Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats | HarbourCats commit to Head Coach Haney for the long-term

Published

4 years ago

June 18, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

Five-Year MLB veteran signs on to coach HarbourCats through 2026 season.

June 18, 2021

VICTORIA, B.C. — It’s always good when a great thing can be made to last.

The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce that Todd Haney, the team’s Head Coach and a five-year MLB player (Expos, Cubs, Mets), has agreed to a five-year contract extension, that will see him slated to lead the team from the 2022 season through the summer of 2026.

Better yet for the organization, it was Haney himself who sought the extension.

“We love Victoria. And we really miss Victoria, with what’s gone on with the pandemic and losing two seasons,” said Haney, from his home in Waco, Texas. “Kira and I consider it our second home. We love the city, the people, and the opportunity to lead the HarbourCats program.”

Haney, who took over as Head Coach for the 2019 season, led the team to the third-best all-time regular season record of 39-15, and to within a game of the West Coast League title. He was an assistant coach in Victoria for the 2018 season.

“Todd has been a perfect fit for us, in how he recruits and develops players, how he works with every single person in the organization, and how he interacts with our fans and partners,” said GM Jim Swanson. “We’re humbled to have Todd and Kira wanting to be part of this, and we think it says a lot about Victoria and what an amazing city this is.”

Haney will look to retain the coaching staff that was planned for the 2021 season, including Mark Petkovsek, Greg Swindell, Curtis Pelletier and Troy Birtwistle. Petkovsek, the Pitching Coach, played nine years in the Majors, while Swindell, the Bench Coach, spent 17 years in a MLB uniform — which gives the HarbourCats a staff with a combined 31 years of MLB playing experience. Haney, Petkovsek and Swindell were college teammates with the Texas Longhorns.

All Texas Longhorn alumni, Mark Petkovsek (left), Todd Haney (centre) and Greg Swindell (right), will bring 31 years of MLB experience to the HarbourCats coaching staff in 2022.

Pelletier, the Hitting/Catching Coach, and Birtwistle, First Base Coach, are Victoria products.

“A lot of work is going on to be ready for the 2022 season, including recruiting, and locking in the coaching staff is perhaps the most important part of those efforts,” added Swanson. “This is a five-year extension for Todd, but really I have in mind he will be our coach as long as he wants to be.”

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR HARBOURCATS

It has been a tough two summers without HarbourCats baseball, but rest assured we will be back with a vengeance in 2022 and we expect our games will be the hottest ticket in town! Lock your spots in NOW with season tickets, or 10-game flex packs! Gift cards and merchandise are also available!

Season Tickets and 10-Game Flex Packs Now Available! (NOTE: Single game tickets for 2022 will go on-sale in late 2021 once our schedule is available)

If you are able, or if you know friends and colleagues who are able, please consider any of the following:

2022 Season tickets — the best way to help, one that guarantees you seats to all our games (usually 35 per year or so) plus other season ticket holder perks. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

10-Game Flex Packs / Vouchers — Don’t want to commit, or can’t commit to season tickets? Consider 10-game flex packs – anytime vouchers that can be used in any combination…10 tickets at one game, 1 ticket at 10 games or anything in between. Season ticket voucher equivalents (35 vouchers) are also available. Flex Packs can be purchased at the office and are also available on-line at: https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/products/10-game-flex-pack-general-admission

Corporate Partnerships – Want to put your company name or brand in front of the 80,000 to 100,000 fans we anticipate next season? Or know someone who does? Consider joining us as a partner. From a simple program ad, to the most complex of game day sponsorship, complete with signage and tickets, we will customize any campaign to suit your needs and budget. And with our new HCATS.TV platform and our ownership group’s expansion of a new team in Nanaimo in 2022, the opportunities are now Island wide! Contact john@harbourcats.com for details.

Fundraising / 50-50 – Have an organization that needs to raise funds now? A $1000 investment buys you 100 anytime 2022 game vouchers for our Premium Reserved seats that you can then turn around and sell for $20 each, earning you your investment back, plus another $1000 in return. We will then hold a 50-50 date for you in 2021 and you can bring your group to the park to sell that game, taking home 50% of the proceeds. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

Merchandise – Consider a HarbourCats merchandise purchase from our store at 1814 Vancouver Street, or from our on-line store, The Cat Shop, at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/ New items, including 2020 game caps and player’s gear are arriving weekly and we need to clear them out!

Gift Cards
Can’t decide yet on tickets or merchandise? A HarbourCats Gift Card is the next best solution! Come in to the office to set one up for any denomination, or order fixed denominations on-line HERE. Exchangeable for tickets or merchandise at the office or at the park!

OFFICE HOURS

During this time we are officially open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm. We are often in and out of office however, so best to call 778-265-0327 before venturing over to make sure. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.

For up to date details on the HarbourCats and the 2022 West Coast League season, stay tuned to the HarbourCats web site at https://www.harbourcats.com and join the HarbourCats Facebook Fan Community Group page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/harbourcats

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – West Coast League meetings to be held in Victoria

Published

3 days ago

October 6, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

October 6, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — The capital city of British Columbia will become the centre of the West Coast League (WCL) for two days in October.

The 2025 WCL Fall Meetings, featuring a gathering of team owners/directors, will be held in Victoria, October 20-21. This marks the first time the meetings, often staged near a major U.S. airport (Seattle or Portland) for travel and logistics reasons, have been held in Canada since the formation of the collegiate elite baseball league that evolved from a gathering in Kelowna in 2003, with the Kelowna Falcons as one of the founding members — and the lone Canadian entry until the HarbourCats were founded.

Five of the league’s 17 teams now are located in Canada — in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops and Edmonton. Kamloops, Nanaimo and Edmonton all started play in 2022.

The HarbourCats, who joined the WCL for the 2013 season and have watched as eight former players have advanced to the MLB level, will also welcome the league to Victoria in July of 2026 and 2027 when the organization plays host to the WCL All-Star Game festival for consecutive seasons, showcasing Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The all-star game was held in Bellingham the last two summers.

“The inner harbour in fall will be a fantastic setting for these meetings, just as it will be for events around the WCL All-Star Game next July,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the group that operates both the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls.

Topics expected to be discussed are the finalization of the league’s 2026 schedule, WCL marketing initiatives, and ways to improve best practices around player, coach and umpire development — the keystone goal of the WCL.

“I’m incredibly excited to visit Victoria for our fall meetings,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer. “The city’s rich baseball history and beautiful scenery will provide the perfect backdrop for our teams to discuss the future of the League in one of my favorite WCL markets.”

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Lock in your season tickets today to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Summer Collegiate

All-Stars Hayes and Zenk returning to Owls in 2026

Published

1 week ago

October 2, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

NANAIMO, B.C. — They put on a show for fans at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and they got better as the summer went on.

Talan Zenk (Everett CC) and Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific), two West Coast League all-stars in 2025, are returning to the Nanaimo NightOwls next summer — the priority first signings by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and GM Tina Cornett.

“These two players really enjoyed performing in front of WCL fans, and especially our great fans in Nanaimo,” said Andreychuk, the local product who will enter his second season as the NightOwls’ head coach. “They developed, and they got a chance to be leaders. We are proud of how they represented us at the all-star game and we are very happy they are eager to be in Nanaimo again. These are great young men who represent their schools and families so well.”

Zenk, who was the ultimate utility player by serving in both the infield and outfield, was a spark plug at the top of the order — he hit .289 with 10 stolen bases, four home runs, seven doubles and two triples. The 19-year-old from Brier, WA, had a .853 OPS.

Hayes is without a question the best power hitter the NightOwls have ever had in blue and gold, following up a 19-bomb spring at college by hitting 10 home runs (team record) in 49 WCL games, batting .250 with 44 hits, 30 walks and 39 runs driven in, all while playing nearly every game at first base. The 20-year-old from Anacortes, WA is entering his sophomore season at Azusa Pacific. He was the NightOwls player of the year in 2025.

SEASON TICKETS — The best seats can be secured now! Email tina@nanaimonightowls.com to lock in your 2026 NightOwls season tickets, with versatile fan-friendly flex options to see the best baseball on Vancouver Island. The NightOwls enter their fifth season in the WCL and have had a player selected in the MLB draft each of the last three seasons.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Fall Indoor Youth Training Sessions Now Available!

Published

2 weeks ago

September 25, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

Sessions begin September 30th (softball) and October 4th (baseball). Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2025 indoor training sessions for both baseball and softball.

The “Offseason Academy“, presented by The EFTC, is designed to keep athletes sharp, confident, and improving long after the final game of summer. Built for youth players who want to stay ahead of the competition, our Academy focuses not only on technical skill development but also on the physical conditioning that keeps athletes strong and game-ready.

With a lineup of specialized camps in areas such as hitting, analytics, and fastball skills, athletes can train with experienced coaches, benefit from professional-level technology like HitTrax, and build the habits that matter most during the offseason.

All sessions take place in the same professional training facility used by the HarbourCats and Victoria Golden Tide, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

2025 Fall Sessions Include:

Baseball, Advance Hitting Analytics, $159, Saturdays, 1:15-3:15, October 4 thru November 22. Ages 12-17
The Advanced HitTrax Analytics Hitting Camp is built for serious baseball athletes aged 12–17 who want to take a deeper dive into the analytics behind their swing. Led by Dexter Stoiber from the Victoria Golden Tide collegiate roster, this camp goes beyond basic mechanics to show players how to interpret advanced hitting data, identify areas for improvement, and make the small tweaks that translate into real results on the field. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $299, Saturdays, 9:00am- 1:00pm, October 4 thru November 22. Ages 8-11
Foundations & Futures” is a high-energy baseball camp for players aged 8–11. This camp delivers professional-grade instruction in a dynamic, fun environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and carry your skills into next season. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, High Performance Prep, $225, Saturdays, 3:30-6:30pm, October 4 thru November 22. Ages 12-15.
High Performance Prep” is designed for players aged 12–15 who are ready to refine their skills and maintain peak form after summer. This camp delivers advanced instruction in a focused, competitive environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and prepare for the season ahead. REGISTER HERE

Fastball / Softball, Offseason Advantage, $199, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5-7pm, September 30 thru October 29. Ages 12-17
The Softball / Fastball Skills Camp is built for athletes aged 12–17 who want to strengthen every part of their game during the offseason. With trusted instruction from Maddie Kumala, one of the most respected coaches and players in the fastball community, this camp provides parents with the peace of mind that their athlete is learning in a structured, professional, and supportive environment. REGISTER HERE

There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!

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