Bill Sobkow is a Yorkton Cardinals staple. Since 2002 Sobkow has been managing the Yorkton Cardinals to varying success, making the WMBL Playoffs on a handful of occasions and seeing several players move on to professional careers in the game after spending summers at Jubilee Park. Yet the Cardinals have not made the playoffs in four years, finishing in last place with a 14-32 record in the East Division, something that Sobkow will look to turnaround in 2013 as he attempts to lead the Cards back to the playoffs and bring some excitement into Jubilee Park.
With the shift to full collegiate status in the WMBL also brings a change in philosophy for Sobkow who noted that in the past the Cardinals focused on developing younger players who were better professional prospects over veteran players, something that hindered the team's success in the win loss column. Now Sobkow mentioned that the Cardinals had a new philosophy when recruiting players for the 2013 season. "While retaining some of the same philosophy we have brought in more veteran players this season that hopefully will create more stability and create an environment that will see us return to the playoffs," mentions Sobkow.
Sobkow's veteran managerial experience has been spent almost entirely in the Parkland area. He cut his teeth managing the Calder minor baseball program from 1992 through 1997 before managing the Yorkton Prairie Bandits Bantams in 1998 and 1999 before he caught his first break in the WMBL with the Melville Millionaires.
That veteran experience combined with the added help of new pitching and hitting coaches is something the Cardinals ballclub and fans will be hoping turns things around this summer after four years of futility and no playoffs. With a new philosophy and plenty of new faces at Jubilee Park this might just be the year that Sobkow helps guide the red and white back to the promised land and end their postseason drought.
