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NorthPaws  Secure New Pitching Coach

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KAMLOOPS, BC—The Kamloops NorthPaws have gone to California to secure their new pitching coach.  The WestCoast League team is pleased to announce that T.C. Fairfield has agreed to lead their pitchers in the 2024 season.

“I am super excited to be part of a budding franchise in a league I remember participating in way back when I went to Pacific University in 2012-13,” he says.   Fairfield played for Portland that season.

“I’ve wanted to be a coach in this league since I started doing summer ball back in 2017 and Kamloops is an awesome spot to do it in.”

Fairfield likes what he sees in the Kamloops franchise.  “The ownership and front office group have a very strong vision for building a successful team within an awesome sports community. When interviewing for this position, I was really craving a commitment to a growth mindset in the organization from the top down.  The NorthPaws willingness to completely invest in the players and team experience, as well as improving the stadium experience really stood out to me and made me want to jump aboard.”

Fairfield and new head coach Jose Bautista have already had a few conversations about how they want the pitching staff to work.

“I am super excited to work with Jose. His style meshes so nicely with mine. It is going to be so much fun having two guys on the same wave length.  He is kind of a pro style guy as well.  We have to let the guys learn from mistakes and being there to help them. We will respect the game and handle our business the right way. We are going to have a club that is really talented and something Kamloops can be proud of as representative.”

What about the aspect of a large pitching staff?  Fairfield says bring it on. “There will be more than 20 pitchers. Right now, we have 16 pitchers who we have offered contracts. We are expecting 10 or so more within the next month. When I was at San Jose State, as a pitching coach—we had 24 pitchers.  20 would be light. I am ready for it. Getting to know the different personalities and stories—it is so exciting.”

“My pitching philosophy is different from most people,’ he explains. “ I believe every single guy is an individual and is different. I can’t go into this thinking that every pitcher will operate the same way. It is more of a personal connection. Getting to know them, their styles and what it takes to get the most out of them. I think that getting the most out of each guy through their skill set and strength makes me a better coach as well.”

Fairfield says he is more of a mental coach than a mechanical one.

“The summer season is a short one, but the newest NorthPaws coach thinks he can pass on some helpful tips for the pitchers game.  “ You get guys who have this small window of opportunity to improve their skills.  It is my job to send them back to their coaches in University with a better idea of managing their day to day routine and their arsenal. The short season gives the players a sense of urgency to improve and maximize their skills. I can’t make you superman in two months but I can help you learn more about yourself and better schedule a routine and a maintenance plan or work on a grip.”

Fairfield has seven years of head coaching experience in summer baseball including with the South Bay Storm in San Jose  and the Dubsea Fishsticks in Seattle last season.   He is currently the pitching coach at Gavilan College in Gilroy, California.

“I love baseball,” he states.  “You can’t take me away from being on the field.  I love sharing experiences and helping others in their journey loving this game.”

Fairfield adds, “The chance to work with top level talent and help them develop as ballplayers and professionals is always fun.  The higher level of competition involved the more fun it gets.”

Fairfield hasn’t been to Canada.  He is looking forward to working and living in Kamloops and enjoying the natural surroundings including the North and South Thompson Rivers.

Academically, Fairfield is a graduate of Pacific University in Oregon (2014) and has a Masters degree in Kinesiology (2016) from Fresno Pacific University in California.

Article written by Larry Read

All inquiries to General Manager Jenna Forter – jforter@northpawsbaseball.ca

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Middle infield combo, power corner infielders added by HarbourCats

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Above:  Infielder Jake Butler from George Mason University should be a key cog in the middle infield for the HarbourCats in 2025. 

March 24, 2025

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA — It’s always a bonus to find a double-play combo from the same school, especially one as strong as George Mason University (GMU).

The Victoria HarbourCats are excited to add middle infielders Owen Clyne, who starts at short, and Jake Butler, his usual counterpart at second but also able to play third, from GMU — the school that provided star catcher Connor Dykstra, who signed in July with the Seattle Mariners.

“This group we are announcing today, we will be counting on them to lead key parts of our team this summer,” said HarbourCats GM Christian Stewart.

“Butler and Clyne are impressing everyone this spring, and JC Allen from UC San Diego is off to a strong start as well. Our offense just got even stronger with these four signings, and you know (head coach) Todd Haney will get the most out of them.”

Announced as signed today, by Coach Haney:

IF Owen Clyne, George Mason, L/R, 6-2/185, Wichita, KS
IF Jake Butler, George Mason, R/R, 5-11/185. Towson, MD
IF JC Allen, UC San Diego, R/R, 6-4/210, Irvine, CA
IF/OF Curtis McKay, Niagara, R/R, 6-3/205, Dorchester, ON

Clyne, batting .363, has 28 RBIs in 24 games so far this season, with three home runs, nine extra-base hits and more walks than strikeouts. Butler has 35 runs driven in and is batting .326 with a .457 on-base clip in 20 games.

UC SanDiego’s JC Allen is another player who should see plenty of playing time in the HarbourCats infield in 2025.

Allen is off to a huge start at the D1 level, after two years at Saddleback College, with six home runs and 24 RBIs in his first 22 games for UC SAN Diego. He hit 13 bombs in his second season at Saddleback. He can play either corner infield spot, or get his bat active in the DH role.

McKay, from Ontario, can play corner infield or outfield, is batting .303 with four home runs and an RBI per game (22 total) over 18 starts at Niagara.

The HarbourCats open their 2025 home schedule on Friday, June 6, with the Port Angeles Lefties visiting Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP. Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and three “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Tickets can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

ATTENTION 2024 SEASON TICKET HOLDERS – FINAL NOTICE! If you have not already done so, please renew your seats for 2025 so that they can be locked into the new ticketing system. Season Tickets will be sent to all members electronically this season on April 1, 2025, perhaps sooner. Any seats not renewed by MONDAY, March 31 will be released and placed back into the system. Contact Christian at the office at 778-265-0327 to renew.

 

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Victoria HarbourCats – KidSport celebrating notable anniversary with HarbourCats in 2025

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March 18, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Count ’em, 25 years of helping youth enjoy sports.

KidSport Greater Victoria is teaming up with the Victoria HarbourCats to celebrate an amazing 25 years of assisting kids in the pursuit of both participation and excellence in local sports, with planned events this summer at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

And, not the least of which is the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, a Thursday matchup starting at 11am featuring the HarbourCats and island rival Nanaimo NightOwls, with many schools all but emptying to take in the action and helping celebrate this tremendous achievement for KidSport Greater Victoria.

“We can’t think of a better community organization to have involved with this, the KidSport School Spirit game,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats.

“This will be a season-long theme of celebration, of reminding our fans of the great work they do and have done for so long in Victoria. Each and every game, people will have an opportunity to show their support for KidSport Greater Victoria, including a few special events outside this School Spirit Game.”

This will be the second Thursday game in a row in the HarbourCats home schedule in 2025 which will be dedicated to kids — on June 12, the Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Game will take place, also an 11am start featuring the HarbourCats and NightOwls. KidSport Greater Victoria and Mayfair Optometric Clinic are aligned with community values and supporting youth, making this an ideal match to welcome a combined total of more than 5,000 school kids to the park.

“We are so grateful for the past and ongoing support the HarbourCats have offered KidSport, and very excited about the various ways our organizations will work together this year,” said Jill Shaw, Executive Director of KidSport Greater Victoria. “Demand for our support is at an all-time high. We are seeing more families than ever coming to us in need of help so their children can access organized sport. The HarbourCats June 19th School Spirit Game is a great opportunity both to raise awareness about the work we do, and to offer local kids great access to another fun and rewarding local sport experience – we are very happy to be involved!”

KidSport Greater Victoria will also be front and centre on Harvey’s Birthday Game on July 11 at Wilson’s Group Stadium, and will be involved in other special games that are still to be announced.

Supporting KidSport will be a constant theme of the HarbourCats in this 2025 West Coast League season. The HarbourCats encourage all who can to contribute to this great cause, which you can action by clicking this link (https://www.kidsportvictoria25.ca/).

KidSport Greater Victoria has seen tremendous growth over the last 25 years, with demand for their support increasing very steeply starting in 2023 in particular. KidSport Greater Victoria exists to help ensure all kids have opportunity to play; annually they cover the registration fees for well over 1400 local kids living in financial need, enabling them to take part in seasons of sport of their choice – including baseball! As the largest KidSport chapter in the province, we know that on just about every sports team in the region, there are children playing who are able to take part thanks to KidSport and the supporters and donors who make their work possible.

To order tickets as a school group for the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, or the June 12 Mayfair Optometric Clinic School Spirit Game, contact GM Christian Stewart, chris@harbourcats.com — some seats are left, but not many!

For fans looking for tickets for these exciting games, and any other HarbourCats game in 2025, visit the HarbourCats ticketing site HERE.

 

 

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Star Vegas catcher, Hawaii Pacific players added to summer roster

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Unveiled today for Coach Andreychuk’s roster in 2025:

C Anthony Marnell IV, S/R, College of Southern Nevada (and Oregon State), 6-2/200, Las Vegas

RHP Zach Horwith, R/R, 6-1/200, Bellarmine University, Castle Rock, CO

RHP Brennan Kettle, R/R, 6-0/155, Hawaii Pacific, Houston, TX

SS Andrew Nykoluk, R/R, 5-10/165, Hawaii Pacific, Simi Valley, CA

RHP Jayden Gabrillo, L/R, Hawaii Pacific, 5-8/165, Ewa Beach, HI

OF Owen Wessel, R/R, 5-8/165, Hawaii Pacific, Huntington Beach, CA

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