Behind the Plate

An age-old question in the world of officiating is facing a new twist: how do you recruit and retain talented people coming out of a global pandemic?

While it’s not unique to baseball, Baseball Alberta is trying to find ways of getting enough officials on the field in 2023 and beyond.

Gavin A Blast

Few athletes have their names all over the Baseball Alberta awards like Gavin Galenza.

After winning honours in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the Camrose product was back at it again in 2022 with the 18U ‘AAA’ Player of the Year Award.

He lit up opposing pitchers with the Red Deer CarStar Braves in the Baseball Alberta Elite League, and will be looking to continue his success with Colby Community College this spring.

Five Storylines We’re Watching in 2023

If one thing is for certain, 2023 will not be short on things for baseball fans in Alberta to talk about.

2022 certainly set the bar high with fantastic individual and team performances, great community-building opportunities and a return to “normal” of sorts after what was an unprecedented couple of years around the world.

Once again, we take a look at the top five storylines we will be watching heading into the new year.

Triple Play

In the blink of an eye, Madison Willan has somehow turned into one of the veterans of Baseball Canada’s Women’s National Team.

The multi-sport star was just getting her feet wet with the program when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

But with a young core of players coming up, the team is leaning on the Edmonton product as it looks towards the World Cup in 2024.

Tilleman’s All-Alberta Team

Dale Tilleman’s first year scouting sandlots looking for diamonds in the rough was in 1993.

He was a part-time scout, working for New York Yankees scout Dick Groch, who signed Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

Canadian Baseball Network’s Bob Elliott tapped in Tilleman to come up with his all-time Alberta squad.