By TERRY PUGH
The SaskFive Giants minor baseball program hit a grand slam even before the teams took to the field on May 1.
Now entering its ninth season, the program has seen the number of players enrolled in its six divisions nearly double over the past five years. In 2021, there were 251 players – this year there are 492.
“We’re excited to see the new season kick off this week,” said Sask Five Giants President Brian Hubbard in an interview April 29. “The weather for early May looks promising – certainly better than some past years.”
Player evaluations were held in April; the season starts in May and runs till the end of the school year for the youngest age group; while most age groups play into the first couple weeks of July. Higher tier teams’ seasons go into August.
The Sask Five Giants name originated when Martensville, Warman, Dalmeny, Osler and Langham combined their minor baseball programs into a single association almost a decade ago. Since then, however, the association has expanded to include 20 area communities, with its boundaries coinciding with the Sask Sport Zone 5 borders.
Hubbard said everyone benefits by having several communities in a combined organization.
“It brings all the communities together and builds relationships that carry over to other areas,” he said. “It helps the kids create lasting friendships. During the winter, they play hockey against each other, but in the summer they’re teammates on the ball field.”
The organization is completely run by volunteers, according to Hubbard.
“The success of the program depends entirely on volunteers,” he said. “There are four coaches per team, plus all the parents helping out with scorekeeping and other duties.”
Hubbard noted that players outside the Saskatoon city limits are not allowed to play on city teams, which means the Sask Five Giants association can accept players from a very large geographic area. That puts some pressure on the organization, but fortunately, he added, two other minor baseball associations in the region are also in the picture.
“The River Pirates are south and east of Saskatoon,” he said. “And Delisle has a very active minor baseball program.”
The Sask Five Giants association has four teams in the 18U division, seven teams in the 15U division, six teams in the 13U division, and the 11U division this year has a record nine teams, according to Hubbard.
“In our Junior Rally Cap division, which is made up of players ages 6 and 7, we have six teams as well as two teams in Dalmeny,” he said. “And in the Senior Rally Cap (ages 8 and 9), we have nine teams plus two additional teams in Dalmeny.”
The majority of Sask Five Giants teams play in the Saskatoon Minor Baseball League, with all their home games in Martensville at Mocon Field or Chrome Dome Park. The youngest age groups, meanwhile, have house teams that play each other on small diamonds in Dalmeny and Warman. The complete schedule and results, as well as field conditions, are updated regularly and available online at www.saskfivegiants.com.
There are also 15UAAA, 18UAAA, and 18UAA Sask Five teams that compete in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (www.spbl.ca).
“This year, for the first time, we’ve added the 18UAA category,” said Hubbard. “Now we’re represented in every league available for players to compete at the top level.”
Despite the tough competition, in the SPBL, Sask Five teams are consistently among the league leaders and have captured numerous provincial championships.
He noted that several talented ball players that went through the Sask Five program are currently on college baseball team rosters in the United States.
“Brodie Guenther and Tyler Vanneste, both of Warman, are both playing college ball,” said Hubbard. “There is a lot of talent out there, and the goal of the program is not only to develop and encourage that talent, but also to help the kids learn the value of teamwork, good sportsmanship and other life lessons.”
Guenther is an infielder for the West Virginia State University Yellow Jackets; while Vanneste is an infielder for the California State University – San Bernadino Coyotes.
Another Sask Five Giants alumnus, Oakland Flodell of Clavet, played for a university team in Nebraska, and was on the roster for the Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canada Baseball League last summer.
Hubbard said spectators are always welcome, and with so many teams, it’s not hard to catch a game at one of Martensville’s excellent ball diamonds.