Kyle Sargent, son of Dean and Shelley, was drafted by the Saskatoon Blue Jays this year to play in the 2011 Pee Wee Western Championships. The championships, held Aug 25. to 29 in Nanaimo, BC, saw teams from throughout Western Canada compete for the title.
Kyle, who is 13 years of age, was picked up as a pitcher for the Blue Jays and helped form the twelve person team. Kyle is one of only two players not originally from the Saskatoon Blue Jays team.
Kyle, who finished up his baseball season two weeks before he was drafted, is coached locally by Ken King and attributes learning how to pitch from his coach.
When asked how he ended up playing for a team that is more than four hours away, Kyle stated "We played against them in Regina. I pitched against them and I had a good game. So when they needed to pick up players, they phoned a coach of one of the hockey teams I played on to find out who I was, so they could see if I was interested."
Pat Boehm, Head Coach of the Saskatoon Blue Jays, said "My son and Kyle are the same age, so we have played against Carlyle a few times over the years. When I look to pick up players for Westerns (my team went last year as well), I look for quality young men."
"I watched Kyle when we played against him, and not only was he a skilled player, but he was also a good teammate. He was respectful of my team and coaches. I knew he would be a good fit."Being drafted to play at the baseball championships was exciting news for Kyle. "I was pretty pumped. After they had phoned to see if I was interested, I couldn't stop thinking about it. But I still had to wait and see if they selected me. When I found out that I was drafted, I was really pumped."
After Kyle received the phone call confirming that he was on the roster, things happened quickly. Shelley stated "We received the phone call and by Thursday, everything was finalized. That Sunday, we went to Lloydminster for a double-header which was Kyle's first chance to meet the team, the players and everyone else."
That double-header, combined with three practices in Saskatoon, was all the team had together in preparation for the championship tournament. The team arrived in Nanaimo on the 24th, only one day before the start of the tournament.
That early arrival meant one last chance to practice during the opening morning of the tournament, just a few hours before their first game. "We played four games while we were there against Abbotsford, Winnipeg South, Sherwood Park and Red Deer" said Kyle. "The main position I played for them was centre field. That's the position that I played most of the season here. And I pitched one of the games for them too."
As for Kyle's favourite part? "Well, BC has some really great ball players so playing against that quality of player was probably my favourite part. I haven't really played against a team of that quality before."
"BC is known for being strong at that level, so it was really nice to watch them play" said Shelley who attended the tournament with her son. "The experience was good all-around. In playing against the calibre of teams such as BC that were at this tournament, the Blue Jay's goal was not to be 'mercy ruled' by BC. And they weren't. So, the team achieved its' goal. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays didn't come home with a win, but they had some very close games."
Kyle's coach Boehm was happy with the way that Kyle played. "At Westerns, Kyle made several good defensive plays, hit the ball well, but was victim to good defence on the opposing team. All of the boys spoke highly of Kyle. I have no doubt we made the right choice [in drafting him]."
In terms of the experience as a whole, Shelley said "It was a really good opportunity. It's a matter of being seen by a team that is looking to fill their roster. Having played Regina and having pitched against them was what made Kyle's opportunity available. It was the right place and the right time. He went onto the team knowing nobody, so he was able to meet new people and make new friends. It was good coaching-wise as well. With every new coach you have, you take away something different."
Kyle said "Every time I work with a different coach, I learn something new. With different coaches, you learn different skills or different set-ups and systems that they have. So, that is always a good thing."
The championship is the final leg of the baseball season. And as for Kyle, it is now hockey season. But in terms of playing at that calibre of ball next year, Kyle said "We'll wait and see. I hope to be able to play in the championships next year if possible."
