Members of the Niverville Youth Baseball committee were thrilled to receive the rubber stamp on their application to host the Baseball Manitoba 11U A provincial championship in the summer of 2019. This will be a first for Niverville, but the committee is hopeful that it will only be the beginning of many such tournaments in the future. The event will run from July 5–7 and host teams in the age ten and eleven category from all over Manitoba.
“We were encouraged by our league, the Carillon Baseball Association, to submit an application,” says committee member Rod Wolfe. “The process for us was to complete a host application and send it in to Baseball Manitoba for review. We applied to host 11U A or 13U A, hoping this would give us a better chance than just applying for one. My assumption is that, as Niverville was a new applicant, they were interested in giving us an opportunity to host. Niverville’s proximity to Winnipeg likely also enhanced our application, as teams coming from across the province would have access to hotels.”
Wolfe says they’ll expect upwards of 11 teams to be entered in the event. When you include family, friends, and game officials, he estimates an attendance of around 400 to 500 people filling Hespeler Park over the course of the weekend.
Niverville’s growing youth baseball program, he says, is one of the reasons the community is finally in the position to host such an event. As well, the town has worked hard to create improvements to the park’s diamonds, which now meet the standards required for hosting such championships.
“In the last few years, the town has been tremendous in supporting the baseball and softball program by adding two smaller diamonds on the south side of the park, replacing the infield material on the diamonds, and most recently building covered dugouts,” Wolfe says. “These were a specific requirement by Baseball Manitoba and when we proposed this to the town last year, they fully supported [it]. They were built in August and look great. We eagerly look forward to using them next season.”
Wolfe says this event will provide an opportunity to raise much-needed funds for the local baseball and softball programs, allowing them to invest in equipment, training aids, and other items as the program grows.
“We’ve hosted several tournaments in the last three years with teams coming from Winnipeg, southern Manitoba, and as far away as Dryden, Ontario,” Wolfe adds. “All have commented on how good our facilities are. Hosting a provincial championship [will be] a feather in the cap for the Niverville program. While we may not win every year, it shows we are committed to the sport and want to provide a quality program in our community. It’s a big deal because, as the host, Niverville will automatically have a team competing in the event. Playing at provincials is a great experience for the players, coaches, and parents.”
A tournament of this calibre could prove to be a big deal for the community as well. Niverville will have an opportunity to demonstrate its pride as a growing and progressive place to live with vibrant sports programs for every age. Local business should also expect to benefit from the crowds of newcomers pouring in over the course of the weekend.
While it’s too early to prepare a schedule for the three-day event, the committee is expecting that Saturday will kick off with an opening ceremony with representation by some local dignitaries, including reps from Baseball Manitoba. They say there will still be some work to do to get the park and diamonds ready. Volunteers and sponsors will be key to pulling it off and ensuring that everyone has a great experience.
Some of the expected costs include hiring umpires and providing accommodations and meals for them. Advertising, programs, team welcome packages, raffle prizes, and a large tent for shelter from the elements are just some of the important details not to be overlooked.
“We want to make this event as good as possible so we may have an opportunity to host future baseball or softball championships,” says Wolfe.