OLDS — As they prepare to compete in the upcoming National Western Championships, two members of the U13 AAA Tier 1 Olds Spitfires say they want to continue in baseball as far as they can.
Like most members of the team, Nate Reist, the team’s starting first baseman, and Ryder Persson, a centre fielder, also pitched in the provincials, held in Spruce Grove during the Aug. 1 long weekend.
Reist had a great tournament, hitting three home runs.
“It was pretty amazing,” he said during an interview with the Albertan.
None of those homers were game winners “but they were equally exciting,” he added.
His favourite blast occurred against the Calgary Cubs in the semifinal.
Although he does well as a pitcher, Reist prefers playing first base.
“I just feel more comfortable there, to be honest,” he said.
“It’s kind of like an advantage to me because I’m so – well, taller than a lot of other people, so it might be a little bit easier for me to grab some balls and stuff like that.”
Both players would like to continue in the game as far as it can take them.
Reist said the “main dream” for him is to make it to major league baseball.
He figures he’s been playing baseball since he was seven or eight years old; maybe as young as five.
He likes the camaraderie of his fellow teammates as well as learning from the coaches.
Reist and Persson’s pitching arsenals each contain fastballs, curveballs and changeups. They say their fastballs can go more than 60 miles an hour.
During the provincials, Persson started on the mound against the Calgary Cardinals. He was pretty happy with that performance.
"I struck out 10 people,” he said. “Got to the fifth (inning).”
“I walked one person, right at the end.”
He also pitched a couple of innings in relief during one of the Spitfires’ games against the Parkland Twins.
Persson said his fastball used to run around 57 miles an hour but he’s put a lot of effort into that position.
“I started throwing with my entire full body,” he said.
Persson also likes to play badminton. His mom has served as a badminton coach for years.
