For the first time in recent memory, Estevan's minor baseball teams got together to hand out some hardware together, with teams and parents getting together at Pleasantdale School and remembering the year.
While all of the house league-level teams had their own path this year, together they recognized their most valuable, hardest working and most sportsmanlike players of the season
“I just think it's more of a drive to finally start recognizing the players and the coahes for all their development for the kids,” said Blaine Kovach, the coach of the SE Pump Performance Midget AAA Twins and the host of the evening. “It's really good to see. So many other communities do this and it was time Estevan stood up and finally did it ourselves.”
Each of the coaches told a short story or series of events that told why they were handing their awards to the chosen kids.
“I think they kind of took their cues from each other to kind of give a background on how the kids did this year,” said Estevan minor baseball president Ryan Siever. “It was nice to get some stories on these kids on how they improved or how they did this year.”
In addition to the player and team awards, they also recognized their umpires of the year and the volunteer of the year, which was given to Kent Phillips this year and will be named for him in future years.
“it's a huge, huge honour,” said Phillips, who was given a Joe Carter Blue Jays jersey as part of the award. “There's a lot of people who have put a lot of hours into the organization. I was lucky enough to work under Mel Murray, who in my opinion has been one of the best volunteers that Estevan minor ball has ever seen.”
Phillips saw his own three kids go through all levels of minor baseball but the tireless volunteer keeps going on.
“It doesn't get old,” said Phillips. “I've enjoyed every minute of it.”
