Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Fox, Birtwistle to lead Golden Tide collegiate team

Published

11 months ago

June 27, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — The group of the Victoria HarbourCats of the WCL, that oversees the Victoria Golden Tide collegiate baseball team, is excited to announce the formal installation of Ethan Fox as Head Coach, and Troy Birtwistle as Associate Head Coach, of the Golden Tide effective immediately.

Fox and Birtwistle, along with three assistant coaches, stepped up this past season to lead the Golden Tide to the Canadian Colleges Baseball Conference final in only the second season for the Golden Tide. Under their leadership, the Golden Tide played a role in eliminating top seeds Prairie Baseball Academy and Okanagan College on their way to the final, coming within one run in the championship game against the University of Calgary.

Assistants Chris Vlaj, Colton O’Brien and Mike Musselwhite also return. Previous coach Curtis Pelletier is no longer part of the organization, which includes the HarbourCats, Golden Tide, and Edwards Family Training Centre.

“Ethan and Troy are trustworthy, honest and respectful people and bring a lot of experience to the positions, and we’re excited to bring back all three assistants,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the group that leads the Golden Tide and the Victoria HarbourCats, along with the Nanaimo NightOwls. “Troy and Ethan stepped up at a crucial time to fill an unexpected void and got the job done, and the players respect their commitment, integrity and character — which you have to have to lead a program like this for the long-term.”

Fox is a former college and HarbourCats player who is now Bullpen Coach for the HarbourCats, working with former college and semi-pro pitcher Birtwistle, who is First Base Coach with the HarbourCats.

Three assistant coaches will also remain with the Golden Tide, providing continuity to this emerging powerhouse program. Vlaj, O’Brien and Musselwhite are former players at the PBL/high school level, with O’Brien and Musselwhite seeing college time with the Golden Tide in the program’s first season. Vlaj was at Okanagan College for two seasons.

Recruiting is under way for the 2023-24 Golden Tide season — those interested can apply here, https://goldentidebaseball.com/play-for-the-tide/

For more information on the Victoria Golden Tide collegiate program, visit goldentidebaseball.com

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Summer Collegiate

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

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

4 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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