Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats leading the way in mental wellness for players, coaches, staff

Published

11 months ago

June 15, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15th, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — Recognizing the importance of mental wellness in the workplace, at home, and in play, the Victoria HarbourCats have partnered with Coastality, a Victoria-based team of highly-trained mental wellness professionals, to assist everyone and anyone in their organization in all aspects of their own mental wellness, relationships, careers, education, and daily lives.

As part of their internal commitment to the health and wellbeing of the organization, their investment sees these services being provided confidentially and free-of-charge to the team.

“These types of initiatives are what make our club special, and we’re excited to double down on nurturing our greatest assets – our people – both on and off the field,” said Christian Stewart, General Manager of the HarbourCats. “In this day and age, particularly in sports, we need to take an active role in helping to maintain both the physical and mental wellness of our team”.

On the heels of the launch of MLB’s social responsibility platform ‘MLB Together’, a component of which is a mental health and wellness program aiming to create public awareness and reduce stigma around the conversation of mental health, the timing couldn’t be better.

“We applaud the HarbourCats for leaning in to this so enthusiastically and genuinely seeing the value, both short and long term, in offering these types of services as an extension of their own organization,” said Leanne Toews, Owner of Coastality and Registered Clinical Counsellor. “Having offered these types of programs in other industries, it is great to see it being taken on in the sports realm as well”.

In addition to the free counselling services for players, coaches and staff, the HarbourCats are also doing a special, “Coastality Check-In” ahead of each game, that will see three HarbourCats players making their way through the crowd and “Checking-In” with fans, and signing and giving away special “Coastality” branded. baseball-themed stress balls. “It’s a way for our fans, in our short season, to get to know some of our players,” added Stewart, “and for our players to make sure our fans are enjoying the game and that we are making our 10th Anniversary season a special one for all.”

Coastality is an integrated, multi-disciplinary team of mental wellness professionals offering virtual and in-person sessions for children, youth, adults, couples and families. Their accessible offices are located in Downtown Victoria and clinicians can offer service virtually across British Columbia.

For more information, visit the Coastality website at www.coastality.ca or the website or social media platforms of the HarbourCats.

The HarbourCats continue their 10th Anniversary season tomorrow, Friday, at 6:35pm as the Yakima Valley Pippins come to town for the start of a three-game set. Tickets for that series and the remainder of the HarbourCats home games in 2023 are now on sale and can be purchased on-line through our one-and-only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at harbourcats.com/tickets. They can also be purchased at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or at the Select Your Tickets box office at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Fans can also call 778-265-0327 to order over the phone.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also still available. For details on all ticketing options, including our special $10.00 Tuesdays, Forces Fridays and Save-on-Food Vouchers, please visit harbourcats.com/ticketinfo.

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Summer Collegiate

Arm injuries in pro and college baseball — NightOwls make organizational statement

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Heimueller has served as a minor league pitching coach and coordinator for many MLB organizations, most recently with the Padres. He has World Series rings for his work with the Twins and Phillies.

With the NightOwls, Gorm has enjoyed working with them all — but especially strong-command pitchers such as Nathan Buchan, Garrett Goodall, Jake Fleury and Josh Laukkanen.

“Gorm loves to say he’s never seen a ground ball leave the park,” said Swanson.

“We see athletes on our team and others using max effort rather than prioritizing strikes — that makes for longer games, too, another focus in baseball. If someone can throw 97, with healthy actions and commanding the baseball, that’s great — but few can and let’s stop turning our backs on pitchers who can get people out with pitch location as the priority.

“There is too much focus on radar gun ratings, on spin rate readouts, and Gorm and our coaching staff will be developing and rewarding pitchers who locate pitches and get batters out.”

The NightOwls are excited about the player roster for the coming season, and the mix of pitchers on the roster — different styles, to create different looks and get the 27 outs required to win games.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – 2024 Season Ticket Pick-up Event

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

WE ARE BACK! 2024 Season Tickets Available for Pick-Up

May 17, 2024

We are inviting all season ticket holders, host families, and fans to join us for our annual “MAX MIXER” Season Ticket Holder Pick Up Event on Tuesday, May 28th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at MAX FURNITURE at 3460 Quadra St. in Victoria.

WHAT: Season Ticket Pick-Up and Pre-Season Mixer
WHERE: MAX FURNITURE – 3460 Quadra St.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 28th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Come meet your fellow fans, grab your season tickets, and mingle with HarbourCats staff and Harvey the HarbourCat as we kickoff the 2024 season.

There will be ticket and merchandise deals offered exclusively at the event.

NO RSVP required but if you have any questions, please contact the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327.

If you can’t make the event, you can pick up your tickets at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street. Open M-F 9AM to 5PM, and Saturdays 10AM to 4PM.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats unveil new home uniform for the 2024 season

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Jai Berezowski and Jalen Sami show off new Expos-inspired uniform for the 2024 season

May 16, 2024

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Familiar colours for a familiar Coach, as the HarbourCats unveil new uniforms

Our tribute to Head Coach Todd Haney, the 2023 WCL Coach of the Year, and his dedication to our organization and the City of Victoria, will be on full display — the former Montreal Expos infielder, and our Pitching Coach Scott Anderson, who was in the Expos organization as a minor league pitcher, are the inspiration behind our new HOME WHITE uniforms, which we think our fans will love, made possible by our incredible partners at Save-On-Foods!

Save-On-Foods

“We’re not sure that even Head Coach Haney realizes how much of the very fabric of our team he has come to represent, and we hope this small gesture comes close to giving back what he’s given to our fans, players and staff over the years” – Managing Partner Jim Swanson

Fans will have their first chance to view the new uniforms at the HarbourCats home opener this season, as we play the Wenatchee Applesox on June 7th.

Tickets are already going fast, so get yours today at HarbourCats.com/Tickets

The HarbourCats open on the road May 31 in Kamloops, the start of back-to-back series in Kamloops and Kelowna, before returning for the June 7 home opener against Wenatchee. The HarbourCats will be on the road this summer in Kamloops, Kelowna, Edmonton, Wenatchee, Ridgefield, Port Angeles, Bellingham, and six games in Nanaimo against the Island-rival NightOwls at Serauxmen Stadium. Teams visiting Victoria this year are Wenatchee, Nanaimo, Bellingham, Port Angeles, Kelowna, Edmonton (two series), Kamloops and Corvallis, along with non-league games against the Redmond Dudes, Dub Sea Fish Sticks, the SIBL All-Stars, and Victoria Mavericks All-Stars.

The regular season runs until August 7, with WCL playoffs running from August 10 to August 16.

Single game tickets are now available for the HarbourCats 2024 season including the home opener on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws. These can be purchased online through our one and only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale via the HarbourCats office or by calling 778-265-0327.

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