It's been a truly special year for Estevan Minor Baseball's Brewers program.
Two teams, the U11 and U13 AAs, won Baseball Regina league championships after also winning regular season titles. The U11 AAs likely didn't have the results they wanted at provincials, but they still had what was undeniably a memorable year. The U13s will be at provincials this weekend.
The U15 AA Brewers had a strong season in league play and made it to their provincial semifinal. The U18 AA Brewers have had a great year in league play, too.
To top it off, the Southeast U18 AAA Twins, which play home games in Estevan and have a number of Estevan players, are having one of the best seasons in their program's history.
Seasons like this don't come around often. You'll often see a couple of teams thrive. One team might be okay. Another will struggle. So to have five teams all having great campaigns, it should be savoured by everyone involved, because you don't know when it will happen again.
Obviously, youth sports are about far more than just wins and losses. Baseball is no different. Above all else, it's about helping these kids find a love for the sport and building their skills year after year. It's about making friends, creating memories and learning some of the life lessons and skills that can be built through sport.
It's why kids all have to be given the chance to play, especially at the lower levels.
And teams are tasked with getting kids ready to play at the next age group, because they only get two years in most divisions.
But winning is still fun. It makes the season go by a little quicker, it makes the road trips a little more enjoyable (especially the ride home after a victory) and it makes all of the practices that much better. If you win a provincial title, well, maybe there's a trip to Western Canadians in the offing, perhaps to a community you've never been to previously.
Looking back years later, an adult might not view the season with a championship as their favourite, but there's always pride when they return to the ballpark and see a championship banner.
Local minor baseball isn't just about the Brewers, either. The age-rep. teams might get the attention and the accolades after winning a title. But these are just one team in each age group.
The Brewers give kids something to aspire to, but age-rep. teams don't exist without the minor ball organization. And minor ball doesn't exist without all of the house league teams in each age group who account for the bulk of the players, coaches and volunteers.
And there are also all of the players in the age groups that are too young to have a AA team.
It's great to see Estevan Minor Baseball rewarded for its efforts of the past few years. Last year was memorable. The U13 Brewers won a Western Canada Baseball Championship, the second ever for Estevan Minor Baseball. They did it as the host team, and they won convincingly, too.
The U15 Brewers made it to the final of Westerns, and the U18 Brewers were in the semifinal round.
Estevan hosted provincials in 2021 and 2022 as well, reminding people in Saskatchewan's baseball community about the facilities we have here, the people we have, and all that we can offer.
It's been great to see minor baseball carry over the momentum of last year. It's meant a lot of celebrations for the kids, a lot of post-game high fives, and a lot of excitement for the ride home.
It's a testament to the commitment and the ability of the players, the coaches and the volunteers that these clubs have had this kind of a season.
But everyone involved with these teams shows a lot of commitment during the down years.
If they don't have the same success next year, does that mean it’s a failure? Of course not.
Last year the Estevan Softball Association added two provincial titles to their list of accomplishments. It was wonderful to see. But that doesn't mean this year was a waste if they don't win anything. In the end, it can't be their primary focus.
Championships and banners are nice, and at the professional level, they can be the be-all and end-all. But when dealing with athletes aren't old enough to drive yet, there's more to the game than winning.
Still, regardless of how the remaining teams fare this season, hopefully the players realize how lucky they have to be part of a season like this.
