Nanaimo Pirates

Club News 2008

CLUB NEWS

Another rainy spring and another trip down south for the Nanaimo boys of summer. Both the Junior and Senior Pirates made the trip down to Sherman, Texas to sharpen up their skills at the Top-Ranked Jr. College program, Grayson College Vikings. The coaching staff ran two-a-day practices to help shake off the dust and sharpen up their swings for the long grind that lies ahead of them. The 2008 Pirates will throw out the first pitch this season with new head coach Scott Wallis leading the ship. Assisting Wallis is Pitching Coach Brad Rogers who the players are already familiar with after working with them through another long off-season. Rounding out the staff is Gary Diamond who has done, and is doing, an outstanding job as General Manager for the Senior Pirates.

2008 PREVIEW

As a team this year, the Pirates will take “a game-by-game” approach knowing that with all the experience returning back to the squad, we should be in for a fun year. Two of our senior starting pitchers, Danny Britton Foster and right handed fireballer David Walkling, will be missing an extended period of time from the club this summer while they attend the Canadian Junior National Team camps. From everyone in the club, we wish them all the best. Another notable player is Grade 11 Darren Kolk who has been invited to the Jr. National Team camp as well, and will be looking to prove himself amongst stiff competition.

Even with three possible starters gone, the pirates pitching staff is far from depleted-looking for big reasons… with the likes of 6’7” Nick Peruzzo, senior southpaws Cody Ouellette and Brandon Roberts, and two right handed young guns, Cody Chartrand and 16-year old, 6’4”, Steve McKinnon.

Offensively, the pirates will look to throw some lumber around this summer with the likes of Jacob Zver, Matt Hohnsbehn, Andrew Young, and Cole Battie, to be the big contributors. Players to watch fill up the bases all summer long are Jordie Denslow, Dallas Morgan, Blake Robson, Jordan Rogers and Jay Huggins.

Defensively, we’re looking sharp with senior Andrew Young and versatile Jordan Rogers behind the dish. The hot corners will be covered by Zver and Jordie Dorman on the third base side; and Huggins and Mckinnon will look to battle it out anchoring first base. Glove men up the middle guiding our infield are Chartrand and Jordie Denslow.

In the outfield there will be good competition for playing time as we have seniors, Morgan, Battie, Foster and Hohnsbehn as well as junior standouts from last year, Robson and Kolk.

The 2008 Pirates have their sights set high this season to repeat a very successful 2007 campaign again in the BC Premier Baseball League. Good luck to all teams! Bring on the sun and come and enjoy another exciting summer of Premier Pirates Baseball!