girls baseball webpage. As one of the few women who are Provincial Coach Certified, Patti has found herself coaching AAA teams for Pembina Hills. She also serves as league registrar and organizes the player development clinics for the players in the league. Patti takes on these positions not because she has to, but because she is passionate about the game of baseball. Her knowledge and experience are invaluable to the Pembina Hills region and to Manitoba. For her accomplishments Patti was recognized by both Baseball Manitoba as 2011 Volunteer of the Year, and by Sport Manitoba as their 2012 Volunteer of the Year. The Pembina Hills League would not be what it is today without the dedication, determination and, at times, self-sacrificing efforts of this amazing, committed volunteer. 14

15 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR From 1984 to 1994 Baseball Manitoba selected a Player of the Year in two categories Minor and Senior.. PLAYER OF THE YEAR Minor (Pee Wee to Midget) 1984 Scott Hendrickson (Brandon) 1985 Todd Dann (Morden) 1986 Terry Letkeman (Altona) 1987 Keith Carriere (Legion 141) 1988 Darryl Bruce (Boni-Vital) 1989 Andrew Halpenny (Interlake) 1990 Marty Murray (Oil Dome) and Troy Fortin (Interlake) 1991 Ryan Boguski (Dauphin) 1992 Troy Fortin (Interlake) 1993 Blaine Fortin (Interlake) and Derrick Jones (Oil Dome) 1994 Blaine Fortin (Interlake) PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Senior (Junior & Senior) 1984 Brian Reid (Carman Senior) 1985 Jeff Bouchard (Team Manitoba Junior) 1986 Darryl Ingram (St. James Junior) 1987 Shane Moffatt (Carman Senior) 1988 Terry Letkeman (Pembina Valley Junior) 1989 Jeff Robertson (Hamiota Senior) 1990 Kalam Paull (Elmwood Junior) 1991 Dale Hunter (Riverside Senior) 1992 Gord Paddock (Oak River Intermediate) 1993 Curtis Grieve (St. Boniface Junior) 1994 Scott Hlady (Brandon Cloverleafs Senior) In 1995, Baseball Manitoba instituted individual Player of the Year Awards for each age category from Pee Wee to Senior to more equitably recognize the performances of the players. The winners and this year s recipients are listed on the following pages. 15

16 1995 Ryan Dueck (Carillon) 1996 Ryan Haggarty (Midwest) 1997 Tyler Boldt (Winnipeg South) 1998 Derrus Gray (Oildome) 1999 Jeff Thomson (Carillon) 2000 No nominations 2001 Steven Kletke (South Central) 2002 Michael Mutcheson (South Central) 2003 Kurt Wallace (Brandon) 2004 Brady Nichol (Int.) & Daniel Worb (Wpg S.) 2005 Paul Kraemer (Winnipeg South) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 13U PLAYER OF THE YEAR U PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dillan Thiessen (South Central) 2006 Joel Edmundson (Brandon) 2007 Tanner Jago (Brandon) 2008 Madison Bowey (Winnipeg South) 2009 Jayce Hawryluk (Roblin) 2010 Marshal Burgess (Brandon) 2011 Liam Lenton (Carillon) 2012 Ian Briscoe (Bonivital) 2013 Tristan Peters (South Central) 2014 Jordan Lussier (Bonivital) 2015 Easton Grieve (St. James) 2016 Juni Song (Winnipeg South) On the field this past summer it was obvious that Dillan, a tall left hander from Altona, has a special talent. He performed exceptionally well for three baseball teams this past season (Altona, South Central AAA and Team Manitoba). He excelled in any position at which he was assigned - pitcher, catcher, outfield or 1st base and was dominant at the plate. A relatively quiet individual, his leadership was demonstrated on the field of play. He showed utmost respect for his teammates and coaching staffs and this was reciprocated by those whom he associated with at the ball park. Always positive, it appears that he loves the game and enjoys playing. This young man exhibits the qualities of a 5-tool player. Dillan was a force at the plate hitting numerous extra base hits and several homeruns with many of his hits occurring in key situations. He batted over 600 in AA and AAA, and over.500 at nationals. Though not traditionally a position for a lefthanded thrower, when catching, Dillan demonstrated quickness and agility in shutting down an opponent s running game. He continued his defensive wizardry making highlight reel catches in the outfield or snagging many off target throws at first base. His rocket arm coupled with pinpoint control was exemplified by the many strikeouts he garnered throughout the season, with stunningly few walks. In true 5 tool player fashion, Dillan also showed tremendous speed on the base paths and in the field. Dillan is a player that coaches want on their roster as he demonstrates attentiveness, hard work ethic and respect for the game. 16

17 1995 Kevin Wilson (Norman-Parkland) 1996 Scott Kelman (St. James) 1997 Manley Mackedenski (Midwest) 1998 Jordan Mikkelson (St. James) 1999 JayDen Murray (Oildome) 2000 Jason Neufeld (Winnipeg South) 2001 Jon Lawrance (Carillon) and Jeff Thomson (Carillon) 2002 Ryan McGorman (Midwest) 2003 Mitch Olson (Oildome) 2004 Michael Mutcheson (South Central) 2005 Chris Perron (Winnipeg South) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 15U PLAYER OF THE YEAR U PLAYER OF THE YEAR Dawson Tanner (Carillon) 2006 Daniel Worb (Winnipeg South) 2007 Paul Schaak (South Central) 2008 Dennis Millar (Winnipeg South) 2009 Chris Shaw (Winnipeg South) 2010 Derrick Millar (Winnipeg South) 2011 Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg South) 2012 Marshal Burgess (Brandon) 2013 Jayden Bergen (South Central) 2014 Victor Cerny (Bonivital) 2015 Tristan Peters (South Central) 2016 Isaiah Letkeman (South Central) Dawson is a player who displays himself the same way be it a practice or game. A quiet performer, he never flaunts his talent, letting his play speak for itself. Playing shortstop there is a lot of pressure, yet time and time again he makes every play look easy - as if it was just a practice and no one was running down the line. His footwork and his glove work is truly something that cannot be taught, making him one of the best shortstops in the province for his age. On the mound he was an absolute force. Blessed with an above average fastball and some exceptional off-speed pitches he made some of the best batters in the province wish they hadn t stepped into the batter s box. All year he batted near at the top of the lineup because he could do whatever was asked of him. He possessed the power to drive in runs, or if needed get on and steal a base. His competitive nature makes him an outstanding performer under pressure. He was an integral part of the La Broquerie Bantam AA team s success in winning the Provincial and Western Canada Championships. He hit.650 at provincials with 4 home runs and at the Western final he threw a complete game shutout. Dawson was also picked up by Winnipeg South to attend nationals. Against Newfoundland he struck out 14 batters and allowed no runs on way to a 2 0 win. After the tournament he was also named the best pitcher. Through all of this he displays sportsmanship at all times and is an excellent role model. 17

18 1995 Devin Helps (Carman) 1996 Matt Mutcheson (Carman) 1997 Scott Kelman (St. James) 1998 Bryan White (Midwest) and Brendan Harz (Carillon) 1999 Manley Mackedenski (Midwest) 2000 Curtis Morrison (Brandon) 2001 Ryan Friesen (South Central) 2002 Adam Kirk (Stonewall) 2003 Greg Hockin (Midwest) and Matt Lepage (Carillon) 2004 Matt Degagne (Brandon) 2005 Miles Johnson (Interlake) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 18U PLAYER OF THE YEAR U PLAYER OF THE YEAR John Patmore (Oildmome/Canada Games) 2006 Mike Mutcheson (Morden) 2007 Chris Norquay (North Winnipeg) and Zak Johnson (Interlake) 2008 Shane Seddon (Red River Valley) 2009 Bret Heselwood (Brandon) 2010 Chris Shaw (Winnipeg South) 2011 Zane Sawyer (Oildome) 2012 Matt Dunstone (Winnipeg South) 2013 Troy Blad (Carillon) 2014 Branden Hatley (South Central) & Nic Grenier (Carillon) 2015 Brady Moxham (Pembina Hills) 2016 Cody Bartel (Carillon) John capped off his 18U baseball career with an outstanding 2017 season. A prominent player at all levels, John played on six different teams ranging from his local club team all the way to Manitoba's Canada Games team that won the silver medal. No matter what team John plays for, he admired for his tireless work ethic and leadership. John battled a dislocated rib injury for much of the season, which he fought through to finish with a strong Canada Games tournament. His versatility on the diamond and ability to play where the team needs him is an underrated quality that provides flexibility for coaches to best make their lineup. While often playing the infield, with the Canada Games team he was the starting catcher in 6 of Team Manitoba s 7 games and was the starting pitcher for the other game. John has been a valuable member the Reston Minor Ball association, not only as a player, but for his willingness to help out with anything to benefit the future players in his community. For all of John s accomplishments, what he does off the field and how he gives back to the game, is when his character is truly displayed. He spent countless hours working at the ball diamonds, umpiring Minor games, and the younger kids enjoy when Coach Patmore is teaching them baseball. Many children in his community look up to John as a mentor and a friend. Admired and respected by many, his positive influence on his teammates is recognized and appreciated. His level of commitment, motivation and willingness to challenge himself and his peers, is unmatched. 18

19 HONOUR SOCIETY 2017 HONOUR SOCIETY INDUCTEE Brian Hodgson (Winnipeg) Brian Hodgson has a long and storied career as one of Manitoba s most recognized umpires. He has been involved in Manitoba baseball as a player and umpire at an elite level since the early 1970s. He had a notable career with the Carman Goldeyes at the Junior and Senior levels from where they won numerous League and Provincial championships. He represented Manitoba at the Canadian Championships in 1971, the Western Canadian Junior Championships in 1972, 1974 and 1975, and the Western Canadian Senior Championships in Since the completion of his playing career in 1986 he has supervised or umpired numerous championships including officiating at 14 nationals and 7 international events. He has also umpired professional baseball in the Northern League and the American Association and supervised many provincial, Western Canada and National championships. He has served as Vice President of Umpires for Baseball Manitoba from and currently serves on the Baseball Manitoba Umpire Committee. He was selected by the International Baseball Federation to serve as an umpire at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China along with fellow Manitoba umpire Ron Shewchuk. A master course conductor for the National Officials Certification Program, Brian continues to be a leader in umpire development at all levels. He was awarded the Baseball Manitoba Umpire Award of Merit in 1993, and received Baseball Canada s Umpire of the Year Award in In 2013 he was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. 19

20 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2014 Jade Ledochowski (Interlake/Team Manitoba) 2015 Brittney Langlais (N. Winnipeg/Team Manitoba) & Katie Heppner (Winkler/Team Manitoba) 2016 Katie Heppner (Winkler/Team Manitoba) 2017 FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Jamie Johnson (Arborg/Team Manitoba) A dedicated multi-sport athlete, Jamie Johnson is the longest tenured player on the 16U team, as she first became a member of Team Manitoba at 13, playing up in her first tournament in Nova Scotia, where she pitched. This was her 5 th season with the program. At the 2017 Baseball Canada National Championships, she threw 95 pitches, going 6 1/3 innings leading Manitoba to a 2-1 victory over BC. For her efforts she was named MVP for that game, and team MVP for the tournament. Her performance on the field helped Team Manitoba to a bronze medal, with a 5-4 victory over Nova Scotia. She is able to play multiple positions which make her valuable to the coaching staff. Jamie is conscientious and hardworking a dependable, trustworthy and very coachable player. She is dedicated to her team and takes on leadership roles. Jamie is the one who is making sure her teammates are also working hard and staying on task. Her bat has been a big part of the team s success, and Jamie works hard on her hitting - always wanting more swings if she can get them. She also played 18U AA this year for the Grosse Isle Blue Jays, and was a member of Team Manitoba at the 21U Women s National. Jamie s quiet personality, athletic aptitude and on-field skill sets make her an extraordinary role model. Her desire to compete with a neverquit work ethic, combined with her thoughtful, unassuming manner, makes her a favourite, and desirable teammate. She has raised the bar for her fellow ball players and that is all a coach can ask from their leaders. 20

21 1995 Ryan Leroux (Elmwood) 1996 Wade Forster (Pembina Valley) 1997 Devin Helps (Pembina Valley) 1998 Wade Forster (Pembina Valley) 1999 Lindsey Dahl (Carman) 2000 Jaret Valainis (Winnipeg South) 2001 Brendan Harz (Carillon) 2002 Keith Glawson (Pembina Valley) 2003 Aaron Hildebrandt (Altona) 2004 Steve Mullin (Pembina Valley) 2005 Drake Moslenko (Elmwood) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR 21U PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2006 Drake Moslenko (Elmwood) 2007 Kevin McNeill (Elmwood) 2008 Josh Voth (Altona) 2009 Evan Hardman (St. Boniface) 2010 Anthony Friesen (Pembina Valley) 2011 Angus Klassen (Altona) 2012 Jamieson Krentz (Carillon) 2013 Jamieson Krentz (Carillon) 2014 Brent Dunn (Pembina Valley) 2015 Drake Pilat (Winnipeg South) 2016 Colton Boudreau (Elmwood) U PLAYER OF THE YEAR Cole Armstrong (St. James A s) Cole was a stalwart for the St. James A s, the MJBL league pennant winners, provincial junior champions, and Western Canada silver medalists. He also played at the 21U Nationals for the MJBL All-stars. For his efforts he was named winner of the Carey Candy Trophy/Eddie Cass Memorial Trophy for Manitoba Junior League MVP. Cole had another strong season for the A s, as he was second in the league in batting average in the regular season, and lead the league in hits. He did this while striking out only 5 times during the season. However, it was beyond the statistical measures where Cole was most valuable. An acrobatic infielder, Cole is a quiet leader who decided the outcomes of several games through an amazing fielding play, or a clutch hit. A true competitor, he does all that is asked of him with little fanfare. His production with the glove helped the A s become one of the top defensive teams in the league. Cole is also a great team leader as his character, athletic ability, and on-field skills make him a valuable asset to the A s and the MJBL All-stars. Earlier in the spring Cole was named North Star Athletic Association Honourable Mention All-Conference outfielder while playing for the now defunct University of Winnipeg baseball program. 21

22 1993 Doug Hamm (Morden) 1994 Chris Hofer (Grosse Isle) 1995 Ron Cook (Minnedosa) 1996 Jason Hoas (Stonewall) 1997 Jason Hoas (Stonewall) 1998 Brian Barnabe (St. Boniface) 1999 Rod Ledochowski (Teulon) 2000 Jeff Andries (Killarney) 2001 Jeremy Matuszewski (Winkler) 2002 Dana McNish (Nesbitt) 2003 Ron Plushinski (Teulon) 2004 Rory Tycoles (Reston) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR SENIOR "AA" PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2005 Bud Penner (Mitchell) 2006 Aaron Hildebrandt (Winnipeg) 2007 Curtis Seafoot (Wawanesa) 2008 Chris Reykdal (Baldur) 2009 Darrick Jones (Border West League) 2010 Danny Reinsch (Teulon) 2011 Derek McGregor (Wawanesa) 2012 John Hutton (Minnedosa) 2013 Colin Waldner (Kildonan) 2014 Justin Knight (Hamiota) 2015 Anthony Friesen (Pilot Mound) 2016 Curtis Plett (Wawanesa) 2017 SENIOR AA PLAYER OF THE YEAR Ryan Shaw (Rivers) Ryan performed the amazing feat of pitching in all four Baseball Manitoba Senior Provincial Championships in 2017, winning 3 championships in the same season! On the mound he won the semi-finals of the Senior AA provincials as a pickup with the Boissevain Centennials, working into the 7th inning against Oak River. At the Senior A Provincials Ryan threw a pair of complete game shutouts with 19 strikeouts in 14 innings including a 2-0 victory in the final over Cartwright, a game in which he also had 2 hits and an RBI. The three provincial champions Ryan played for were the Oak River Dodgers (Senior AAA ), Boissevain Centennials (Senior AA ) and the Rivers Comets (Senior A ). Ryan has been the heart and soul of the Rivers team since senior baseball returned to the community in When not on the mound Ryan catches and plays third base, and hits in the middle of the lineup. His ability to come through in the clutch at the plate and on the mound, was showcased in league play and provincial championships. He is an important part of the community often seen helping out with kid s practices, or just hanging around the park putting in extra swings and helping look after the diamond. Ryan s competitive nature and approach to the game serve as a great model for the younger players on the squad. The ultimate teammate, Ryan was always willing to take the ball in any situation, keen to contribute to the team in any way he could. 22

23 HONOUR SOCIETY 2017 HONOUR SOCIETY INDUCTEE Mike Johnson (Baldur) Mike Johnson of Baldur has a genuine love of baseball. A dedicated coach and administrator, his enthusiastic, positive and encouraging approach to the game has paid great dividends for those in Cartwright and the Pembina Hills League. Pembina Hills is one of the smallest leagues in the province, comprised of small farming communities in south-central Manitoba. The areas youth population as shrunk over the years, as the small farms are disappearing, being taken over by larger corporate farms. The player pool for this association is quite small, and traditionally teams from the area have struggled against associations with greater resources and populations to draw from. Mike has a long history with the game of baseball in the Pembina Hills region. He has played his entire career, both the minor and senior baseball leagues, in the Turtle Mountain League, the Border Senior League, and the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. A strong team player and pitcher, he played in Provincial championships, and represented Manitoba in inter-provincial competition. It is through this background that Mike has brought with him extensive knowledge of the game to the youth of the Pembina Hills area. Creating a winning atmosphere and a sense of pride for the players and the community is important. The first criteria is making the game fun for the participants. Mike spent years imparting his knowledge, experience and insight to his players, making practices enjoyable while getting them to believe in their highest goals. He is a terrific teacher of playing skills: a patient and competent instructor dealing in the introductory and advanced levels. Mike has that special knack for being able to teach players what to do, how to do it and also why they do it. He is an excellent coach, offering both technical and tactical skills in a quiet, confident approach harvesting the best from his team. Mike has a thirst to learn more, becoming a student of the game, taking notes, asking questions, and being involved in any way he can. His teams have attended many provincial and Western Canada championships and experienced success. 23

24 1995 Kevin Booker (Elmwood Giants) 1996 Shane Moffatt (Brandon Cloverleafs) 1997 Vince Eastman (Neepawa Farmers) 1998 Shane Moffatt (Birtle Blue Jays) 1999 Andrew Boehm (Brandon Marlins) 2000 Shane Moffat (Birtle Blue Jays) 2001 Scott Hlady (Brandon Marlins) 2002 Matt Mutcheson (Birtle Blue Jays) 2003 Matt Mutcheson (Birtle Blue Jays) 2004 Matt Mutcheson (Brandon Marlins) 2005 Darrick Jones (Killarney Lakers) 2006 Justin Funk (Brandon Cloverleafs) PLAYERS OF THE YEAR SENIOR "AAA" PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2007 Ryan Boguski (Brandon Marlins) 2008 Josh Loewen (Neepawa Farmers) 2009 Sean Dryden (Brandon Cloverleafs) 2010 Kyle Nixon (Brandon Cloverleafs) 2011 Mitch Olson (Reston Rockets) 2012 Rory Tycoles (Reston Rockets) 2013 Mitch Olson (Reston Rockets) 2014 Matt Gunning (Brandon Cloverleafs) 2015 Matt Gunning (Oak River Dodgers) 2016 None selected 2017 None selected 24

25 COACH OF THE YEAR From 1984 to 1999 Baseball Manitoba selected a Coach of the Year, regardless of division coached. In 2000, separate categories for Grassroots Coach and High Performance Coach were introduced. COACH OF THE YEAR 1984 Rick Penner (Altona Bantams) 1985 Al Robertson, Ray Mutcheson and Mike Labossiere (Team Manitoba Junior) 1986 Joe Wiwchar & Les Ehnes (Pembina Valley Jr.) 1987 Sam Jamieson (McAuley Senior) 1988 Doug Miner (Pierson Pee Wee) 1989 Bob Landry (St. Boniface Junior) 1990 Brad Clegg (Hamiota Senior) 1991 Gord Leduchowski (Team Canada) 1992 Erwin Warkentin (St. James Bantam) 1993 Art Essery (Grosse Isle Intermediate) 1994 Gord Van Hussen (Interlake Bantams) 1995 Brian Reid (Carman Midgets) 1996 Barry Chartrand (Carillon Bantam) 1997 Mike Rolling (Russell Midget) 1998 Jeff Robertson (Birtle Senior) 1999 Neil Andrews (Brandon Senior) 2000 Jim Findlay (Grosse Isle) 2001 Gary Williams (Deloraine) 2002 Nick Mancussi (St. James) 2003 Bill Old (Brandon) 2004 Bill Old (Brandon) 2005 Rick Baldwin (Grosse Isle) 2006 Cody Reimer (Rosenort) 2007 Dale McKinnon (Deloraine) 2008 Jason Quick (Red River Valley) GRASSROOTS COACH 2009 Jeff Hlady (Dauphin) 2010 Todd Kemball & Paul Armstrong (St. James) 2011 Mike Johnson (Baldur) 2012 Michel Fournier (La Broquerie) 2013 Curtis Grieve (St. James) & Jason Mateychuk (Dominion City) 2014 Curt Brandt (Blumenort) 2015 Ryan Fines (Stonewall) 2016 Jeff & Kerry Trager (Winnipeg South) Congratulations to all the award winners and nominees 25

26 COACH OF THE YEAR 2017 GRASSROOTS COACH OF THE YEAR Jeremy Culleton (Carillon) Jeremy has been influential in the growth and improvement of baseball players in his hometown of Vassar, and at a provincial level in his work with female baseball. He worked tirelessly in the 2017 season developing the sport of baseball at the grassroots level as he was involved as a coach on 5 different teams at the local, regional and provincial levels. This included 3 teams that were formed for the first time. The role he played in the organization and coaching of these programs will leave a legacy for years to come. This past season he coached the 11U team in the community and a 15U league team. He wanted to develop a program in his community as he knew not many others would go that route. There have been many kids that have experienced baseball in Vassar that would not have played the sport without their effort. Jeremy also coached the Carillon developmental 15U team this past summer. His work with the Carillon teams has been instrumental in the progress of baseball players in the Carillon Region. In addition, he was head coach of Team Manitoba 16U Girls team and helped with the Team Manitoba 21U Women s team. Jeremy contributed in getting the Manitoba teams to the next level where they now play for a medal annually. He has taken players from the grassroot level and helped them advance to high performance. Jeremy is an outstanding individual who strives to make the people around him better. He is an effective leader with excellent communication skills, getting his message to players in a simple and efficient way. Being a teacher by trade, he has the ability to read his players, understand their individual personalities and address them in a way that makes them want to listen and learn. He knows how to relate to them, recognizing when they need a firm push and when to back off to gently encourage and support. 26

27 2000 Morgan de Peña (Winnipeg South) 2001 Darryl Bruce (Carillon) 2002 Bob Andruchuk (Wpg. South) & Lawson Davie (Midwest) 2003 Ross Tycoles (Oildome) 2004 Faron Asham (Team Manitoba) 2005 Bryan Ezako (Winnipeg South) 2006 Eric Mabon (Elmwood Giants) 2007 Russ Paradoski (North Winnipeg) COACH OF THE YEAR HIGH PERFORMANCE COACH 2008 Glen Hunter (Red River Valley) 2009 Gerry Janz (Baldur Sr.) 2010 Jamie Bettens (St. Boniface Jrs.) 2011 Dan Giesbrecht (Altona Jrs.) 2012 Faron Asham (Team MB, Brandon) 2013 David Nychyk (North Winnipeg) 2014 Blaine Boyle (Pembina Hills) 2015 Jeff Bouchard (Bonivital) 2016 Jamieson Krentz & Nic Grenier (Carillon) 2017 HIGH PERFORMANCE COACH OF THE YEAR Faron Asham (Team Manitoba) Before almost 7,000 enthusiastic fans at Shaw Park in Winnipeg, Faron Asham coached Team Manitoba to a silver medal at the 2017 Canada Summer Games. This was the highest placement for a Manitoba team at a Canada Games in 32 years marked the 11 th year Faron served as a coach in the Manitoba provincial team program, making him the longest tenured coach in Baseball Manitoba provincial team history. A lot of things need to go right to accomplish something like a silver medal. He and his staff put three years into making sure this team was ready to compete, and they captivated the province. He was instrumental in developing the model for the selection and progress of the Team Manitoba Canada Summer Games program. He selected a first-rate coaching staff to assist him throughout the three-year period of the program, and gave many opportunities for young up and coming coaches to participate in team workouts and tournaments to give them exposure to and experience in high level baseball. Faron is a highly skilled, organized and dedicated coach. He has a deep understanding of the game, and how to get the best out of his players. He has experienced coaching success at every level of play in Manitoba and has been a leader in coaching development and mentorship across the province. His players play to the best of their abilities. His genuine love for the game and his commitment shows through as he constantly scours the province scouting players, looking for the best for Team Manitoba. While he is dedicated to player development, he is also very competitive. That competitiveness proved itself as Manitoba fought to win their pool at the Canada Games. He constantly communicates a team first philosophy to the players. His motivational style paid dividends this year, as all the players on the team really bought into the program. 27

28 HONOUR SOCIETY 2017 HONOUR SOCIETY INDUCTEE Marvin Mills (Boissevain) Great communities just don't happen on their own. It takes many different people working together to provide services, to make homes and streets safe, and to provide programs for all the children, support their neighbours and to give their time and energy for community projects. Marvin Mills is one of those people. Marvin has been a tireless worker and volunteer for Boissevain Minor baseball and the Oildome league with an obvious dedication to baseball. His devotion, passion and sense of responsibility are an asset to both Boissevain and Oildome, and he has made a very significant contribution to baseball in Western Manitoba. When he was president of Boissevain minor, the community hosted a provincial championship each year he was involved, and he was a key member of each host committee. He has strived to keep the community programs economical and available for all who want to play. Through the years he has been very active in the fundraising and field maintenance aspects of the program. During his time as president he spearheaded several diamond improvements and projects including new fencing on two fields, and upgraded the infield shale on 2 other fields. He also purchased a 2 nd batting cage and raised the funds for a new equipment shed and canteen area. Marv has also coached local and AAA teams in both Boissevain and Oildome, and spent years doing the scheduling for the Oildome league. Marvin served on both the Baseball Manitoba Competition and Sport Development Committees for several years, providing valuable insight and direction to further provincial championships. He also served as a Baseball Manitoba representative at various provincial championships. Any job that needs to be done, Marvin will initiate or help with. He does all this with grace and dignity, and a sense of humour. Dedicated, committed and diligent, his contributions have most assuredly provided lasting benefits to the sport of baseball in the community of Boissevain and the Oildome league. It is with great pleasure that we would like to induct Marvin Mills into the Honour Society of Baseball Manitoba. 28

29 TEAMS OF THE YEAR From 1984 to 1999 Baseball Manitoba selected a Team of the Year, regardless of division. In 2000, separate categories for Grassroots Team and High Performance Team were introduced. For 2013, the High Performance category has been divided into two divisions: Minor (for U13 to U18), and Major (for U21 and Senior teams) Altona Bisons (Bantam) 1985 Team Manitoba (Junior) 1986 Carman Goldeyes (Senior) 1987 Killarney A's (Bantam) 1988 Brandon All-Stars (Pee Wee) 1989 St. Boniface Native Sons (Senior) 1990 Oil Dome A's (Bantam) 1991 Portage Athletics (Midget) TEAM OF THE YEAR 1992 Elmwood Giants (Midget) 1993 St. Boniface Native Sons (Senior) 1994 Morden Mohawks (Intermediate) 1995 Carman Goldeyes (Midget) 1996 Russell Chargers (Mosquito) 1997 Winnipeg South Chiefs (Pee Wee) 1998 St. James A s (Bantam) 1999 Carillon Sultans (Pee Wee) 29

30 TEAMS OF THE YEAR 2000 Altona Bisons (Bantam AA ) 2001 Steinbach (Bantam AA ) 2002 Boissevain (Pee Wee AA ) 2003 Neepawa (Midget AA ) 2004 Grosse Isle (Pee Wee AA ) 2005 Plum Coulee (Pee Wee AA ) 2006 Morden (Bantam AA ) 2007 Altona (Midget AA ) 2008 Cardale (Midget AA ) GRASSROOTS TEAM 2009 Charleswood Dodgers (Mosquito AA ) 2010 Altona Bisons (Pee Wee AA ) 2011 Oak River/Cardale (Pee Wee A ) 2012 Altona Bisons (Midget AA) 2013 Oak River (Bantam AA ) 2014 Rock Lake (Midget AA ) 2015 Stonewall (Pee Wee AA ) 2016 Winkler Pee Wee ( AA ) 2017 GRASSROOTS TEAM OF THE YEAR La Broquerie 15U AA The La Broquerie 15U team was a very close group, dedicated and committed with all players making the practices and games. This paid off in both provincial and Western Canada championships. With the community hosting the 15U AA provincials, the coaching staff organized diamond improvement nights which included parents, players and the coaches throughout the year. Plenty of upgrades were needed such as building proper base paths, building new mounds, adding drainage and laying down sod. On the field, the La Broquerie team approached every game with class, and competed very hard with talented and dedicated players. It was evident when you watched this team play that the kids were having fun and always focused on the game. This group of players was a cohesive unit, both on and off the field, and they were a pleasure to coach and to watch them play. Veteran leadership, together with strong hitting and pitching, resulted in the team going undefeated through the provincial tournament, defeating Elkhorn in the final. Strong hitting, pitching and defense saw La Broquerie outscore their opponents 37 to 11 in winning 4 of the five games at the Westerns including a shut-out in the championship. Led by a core group of senior players, the team showed maturity and sportsmanship throughout the season and the team was excellent representatives of their program and community. 30

31 2000 Brandon Marlins (Midget AAA ) 2001 Carillon Sultans (Bantam AAA ) 2002 Elmwood Giants (Senior AA ) 2003 Carillon Sultans (Midget AAA ) 2004 Pembina Valley Orioles (Junior AAA ) 2005 Elmwood Giants (Junior AAA ) 2006 Elmwood Giants (Junior AAA ) TEAMS OF THE YEAR HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM 2007 Brandon Cloverleafs (Senior AAA ) 2008 Winnipeg South (Pee Wee AAA ) 2009 St. James (Midget AAA ) 2010 Winnipeg South (Bantam AAA ) 2011 Altona Bisons (Junior AAA ) 2012 Elmwood Giants (Senior AAA ) Starting in 2013 Baseball Manitoba divided the High Performance Team of the Year into two divisions Minor, which is for U13 to U18 teams, and Major, which is for U21 and Senior teams. HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM - Minor 2013 South Central (Pee Wee AAA ) 2014 Pembina Hills (Pee Wee AAA ) 2015 Winnipeg South (Midget AAA ) 2016 Team Manitoba 16U Girls 2017 HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM OF THE YEAR - MINOR Team Manitoba Canada Games Team Manitoba competed in the 2017 Canada Summer Games, compiling a 6-1 record and capturing the silver medal. A thrilling 1-0 victory over Alberta placed Manitoba in the gold medal game vs. Saskatchewan, the defending Canada Cup champions. The final game, witnessed by 6,800 fans at Shaw Park saw Manitoba lose a tight final, 3-1. This close-knit team was characterized by a quiet determination and a fierce competitive streak that enabled them to grind out wins in varied situations. They truly became a complete team during the three years of the development program leading up to the Canada Summer Games. The 2017 Canada Summer Games Team played a competitive 20 games schedule prior to the Games tournament, against older competition including America Legion, Junior and Senior Teams and then 7 games at the Canada Games. They came to trust in each other and to believe deeply in their coaches and in each other. Their accomplishment - in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a baseball game in the history of the Canada Summer Games - is truly a highlight in the history of baseball in Manitoba. There was emphasis on putting the team first, accepting your role and buying in to a philosophy that preached perfect practice. As a result, these athletes were excellent ambassadors for Baseball Manitoba and proud recipients of the silver medal. 31

32 TEAMS OF THE YEAR HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM - Major 2013 Pembina Valley Orioles 21U (Junior AAA ) 2014 Elmwood Giants 21U (Junior AAA ) 2015 Baldur Regal Senior AA 2016 Wawanesa Brewers Senior AA 2017 HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM OF THE YEAR - MAJOR St. James A s Junior AAA In only their 2 nd year back in the Manitoba Junior Baseball League, after a 3-year absence, the St. James A s not only captured the regular season pennant, but also the league championship their first provincial title in 28 years, going back to This year they went in the regular season, at one point winning 14 in a row. They then went 6 1 in the playoffs, defeating the defending champion Elmwood Giants convincingly in 3 straight games. At the Western Canada Junior Championships, The A s went 5 1, but the Cinderella season came to an end as they lost in the final. A solid defensive and offensive team, from catcher to pitcher to all the fielders, the also had excellent pitching depth, With 3 of the top 4 hitters in the league, everyone contributed to the team s success. There were no holes in the line-up, they received timely hits from everyone spot in the order. This close-knit team had members who have played with each other most of their athletic careers. Seven veterans in their last year of Junior baseball provided the leadership, direction and focus that resulted in this successful season. 32

33 REGION OF THE YEAR The Region of the Year award reflects the efforts put forth by those volunteers who organize the minor ball in their regions. The criteria for Region of the Year includes, but is not limited to: participation numbers, hosting of coaches and umpire clinics, participation in grassroots programs such as the Grand Slam Jamboree, My First Pitch and RBI, participation in elite programs such as the Youth Selects, Prospects Series and Fall Classic, and the performance of club and elite teams on the provincial, western and national stages. REGION OF THE YEAR 2001 Carillon 2002 South Central 2003 Brandon 2004 Interlake 2005 Brandon 2006 Red River Valley 2007 Parkland 2008 Winnipeg South 2009 St. James 2010 Pembina Hills 2011 South Central 2012 South Central 2013 Midwest 2014 Carillon 2015 Carillon 2016 Winnipeg South 33

34 SCHOLARSHIPS "FIELD OF DREAMS" SCHOLARSHIP The Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club, in conjunction with Baseball Manitoba, will provide three (3) $1, postsecondary scholarships to applicants who meet the required criteria. The applicant must be a Manitoba resident enrolled, or planning to enroll, in a post-secondary institution (Canada or U.S.). They must also be a registered member of Baseball Manitoba (player, coach, or official) and requirements for selection shall include, but not be limited to: athletic achievement in baseball, academics, and citizenship Field of Dreams Scholarships presentation. Left to Right: Andrew Collier (General Manager, Winnipeg Goldeyes), Cal Hawley (VP High Performance, Baseball Manitoba), Merlin Heppner (for Katie Winkler), John Patmore (Pipestone), Jordan Peck (Winnipeg) Tony Fletcher (President, Field of Dreams Foundation). Past Winner of the Field of Dreams Scholarships are: 1996 Kevin Chubey (Winnipeg), Jason Cassils, (Warren), Kelly Doell, (Altona) 1997 Jaret Valainis (Winnipeg), Nate Andrews (Brandon), Devin Helps (Manitou) 1998 Chad Falk (Carman), Ken Wiebe Jr. (Altona), John Ellis (Winnipeg) 1999 Brendan Harz (Oakbank), Ryan Boguski (Sifton), Steve Shaddock (Winnipeg) 2000 Darrick Jones (Baldur), John Babick (Winnipeg), Mike Zurba (Winnipeg) 2001 Jon Smitten (Winnipeg), Rob Hochkievich, (Winnipeg), Reed Eastley, (Brandon) 2002 Brian Flynn (Winnipeg), Marc Saurette (Winnipeg), Manley Mackedenski (Rossburn) 2003 Chris McKague (Oak River), Kyle Nixon (Russell), Justin Hink (Stonewall) 2004 Mathieu DeGagne (Brandon). Ben McLeod (Winnipeg), Kevin McNeill (Carberry) 2005 Kevin Reimer (Steinbach), Chris Omori (Winnipeg), Chris Johnson (Winnipeg) 2006 Steve Kletke (Altona), Ian Jansen (Winnipeg), Duncan Sourisseau (Winnipeg) 2007 Brett Schreyer (St. Andrews), Brenden Sommerhalder (Winnipeg), Kiel Armstrong (Winnipeg) 2008 Eric Flynn (Winnipeg), Scott Dyck (Oak Bluff), Andrew Lochheed (Reston) 2009 Dustin Donald (Rossendale), Tim Penner (Steinbach), Elliot Desilets (Ellie) 2010 Jean-Michael. Habek (Winnipeg), Cole Southall (Winnipeg), Jamieson Krentz (Steinbach) 2011 Patrick Vandoorne (Boissevain), Nathan Christiak (Dufrost), Ben Dartnell (East St. Paul) 2012 Ryan Kuhtey (Winnipeg), Chris Vollrath (Winnipeg), Zach Mayo (Mather) 2013 Eric Swanson (Stonewall), Anthony Ingram (Winnipeg), Tyler Wiwchar (Winnipeg) 2014 Brett Harrison (Winnipeg), Curtis de Peña (Winnipeg), Paul Esteves (Winnipeg) 2015 Brady Moxham (Oakville), Alain Andre (Winnipeg), Neil Wiebe (Steinbach) 2016 Marshal Burgess (Brandon), Cody Bartel (Blumenort), Bryce Hunt (Winnipeg) 34

35 SCHOLARSHIPS ANDREW BUDGE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Andrew Budge passed away suddenly, on December 11, 2010 at the age of 24. A vibrant and active young man, Andrew played in the Winnipeg South system. The Oak Park graduate was close to completing his Kinesiology program at the University of Winnipeg. His passion was always sports, be it as a spectator, participant, trainer or coach. Followign his passing, friends and family created the Andrew Budge Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is open to students entering the first year of a full-time post-secondary programming at an accredited university or college. One scholarship of $1,000 towards tuition and/or textbook expenses is available, with preference given to those with past and planned participation with baseball in Manitoba Recipient John Patmore (Pipestone) Past Winners 2011 Daniel Braun (Winnipeg) 2012 Stefan Gudmundson (Dauphin) 2013 Anthony Ingram (Winnipeg) 2014 Liam McNeill & Adam Nocita (Winnipeg) 2015 Mitchell Lyall (Brandon) 2016 Nik Kauenhofen (Blumenort) 35

36 HALL OF FAME Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum Honour Our Past - Ensure Our Future The 21 st Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony will be held at the Access Event Centre in Morden, Saturday, June 2, 2017, commencing at 5:00 p.m. Eight individuals along with four teams will be inducted. The Hall of Fame committee objectives are: 1. to select and recognize outstanding Manitoba players, builders, officials and teams 2. to collect, preserve and display memorabilia related to the history of Manitoba baseball 3. to establish a baseball museum 4. to publish a newsletter about the Hall of Fame and Museum 5. to foster and encourage the development of baseball The following are the individual inductees for 2017 Faron Asham Andrew Collier Troy Fortin Doug Freeth Jason Mateychuk Terry Mayert Trevor Proctor The following are special honorees: Major Team Brandon Marlins ( ) Major Team Morden Mohawks ( ) Small Community Warren Seniors ( ) Special Category - Ron Shewchuk (Umpire, Minnedosa) Special Category Carman Goldeyes Juniors ( ) Tickets available from: Jack Hrehirchuk; th Ave SE, Dauphin, MB, R7N 2H1; ; jhrehirchuk@wcgwave.ca. David Taylor, Neepawa , taylor@brandon.ca. Joe Wiwchar, Morden, , mbbbhof@mts.net. Tickets are Adult $70, Children $20. Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame Board Members: Chairman Dr. Morris Mott, Brandon Vice-Chairman Dan Giesbrecht, Winkler Treasurer David Taylor, Neepawa Directors Al Kinley (Winnipeg) Jack Hrehirchuk (Dauphin), Glennis Scott (Minnedosa), Gladwyn Scott (Carberry), Scott Neiles (Winnipeg), Bob Thompson (Oak Lake), Bill Kirkup (Souris), Murray Zuk (Souris), Hank Lemoine (Winnipeg), Jack Callum (Winnipeg), Gerry Palidwor (Springfield), Al Robertson (Hamiota), Ross Tycoles (Reston), Don Schmall (Neepawa), Kevin Booker (Winnipeg), Morgan de Peña (Baseball Manitoba) and Winston Smith (Baseball Manitoba). The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is constantly developing its permanent site in Morden, at the Recreation Centre and is looking for any baseball memorabilia. Contact the museum Manger/Director Joe Wiwchar at (204) if you have any items of interest or at mbbbhof@mts.net. 36

37 TEAM MANITOBA CANADA SUMMER GAMES TEAM Back Row (L to R): Glen Hunter (Asst. Coach), Faron Asham (Head Coach), Aaron Tycoles (Manager), Reece Wilson, Darnell Wyke, Zac Giesbrecht, John Patmore, Cm Thickson, Noah Geekie, Jared Bridges, Kyle Dyck, Jordan Lussier, Ryan Borody (Asst. Coach), Blair Tweet (Asst. Coach) Front Roy (L to R): Tanner Boyle, Ethan Walpole, Lyndon Zimmer, Tristan Peters, Yanykk Nadeau, Cole Pike, Jared McCorrister, Jordan Peck, Noah Funk, Martin Gisiger, Owen Harms 16U PROVINCIAL GIRLS TEAM Back Row (L to R): Rod Ledochowski (Coach), Darrell Humeniuk (Coach), Jeremy Culleton (Head Coach) Middle Row (L to R): Jamie Johnson, Megan Humuniuk, Jenna Swain, Sydney Wilkinson, Amber Baker, Lise Catellier. Front Row (L to R): Emma Zimmerman, Jacey Ledochowski, Olivia Sheldon, Mikayla Nordman, Caitlin Culleton Missing: Patti Hacault (coach/manager) and Joanne Johnson (chef de mission). 37

38 TEAM MANITOBA 14U PROVINCIAL GIRLS TEAM Back Row (L to R): Chad Foster (Asst. Coach), Jose Nichols, Brooke White, Marie Biehn, Mikayla Peacock, Alexandrea Bednar, Avery Pickering, Kennedy Sproule, Dean Sproule (Head Coach) Front Row (L to R): Zara Dickson, Darbi Poole, Tyra Molloy, Mercedees Gorham, Raven Carriere, Emily Foster, Jasmine Horwood 13U PROVINCIAL TEAM 13U PROVINCIAL TEAM Back Row (L to R): Jason Mateychuk (Head Coach), Curt Brandt (Asst. Coach), Cy Brandt (Asst. Coach), Reid Dyck, Conor Geekie, Dillan Thiessen, Tyson Zimmer, Lachlan MacLean, Coach Tyler Wiwchar (Asst. Coach), Coach Zane Brandt (Asst. Coach) Front Row (L to R): Ethan Giesbrecht, Easton Toews, Cody Gunderson, Tristan Arnold, Keenan Allen, Cedric Lagasse, Callan Grieve, Paolo Giannico, Kaden Rozdeba, Owen Pickering and Denton Mateychuk. 38

39 TEAM MANITOBA 21U PROVINCIAL WOMEN S TEAM Back Row (L to R): Marc Bissonnette (Head Coach), Brittney Langlais, Jade Ledochowski, Amber Baker, Olivia Sheldon, Caitlin Wilkinson, Rod Ledochowski (Asst. Coach), Kristi Morris, Mikayla Nordman, Katie Heppner, Jeremy Culleton (Asst. Coach) Front Row (L to R): Lauren Bray, Jenai Buchanan, Caitlyn Culleton, Laura Kilbrei, Kaitlyn Holod, Jamie Johnson, Sophia Bissonnette, Sarah Moir 39

40 MANITOBA PLAYERS WITH BASEBALL CANADA TEAM CANADA Congratulations to Victor Cerny, a former members of Team Manitoba. Victor was added to Baseball Canada s National Junior roster and played in the 2017 World Championships in Thunder Bay. Following his graduation from the Vauxhall Baseball Academy in Alberta, he is now attending Cal-State Northridge in California to play baseball. VICTOR CERNY Congratulations also to Cam Thickson, who was named to the Baseball Canada Junior National Team s (U-18) annual Fall Instructional League Camp in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, October 1 to 11. Cam played for Team Manitoba at the 2017 Canada Summer Games. 40