The Sunshine Coast Baseball Association (SCBA) needs more members to attend its upcoming AGM on Jan. 12 or the association risks losing gaming grants and losing ground on its vision of a year-round baseball training facility for the Coast.
A December AGM held by the group drew only two members to the meeting, to the dismay of president Ward Ellis-Winters, who scheduled a new AGM for Jan. 12 at 6:45 p.m. at the Gibsons and Area Com-munity Centre, room 219 C.
“Our association cannot sustain itself without the participation of our members,” Ellis-Winters said.
“AGM attendance is reported in applications for provincial gaming grants for operating revenue budgets and capital projects. These grants can be declined as a result of a lack of public support for the association and the board.”
The SCBA is looking at some big grants this year to help develop its vision of a year-round baseball training facility on the Coast.
“We cannot expect our players to learn this great sport by only offering a 10-week experience in the spring. Every June, we see how much our players have developed, thanks to our dedicated coaches. We also see how much fun the kids are having with these new skills. They are hitting, catching, making plays and enjoying the game more and more, and then it ends,” Ellis-Winters said.
“We need a year-round baseball training facility where basic and advanced development can be taught. Our plan is to offer scheduled development for all ages through the summer, fall and winter months. Players looking to play at higher levels can practise and have development time here, rather than having to go off Coast to train, as many do. But first we need to build it!”
The SCBA’s batting cage saw steady use before it was torn down to make way for the new RCMP building in Gibsons about five years ago.
“Since that time the boards have building a new facility as the number one major project to be completed. The vision is to have a facility that offers year-round training for all ages in the fundaments of baseball, batting, pitching, throwing, catching and theory,” Ellis-Winters said.
To really get the ball rolling on the project in 2016, the SCBA is seeking specialized volunteers to step forward in the areas of construction manger/contractor, designer and fundraiser.
Ward-Ellis hopes people with the talent and the heart will step forward to fill the vital positions at the upcoming AGM on Jan. 12.
The SCBA is also looking for volunteers to serve on the executive as second vice president, secretary, treasurer and “ways and means” (financial resources).
Currently the SCBA serves baseball players aged five to 18; there were 211 players registered with the SCBA last year. The group expects to see about 238 players sign up for the 2016 season, which has been expanded to run from March 21 to June 21.
“Pre-season gym warm-ups are starting Jan. 11 at Cedar Grove Elementary 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Jan. 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Halfmoon Bay Elementary. Summer All-Star baseball starts in June and the provincials are held first weekend in August,” Ellis-Winters noted.
Find out more about the SCBA online at www.sunshinecoastbaseballassociation.com, where players can also register for the upcoming season.
If you would like to volunteer with the SCBA but can’t make the Jan. 12 meeting, contact Ellis-Winters at [email protected] or vice president Jim Pringle at [email protected]
