PlayPlay BallBall!! ® BC Baseball BC Bantam Girls 2008 National Champions Issue 6 ‘08 Photo Courtesy Michelle Elrick Play Ball!® Line Up From One Island to Another: Chris Vlaj at the World Children’s Baseball Fair 4 BC Baseball: The Next Generation 7 2008 Midget AAA Provincials • Penticton, BC 12 Sports Broadcaster Kevin Berar: Past Little Leaguer 14 She’s Got Game: The Games of Amanda Asay...Darcy Ingram 16 Strength Training • Common Misconceptions ... Cathy Walker 19 Following the Game!...Garry Slonowski • Home Run Society 20 Is it Just Part of the Game?...Penny Berkenstock 21 BC Finishes Nationals on Top 22 Do You Have a Training Program?.....Jake Elder 26 BC Sweeps LL Canadian Champions Again!!! 29 Remembering..... 34 Milwaukee Brewer Brett Lawrie 36 Home of Champions: Trail, BC 37 UBC T’Birds: A Time of Change 41 Baseball Canada Pitch Count Pilot Project Update 44 Play Ball!® BC Baseball www.playballbc.com Phone: 250 • 493 • 0363 Centrefold Photo Credits: PeeWee/Bantam Girls © Michelle Elrick • Midget AA A © Fred Stephens BC Selects © Transpose Photography • UBC © Bob Broughton • Seattle/MorneauTrip © Gord Wylie LLWS © LL International, Williamsport,CA • JLWS © Dave Gorgon • SLWS © Ryan Robbins • BLWS © BLWS Jr Nationals © Barb Hartle • World Children’s Baseball Fair © Wendy Smith Copyright, 2008. All rights reserved by Play Ball!® BC Baseball. Reprint of any portion of this publication without express written permission from the Publisher, Editor, Authours, Advertisers, Photo contributors, etc is prohibited. Play Ball!® welcomes unsolicited article submissions for editorial consideration. The Editor retains the exclusive right to decline submissions and/or edit content for length and suitability. Opinions expressed in articles, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Play Ball!® or its members. ISSN: 1718-2611 BN: 83550 7740 •3• From One Island to Another Chris Vlaj at the World Children’s Baseball Fair Nagoya, Japan And who says surfing the net is wasting time? The World Children’s Baseball Fair was established as a non-profit organization in 1989 by A few minutes ‘surfing’ the BC Minor web site proved to be an opportunity of a lifetime for 10 year old Chris Vlaj of Campbell River, BC. ‘I was on the BC Minor site and saw a notice posted for 10-11 year olds to form a ‘Team Canada’ to attend the World Children’s Baseball Fair in Nagoya, Japan.’ says Chris’s mother, Wendy. ‘We took a look at the WCBF site and then talked to Chris. I asked him if he thought he would be comfortable going to Japan on his own – it could be an opportunity of his life.’ Like most children of that age, Chris had not been away from his parents other than an odd school field trip overnighter, or a few days spent with his brother at Grandfather’s who also live in the same town. Chris was eager for the opportunity and the challenge. His eagerness stems from a great love of baseball. ‘I’ve been playing since T-ball and I just really love it! I feel pretty lucky.’ Wendy confirms, ‘Chris has always loved baseball. A couple summers ago I asked him if given a choice, would he like to go to Disneyland or the UBC T’Birds 4 Day Photos Courtesy Wendy Smith Summer Clinic. Chris picked the clinic.’ the world’s home run Kings Hank Aaron and Sadaharu Oh of Japan. Their intent was to expand knowledge of the game throughout the world and help children learn and appreciate the game. They hoped to promote international friendships and create a ‘borderless world.’ An annual event, 16 countries participate as well as four countries for International Exchange Games of which Chris was a part. All participants’ expenses are paid. Chris had hoped to meet the legendary Hank Aaron but the opportunity didn’t Continued.....Page 5 •4• From One Island to Another Chris Vlaj at the World Children’s Baseball Fair Nagoya, Japan Continued.....Page 4 scoreboard. I loved seeing my name in lights and playing on turf.’ present itself. That particular small piece of disappointment did not deter Chris from the days Chris adds, ‘Not too crazy about Japanese food ahead, playing ball and meeting new friends. though – French fries don’t taste the same. Good candy though – I like ‘pokey.’ Pokey is a Six of seven days were spent playing games chocolate dipped wafer stick. against Japanese children of the same age, in four different cities – Nagoya, Ichinomiya, Toyota A strange cultural difference for Chris was and Tokai. communal baths and the lack of washroom ‘equipment’ – there was basically just holes in the Team Canada found the competition very tough; ground. He was pretty happy to get to the hostel the Japanese take the game of baseball very and see individual showers and real seriously. Being a ‘put together’ team with a very toilets.‘There’s vending machines everywhere – short time frame to practice together pre-trip, walking down the street – even on sides of Canada was unable to get a win in 6 games, country road.’ although they did start to mesh as and team and improve as the week progressed. More importantly, looking back over the experience, what thoughts did you come away ‘Playing in Japanese stadiums was awesome – with? they were mostly college size and had a real Continued.....Page 6 Any time ... Any place Just Play... it’s a family game A Proud BC Parent & Sponsor The Justin Morneau Seattle Trip •5• From One Island to Another Chris Vlaj at the World Children’s Baseball Fair Nagoya, Japan ‘I met new friends – I keep in touch with some of my Matt Miller • Penticton teammates on MSN. We (the team) had a great time Austin Koerber • Montrose with Team Australia – we hung out together after games and even got to play a fun baseball game with BC Minor them. We got to see the car museum in Toyota and visit a castle in Nagoya – that was neat. I learned Manager Mike Serai • Vancouver most Japanese children could speak some English Brad Hildenbrandt • Cloverdale –some was hard to understand and they sure can Clint Taylor • Delta play baseball!’ Mathew Whitall • Roberts Creek And mother Wendy hopes this trip has instilled a love Andre LeBlanc • Duncan of travel, understanding there is a huge world out there to discover. Max William • Delta Chris Vlaj • Campbell River ‘I also hope he appreciates his own culture and all he has readily available to him in Canada. Most Little League BC importantly, I hope with his discovery that every nation has many cultural differences from his own, Coach Karl Graham • North Vancouver that he will grow to be a proud and tolerant young Yukiko Graham • North Vancouver man.’ Joshua Bruce • Surrey Also Attending from BC: Johnathon Santiaguel • Surrey BC Babe Ruth League Declan Baker • New Westminster Coach Wendy Smith • Penticton Mathew Chang • Vancouver Jordan Czar • Creston William McAffer • North Vancouver Photo Courtesy Wendy Smith •6• BC Baseball: The Next Generation August 25, 2008 was a special date for 90 invited Justin to suit up in goal at practise. In young BC baseball players as they ventured the ensuing interview, Justin spoke of playing to Seattle’s Safeco Field to experience a first hockey as a youth. The Boston Bruins were time event. After earning the right to see the his favourite team - Andy Moog his hockey game courtesy of Play Ball! BC Baseball idle. Sharing the same hometown and magazine, they had a special meeting with neighbourhood as Andy growing up, Robyn former American League MVP and 2008 MLB made a call, hoping to get a goal stick and All-Star Homerun King, BC’s very own Justin catch Andy for a signature when he returned Morneau. home for his summer visit. Andy did one better and had a custom made blocker in Under gray skies and a threat of rain (no Bruins colours with Morneau’s name and a issues of a postponed game at Safeco with goal stick – both signed by Andy. their retractable roof ) 90 kids and coaches It was a very special thank you to Justin for his from Campbell River, Kamloops, Abbotsford, unending support for youth baseball in BC. New Westminster, Penticton and Oceanside, entered the VIP Media entrance and seated themselves in the Player Interview Room. An unprecedented occurrence at Safeco Field. After receiving some nice baseball swag each player, in usual BC Baseball style of good manners and cooperation, waited to meet a very special baseball player and man. Justin’s arrival was anticipated and appreciated as he had volunteered half an hour of his pregame time to spend with the young players. Applause broke the silence when Justin entered the room and a complete sense of relaxation mellowed the mood when Justin began by asking. ‘How’s everyone doing? Where are you all from?’ A good natured jab at his home town New West team for having trouble at the border and the event was set in fun motion. Justin’s genuine smile and comfortable stance showed everyone his sincerity for this gesture of support for the kids. Justin was welcomed by Danny Williamson of PlayBall BC Magazine and he read a special welcome letter Kyle Morrison - Kamloops PeeWee Mariners with Justin from Publisher and Editor Robyn Photo Courtesy Gord Wylie Harden. At the conclusion of the letter a representative from each team stood and If one can imagine the look on a kid getting an presented Justin with a special gift. autographed Morneau baseball, one can relate to Justin’s face upon receiving the gifts. Robyn had caught a Global sports feature in February where the Vancouver Canucks had Continued.....Page 8 •7• Thank you To All Our Friends Coach Tricia Cole Coach Randy Black Coach Fred Bonneau Luca Bonneau Eric Buckley Jake Black Brittany Black