With the season over, NorthPaws are calling first WCL campaign a success

The club welcomed players from across the United States and Canada this summer. However, there was a strong contingent of BC-born players who suited up for the NorthPaws.

Tommy Green grew up in Courtenay but plays his college ball in Michigan. This season was a bit of a homecoming for the infielder.

“It’s really been a fun summer,” Green says. “I got to play in front of the family and some friends a couple of times, so that was unbelievable. Really cool to be able to show them all what I’ve been working for all these years.”

Zack Beatty came to Kamloops as one of the top home run hitters in the junior college ranks this past season and kept swatting bombs for the ‘Paws.

The big man from Maple Park, Illinois says he didn’t know much about Kamloops before coming here for the summer, but he’s sure glad he did.

“It’s been a nice blessing. I got up here and I’ve loved it here ever since,” Beatty says. “Got to learn and enjoy the people, and meet a lot of new people I would have never met before. Whether it was players out here, trainers, coaches or owners. People outside of the field, too, like my host family. Phenomenal people for me to be around.”

The quality of the competition was top-notch, as well, as many of the teams drew top players from the region who play throughout the US and Canadian collegiate ranks.

“It’s very comparable, as we have lots of those NCAA here from all over the country,” Green says. “Really cool experience to meet guys from all over the place and it stacks up really good. You really get to see where you stack up against these other guys.”

For the players who came to Kamloops to be part of the inaugural NorthPaws team, there was one thing that stood out:

“The crowd. Oh my goodness, the crowd here was just astonishing, no matter if it’s a Sunday at 1:00, or it’s a Friday at 6:30,” Beatty says. “They’re here and they’re here for it.”

“I’m from the coast — just Vancouver — and I mean, we get a lot more fans here than any other game I’ve been, so… it’s pretty good,” pitcher Sean Heppner says.

Heading into the offseason, there are a few priorities for the NorthPaws — first and foremost is finding a replacement for Head Coach Cole Armstrong, who is heading to Calgary to join the staff as the hitting coordinator of the Webber Academy Wildcats.

“Recruiting players is a big part of it. These guys are going back to their schools now, and from the players we had this year, a lot of them are giving really positive feedback of their experience here in the community,” Daley says. “We’ve had some coaches reach out and say they’re going to send some players next year, but we’ve really got to have that contact point and that focal point so we can get that happening. We’re running some ads and talking to a few people, so hopefully we’ll have something in place by mid-September.”

by Adam Donnelly

With the season over, NorthPaws are calling first WCL campaign a success

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