INNISFAIL – It was a day for players, teams and lovers of the game.
"It's Baseball Day in Alberta. This is our regular AA league play weekend and we've got 13U (and 15U) tournament league play going on (and other games) down at the other diamonds," said Murray Reay, president of the Innisfail Minor Ball Association (IMBA).
Baseball Day in Alberta took place this year on June 8.
"It's part of Baseball Alberta and it's just a day to celebrate baseball in Alberta,” he added. “We try and do a few things like getting (the media) out and having a few ball games."
Both the peewee (13U) and bantam (15U) Innisfail Hawks teams played two games a piece at the diamonds adjacent to the Innisfail Arena on June 8, said Reay, adding the Hawks play in the AA Baseball Alberta League that spans from Grande Prairie to Lethbridge.
The AA league includes teams from 11U to 18U. They also have a house league that is 11U to 18U as well, noted Reay, adding they have a 9U (rookie) division for seven- and eight-year-old players and an initiation league called Rally Cap, which includes five- and six-year-old players just learning the sport.
A colder than normal spring meant a late start for the regular ball season.
"Our first weekend of league play we had to cancel because it was snowing," said Reay. "But we've been lucky. We've got some good weekends in and we've had some good ball games," he added, noting the season runs from the first weekend in May to early August.
Prior to the regular season, IMBA is busy with spring training.
"We start in Springbrook in the middle of March indoors, and we (practise) until we can get outside,” said Reay, noting teams practise regularly during the season and focus on a variety of skills.
"We all practise twice a week and we play all of our games on weekends," he said. "We work on all the skills (in baseball), batting, pitching, catching and base running."
Reay also noted IMBA is hosting its annual softball tournament from June 21 to 23.
As an assistant coach for the 18U and 15U teams, Reay said the season has been going well for both and other age divisions as well.
"They’ve both done really well," said Reay. "The midgets' 18U (team) is 5-2 and the bantams' 15U (team) are the same, 5-2 ," he said, noting other teams' progress. "The 13Us are also really good. I think they've only lost one game this year. The 11Us have struggled a little more but they're doing well too."
Reay noted the work done by the town this spring on all eight ball diamonds in Innisfail.
"The town's done a great job of working on our diamonds this year and they look really great," said Reay, noting several upgrades such as fencing, deep aeration, reseeding all fields, fertilizer programs and work on the infields as well.
"The kids love this game and we all have fun playing it," said Reay. "It's even better when the sun is shining."
