Gibsons could be entering into high-level provincial baseball this summer.
If the player interest is there, Gibsons Minor Baseball Association president Brian Scarr, along with coaches Gary Pennington and Rob Liden, are looking to enter a team in the Junior Men's Baseball League.
Sponsored by B.C. Minor Baseball, the league celebrated its inaugural season last year with teams in New Westminster, Coquitlam, Newton, Aldergrove, Ridge Meadows and Cloverdale.
The league is for players between the ages of 18 and 25 and offers a high level of competition involving graduates of the local premier league and current Canadian and U.S. college and university players. Games and practices are scheduled to fit with summer work commitments with two practices and one game a week on weekends. Rosters are a maximum size of 24, with the Coast organizers looking for at least 18 players in order to secure their entry.
Once the commitment from the Coast players is established and Gibsons is granted entry into the league, then the coaching staff will be announced.
"Participation by a team from the Coast would offer many benefits," Scarr said. "Baseball players of this age on the Coast currently do not have full access to top level competition in the Lower Mainland. Entry in this league would do much to remedy this situation and provide a new standard of play for those involved."
Scarr said Pennington has been the driving force behind the idea.
"With the ongoing improvements to Ryan Dempster Field, particularly the introduction of lights for night baseball, junior men's baseball on the Coast is a natural addition to the outstanding baseball culture that is being developed here," added Pennington. "The task now is to determine if there is sufficient interest among young men on the Coast for this kind of opportunity."
Local players of eligible age and their families are invited to contact Gibsons Minor Baseball to express their views and to ask questions about the proposed entry. Send expressions of interest and support and questions to [email protected] or contact Scarr at [email protected]. Deadline for registration is Jan. 31.
"Those of us who have been involved in preliminary discussions of this proposal are very excited at the prospect of seeing a new, high level of baseball come to our area," Pennington said. "The main goal of the team would be to create a much needed, high-level competitive baseball opportunity for young men who would otherwise not have the chance to play at this level."
Scarr said this new proposed team would in no way compete or conflict with the alumni team that currently plays during the summer.
"We don't see this as pushing the alumni league out, we see this a complement to all the baseball programs we have on the Coast," Scarr said. "This new league just offers our young men more opportunities."
To that end, the Gibsons Men's Alumni League is looking for players for the upcoming season. Anyone interested can contact Cody Robinson for details at [email protected] or call 1-778-997-8844.
