Sylvan Lake Gulls ready to play ball
Sylvan Lake’s new baseball team is gearing up for its inaugural season in the Western Canadian Baseball League.
On Thursday, players for the Sylvan Lake Gulls had their first ever practice at their new stadium. General Manager and President of Baseball Operations Aqil Samuel said it’s been a difficult journey to get to this point.
“We launched our logo and our brand the day the pandemic started,” Samuel said.
“The ups and downs have just been unbelievable.”
The team faced stadium construction delays and there was an underlying fear that their inaugural season may be cancelled due to pandemic. But it wasn’t, and the team plays its first game of the season against the Edmonton Prospects on Friday.
“It’s been a rush. It truly has,” he said.
“The year and a half has just flown and we can’t believe that we’re almost ready for baseball.”
The Gulls will be playing in a modified Canadian player only season. Originally, the team had 34 players signed, which included some American players, but now has 24 Canadian players on the roster.
“Obviously had to adjust a little bit based on the all-Canadian roster this summer, but I think it’s going to be a fun summer,” said Coach Jason Chatwood.
“It’s going to be very competitive.”
For Friday’s game, the stadium will be filled to a third of its current capacity as part of Stage 2 of the province’s reopening plan. Construction is still underway at the stadium.
“Once we get into 2022 and 2023, we’re going to build this out to 3,000 fans,” said Samuel.
“This year is really going to be a test to see if we can get to that point, but we’re committed and we’re going to keep going after it.”
Tickets sold out for Friday’s game in minutes. Samuel said it’s a good sign of what the future holds for the organization.
“We’re going to be here for years and years into the future,” he said.
“We want to be a part of this community for a long time.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'