Victoria Eagles Baseball, the high-performance baseball program playing out of Carnarvon and Lambrick parks and home to a number of West Shore players, partnered with Island’s Triple Play Athletics to help young athletes pursue goals of playing at the college and university level.
The two launched their collaboration at the Pacific Institute of Sports Excellence recently, said Martin Winstanley, chair of Eagles Baseball.
Triple Play Athletics president Bill Green, a recently retired school principal, has also served in leadership roles at the provincial and national levels and was an instructor at the Camosun College Centre for Sport and Exercise Education.
Green’s son, Taylor, worked his way through the college and university systems to professional ball where he played for Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers, in addition to playing with the Canadian National Baseball team.
The joint Eagles-Triple Play Athletics program is rooted in fundamental life lessons and values, Winstanley said.
The goal of the program “is to develop confident, competent student-athletes who value hard work and taking ownership of their futures.
Eagles players involved in the college selection and scholarship process will own and appreciate what it took to achieve their goals. This learning experience boosts their chances of success in baseball and life.”
Green also developed an online Athlete’s Academy (The PACE Academy) that allows student-athletes to take accredited, athlete-focused Ministry of Education courses online to enhance their academic and athletic skills outside the regular classroom.
PACE, which is free to B.C. students, allows Eagles student athletes to stay at their home school and develop fitness and skill programs on their own schedule, Winstanley said.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com