Celebrating a great 2016 season!

OMBA saw some great baseball, super sportsmanship, and real dedication this past season.  Here are a few of the things that stood out:

• Oceanside Pee Wee Reds win Provincial Championship

This was the First provincial championship at any age level that our association was part of and we can be very proud of this team.  So who made this happen?  Coaches Rob McGorman, Kirk Walper, and Greg Donkersley spent hundreds of hours coaching, teaching, and practicing.   Jaret Abel, Alicia Fox, Nicole Proch and the parent volunteer group was amazing and seemingly tireless with constant support.  But when all is said and done, it’s up to the players on the field to bring it home.  These ten young men exhibited the highest level of sportsmanship and work effort throughout the year and most especially during the championship tournament.

***Oceanside Pee Wee AA Reds – Provincial Champions***

Standing: Will Fox, Ellis Vugteveen, Austin Walper, Will Roberts, Malakye Abel, Nathaniel Abel, Nash Donkersley, Anson McGorman

Kneeling: Kolby Wood, Dawson Meldrum

• Oceanside continues to thrive in Bantam AAA, adds Bantam AA team

2016 was the fourth year Oceanside participated in the North Island Bantam AAA program.  The program draws players from Oceanside, Comox Valley, Campbell River, Port Alberni, and Powell River.  In 2016 Oceanside had four players make the squad and our association has consistently encouraged our skilled and dedicated players to strive to play at the highest level of competition. 

Following on the success of the AAA program and the demand from local players who wanted more baseball, the North Island associations added a Bantam AA team this past spring.  The AA team plays in an Island league from April through July and our first year was a good experience for all involved.

The success of the Bantam AAA/AA program led 13 Oceanside players to register for Bantam Fall Ball out of 37 total players involved.  Both bantam teams have become an important step for local players with their eye on high school and college baseball. Full credit to General Manager Kurt Bowles for his dedication and effort shepherding both squads.

• The Grassy Knoll

After ten years in the planning phase, 2016 saw Oceanside’s vision of a grassed spectators area at Springwood Old Pee Wee field finally become reality. 

Rob McGorman and Bayshore Construction led the way.  Rob along with Mike Cochrane and the Oceanside volunteer team worked closely with the City of Parksville and completed an excellent project.  Rounding out the tremendously generous support were DBL Disposal, Hol-Pro Trucking, Mayco Mix, VI Precast, Parksville Rotary Club, Highway 4 Rentals, and Pro-West Services.

The Grassy Knoll was the perfect fit as Oceanside hosted the Pee Wee AA Provincials in August, providing great vantage points and plenty of shade later in the afternoon to watch our boys win it all. 

A great crowd turned out for the gold medal game between our Reds and the team from Chilliwack. 

• Oceanside hosts Tadpole (9U) Jamboree

Ten teams from all over the Island gathered at the Qualicum Beach rec fields in July for Oceanside’s first Tadpole Jamboree.  The goal of the Jamboree was to give players a tournament experience that focused on sportsmanship, skill development, and a really good time.  Coordinator Sarah Kroeker and her volunteer team did an amazing job and plans are already in discussion for next year’s event.

Volunteer positions open

After ten years of volunteer service Angela Hinz is stepping down this year.  Angela has been a division coordinator and is currently our registrar and Vice President.  Sheila Williams is also stepping away from our umpire coordinator position after five years on the job.  Both Angela and Sheila are amazing people and their absence will be felt broadly across our organization. 

The time for change always comes, however, and we are fortunate that Sheila and Angela have agreed to work with and train their successors.  Both the registrar position and the umpire coordinator position are primarily off-field roles suited for volunteers with good organizational and communication skills.  If you or someone you know wants to give back to the community and support youth sports, please contact mike@oceansidebaseball.ca 250 954 7850 or angela@oceansidebaseball.ca .

Oceanside Baseball 2016 Coach Award  

• Congratulations to all of our nominees!

The 2016 Save-On-Foods Coaching Award goes to Kirk Walper.  Kirk has coached for Oceanside for five seasons including spring, rep season, fall ball, and winter ball.  He consistently demonstrates sportsmanship and competitive spirit for our players.   Here are some passages from his coaching nominations as submitted by players & parents:

“I’d like to nominate Kirk Walper for Coach of the Year. Kirk did a great job coaching in the Pee Wee House Division this past year. He focussed on skill development while fully implementing an opportunity for all players on the team to experience a variety of positions and equal playing time.”

“We'd like to nominate Kirk Walper for the 2016 coach award.  He gave every player on his team, during the PeeWee house season, an opportunity to enjoy the game and spent a lot of time helping to improve their play.   A big thank you to all the coaches who volunteer!”

“I vote for Kirk, he has been a long time great coach!”

OMBA is fortunate and very grateful to have many excellent coaches working with our players. Honourable mention for this year’s award goes to Greg Donkersley, Harold Barker, Lyle Lamont, Rob McGorman, and Adam Strobl.

“My nomination is not for one coach but two. Greg Donkersley and Kirk Walper. These two coaches are outstanding in their commitment to players and to the game. They both run fall ball, winter ball, coach a spring house team and coach Oceanside’s Pee Wee team to a Provincial Championship. They embody what a youth baseball coach should be and lead by example giving the players a positive role model. I know coaching with them and against them they have made me a better coach and fueled my son’s love for the game for years to come. Always encouraging and developing players and teaching young players to play the game the right way. As anyone who has been around them they knows their passion is inspiring and contagious. Greg and Kirk coaches of the year!!!!”

“I would love to put Greg Donkersley's name forward as Coach of the Year 2016. He's coached my older son for 4 years now, in house and rep, and we all adore him. He never misses a practice or a game, is encouraging and patient with all the kids, and will bend over backwards for any one of us. Greg would drop whatever it was he was doing to help where he was needed.  He helped with evaluations and team balancing for both the mosquito and peewee divisions; he donated countless hours before, during, and after our provincial tournament, and was (surprisingly) quite calm during the process. Most of the peewee AA parents were running ragged with tasks and Greg was always there to help alleviate our problems. He stayed for several hours the first night of provincials to help rebuild the pitching mound on Springwood old (in the rain!) and he never once complained. Honestly, I could go on, so my vote for Coach (humanitarian) of the Year is hands down Greg Donkersley, and I think I speak for all of the Mosquito division this year, we couldn't have pulled it off without his generosity and wonderful nature.”

“All great choices but for all the time I spent on the fields this year I’ve seen more time from Greg Donkersley. So he would be my choice. Thanks”

“We nominate Lyle Lamont.  He coached the "rookie"  ball players 2016 season and had approx 40 players around the age of 6/7.  Lyle  had so much patience for his group of high energy kids, a lot of them new to baseball, chasing butterflies and wrestling for the ball.  By the end of our season the kids had gained skills and discipline that will carry them through their sports careers.”

“My nomination is for Coach Lyle.   He has volunteered his time coaching now for the last 2 seasons moving up with my son every year.   The kids love him, and he's great with the kids.   We are so happy to have him as our coach and hope that he will be with us again next year.”

“There are so many amazing coaches that volunteered this year, It will be a hard choice to make.  My nomination this year is for Rob McGorman hands down. The time, commitment and devotion he gives whatever team/boys he is coaching is always the same, dedicated!!! Rob instills leadership, values, commitment, humility, passion and motivation in the players. Rob understand a player's weaknesses and strengths,  he has the ability to tell the boys the straight truth or facts without making anyone feel bad, the boys can crack jokes with Rob and he will crack them back. He has the ability to be their friend and have fun with them and then 10 min later coach them to win Oceanside’s first ever Provincials Championship! Like I said Mike HANDS DOWN!”

“I think that Adam Strobl is deserving of top marks.  He has played a number of positions and is great with the kids.  Adam can lead a practice and have the kids on side the whole time.  He is a good coach.”

“I would like to nominate Harold Barker.  He has coached and coordinated for Oceanside for many years doing an outstanding job and helping out with all the kids.  Last season he coached and coordinated both the bantam and midget divisions.  He is awesome!”

Oceanside Baseball 2016 Umpire Awards

• A key to OMBA's success every season is our Umpire group. These individuals, comprised of adults and children age 13 and older, are indispensable to the league and our players' enjoyment of baseball. The Oceanside Baseball Umpire of Year Awards go to Sean Brendeland, Jarrod Dykstra, and Tanner Strandberg.  Jarrod and Tanner led our senior umpires while Sean led by example as part of our junior umpiring team.   All three umpires did a great job this year and brought enthusiasm coupled with a strong focus to their roles.

Attention All Coaches for Spring 2017 Season!

Oceanside Minor Baseball requires all coaches, assistant coaches and team managers to submit a criminal record check (CRC).

OMBA has registered with the Ministry of Justice so most CRCs can be done on line.

A CRC is required, regardless of profession.

The results of your CRC will be sent to Barb Nicoll, OMBA Risk Management Coordinator, and will be confidential.

PROCESS:

1. Go to the Ministry of Justice website at https://justice.gov.bc.ca/eCRC/

2. Enter the Oceanside Minor Baseball access code: AYV76MV9QX

3. Fill out the on line application

4. Note: some people will have to go to the RCMP station and submit a manual application. This occurs if your name or birthdate matches someone with a criminal record. You will be advised if you need to submit a manual application. OMBA’s ID number for manual applications is 1625218.

Please see the Ministry of Justice website for more information at:

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/criminal-records-review/index.htm

To complete the CRC manually at the Oceanside RCMP detachment, be sure to download the Oceanside Minor Baseball letter of direction designating you as a volunteer so the CRC fee is waived.

Mailing Address: PO BOX 862, Parksville, BC  V9P 29K

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