The Edmonton Collegiate Baseball Club begin their first official season this upcoming weekend (March 23rd and March 24th) on the road. Being that it is their inaugural season you probably are not very familiar with the Club. That is fine, you will learn more about them as coverage ramps up during the course of their very short season - the playoffs begin May 9th. Instead of doing the “usual” player write-ups heading into Opening Weekend, we are doing something slightly different.
It takes someone special to be a sports Mom. I was lucky enough to easily find three Moms willing to do a write-up about their respective sons to help introduce them to you. Their point-of-view comes from countless hours of driving, cheerleading, and playing the role of sports psychologist. Tears of joy, tears of sadness and moments when there is no answer you can give your son because he needs to find those answers on his own. Let’s meet our first player.
My name is Alana Wagar. My son’s name is Ty Wagar. He was born and raised in Lacombe, Alberta.
He played the highest level of hockey and baseball (AA/AAA) through out his high school while living in Lacombe and traveling to Red Deer. He was fortunate to have many incredible coaches and role models along the way. Hockey and baseball were the loves of his life and two sports that you could play completely as they rolled into one another. So, for years, that’s what Ty (we) did, loving every minute of it.
Ty is a very academic but athletic boy. Academics are very important to him. After graduating, he had a hard decision to make… hockey or baseball?! To make a long story, short, Ty choose to attend the University of Alberta for two reasons:
- to take Education where he would hopefully teach high school physical education and math (go figure with two teachers for parents)
- be able to play something he truly loved, baseball, while receiving his degree.
His first year in Edmonton he made the Prospects Baseball Academy in St. Albert. Juggling university and baseball was tricky, but Ty loved every minute of it. With the Prospects, he excelled under the coaching staff of Cam Houston and Taylor Burns, two incredibly talented men, who do not get enough credit. Ty was asked to attend Cloud Kansas his next year, but turned down the offer, as he knew how important education was and if he went to Kansas, his degree would be delayed. So, now what?
Fortunately, the next year (2017) the U of A started up their baseball program. Ty was able to do what he loved, in the city that he loved, while working on his degree. As we know, the U of A program folded. After a few bumps, the following year Ty played ECBC Probation that year. That was a frustrating year as it was exhibition games, but he was able to play ball while attending university. This year the ECBC is a part of the CCBC League.
In the summers, Ty has been playing Junior AAA with the Innisfail Merchants and Senior AAA baseball with St. Albert Tigers. Ty has been with the U of A/ECBC team since the beginning, and it is with great sadness that this will be his last year, as he has delayed his teaching practicum as long as he can. However, Ty has met incredible coaches and friends along the way, life long friends.
Edmonton has allowed Ty to play baseball while receiving an education. Ty has accepted a summer job as Assistant Coach with the Sherwood Park Midget AAA Program. So, as his days of playing baseball are coming to an end, he is slowing moving into the teaching, coaching world. Edmonton has been incredible to Ty and many kids like him, they get to play baseball and get an education. I still believe Edmonton is a hockey town and they struggle to make Edmonton a baseball town, too. Funding is needed to assist this ECBC team if they are going to be successful, but maybe that will begin to happen.
Thank you Alana. You can see Ty in person on Saturday April 13th at RE/MAX Field with Game 1 of a doubleheader beginning at 12PM.
