The more players he sees on the baseball diamond, the better Colin Wood feels about being involved with expanding the game in Bay St. George.
Wood, who serves as the volunteer head coach, with Max Hulan a big helping hand, is one of the driving forces behind the minor baseball program in Bay St. George that saw 125 boys and girls register for the program last summer.
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It was a season of growth in numbers and the youngsters got to represent their association at various provincial tournaments and showed improvement in their skillset, so Wood is pleased with how the program is continuing to show promise from year to year.
Most of the players registered last year were kids in the younger age groups because the program was limited to the one available baseball diamond, which is located in Kippens, but some of the older kids who wanted a game of baseball were accommodated because Woods doesn’t want anybody denied a chance to play the game.
The good news for the program this year is that Wood and company can cater to the teenagers in the area this year because the baseball diamond at Stephenville High will be available this summer, so two fields instead of one is just what the doctor ordered for an area where baseball is quickly becoming a popular pastime.
“That means more baseball for the kids this year and that’s what it’s all about,” Wood said.
This will be the third summer for the program, and Wood expects the numbers will jump again because he received a lot of positive feedback from people who were involved last summer.
“They are enjoying it. They are enjoying going to tournaments and making new friends and that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Over the next couple of weeks, a spring training program will get underway with the hope of getting both players and coaches more knowledgeable about the game and working on their skills before they hit the diamond when the weather warms up.
There will also be a baseball camp for all players, put off by Stephenville native Ken McLean, sometime in May. Wood is excited about this event because he knows there will be lots to learn from a guy who he believes really knows his stuff when it comes to baseball training programs.
“That’s really going to help the players to get more knowledge on the techniques and skills required to play the game,” he said.
