London Badgers Baseball - News Archives 2012 - 2013

LONDON BADGER VINCE CASCHERA SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT AT GOSHEN COLLEGE
By Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

Vince Caschera of the London Badgers midgets has had to make several sacrifices during his five years traveling back and forth from his home in Sarnia to London to workout and play with his Badger teammates, but those sacrifices and his hard work are beginning to pay dividends.

In fact Vince is about to, in a roundabout way fulfill one of his childhood dreams as he has recently signed a letter of intent to play baseball and attend Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. The sports teams at Goshen College are named the Maple Leafs, and although it is not exactly as he had hoped when he was much younger growing up as a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vince will in fact very soon be a Maple Leaf.

Goshen, Indiana is about 25 miles southeast of South Bend, Indiana. Goshen College is a four-year school. The Maple Leafs baseball program is part of the NAIA and they play in the Crossroads League.

Vince explained why he believes that Goshen will be a good fit for him, “I chose Goshen College because it was the best of both worlds. Goshen provides world class education and competes in a competitive NAIA conference the Cross Roads League. Also I think it's a great fit for me because it's a small cozy atmosphere, where I could thrive as a student and as an athlete.

Alex Childers is in his first season as head coach at Goshen and spoke about the re-building program that the baseball program is undertaking and about Vince Caschera and his future at Goshen, “There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a rebuilding phase. Our roster numbers are rather low, but we have a group of guys who are committed to the program and to one another. The primary focus I have tried to instill with the team is a consistent attention to detail. I constantly remind the guys that you can control two things, your attitude and your effort. I really like Vince's attitude and work ethic. I really believe that he will be able to come in and compete for both at bats and innings on the mound. One of the things that appeals to me about Vince's baseball ability is his versatility. I truly believe that as he continues to develop that he can be a force both on the mound and at the plate.”

Vince talked a bit about the Badger program… what it has taught him and how other people view the program. “Playing with the Badgers has taught me the true meaning of ‘mental toughness’. I believe I can take this toughness with me to college baseball and hopefully to the next level. In my travels both in Canada and the U.S it is evident that the Badger organization is both highly respected and highly feared. For instance, the Badger organization has won both elimination tournament and Nationals numerous times in the past five years. The consistency of winning has brought a great deal of respect toward the Badger program. The Badger coaches that I’ve had have shaped me into the ball player and person that I am today. Mike Lumley’s hard-nosed style of coaching creates great ball players and wins championships. Coach Lumley has helped develop me since day one and he has helped totally prepare me for the next level. Also coaches such as Dave Ramsdale, Martin Warner and Cam Smith have all had a big impact in the way I play the game. The staff at Centrefield Sports particularly Adam Stern have also helped my career.”

Coach Childers also made reference to the Badger program when talking about Vince’s ability and how he first became aware of Vince, “He has good hands on defense and a smooth left handed swing. He also has a calm demeanor on the mound which is necessary to pitch in this league. The thing that has stood out the most to me from getting to know him over the past several months is how much he truly enjoys playing the great game of baseball. The jump to college baseball and the competitive conference that we play in is often difficult for first year players. However, Vince has been well prepared by the Badgers. As with most freshmen there is strength to be gained, but with the weight program we have in place Vince will get stronger and faster. Vince contacted me about making a visit to Goshen College, but I was familiar with his summer team the London Badgers because of tournaments we help Notre Dame host. I saw his recruiting video, had him work out with the team and because of Vince’s high academic goals and his baseball skill set I knew he was a great fit for Goshen College.”

Vince attends St. Christopher’s Catholic High School in Sarnia and is the son of Dino and Lisa Caschera. He also has two siblings, Lara and Tina who are involved in several different sports including soccer and volleyball. Vince also played other sports such as basketball and volleyball, but at the time that he was entering high school he made a commitment to focus entirely on baseball and because of that has had to make some sacrifices, “It has been hard on me and my family to drive back and forth, but it has been very beneficial. The parents and players in London have willingly opened their homes to help accommodate me and my family. I have had to make sacrifices such as giving up school sports and having to do my homework in the car.”

Some final comments from Head Coach Alex Childers, “I am really excited about Vince's decision to attend Goshen College. He is going to receive a quality education and also have the opportunity to continue his baseball career. I am excited about the future here at Goshen, and Vince is a big part of that future.”

The Goshen College Maple Leafs wear Purple and White as their main jersey colours, but Vince has hopes for both of the Maple Leafs teams close to his heart. “Maybe we will win a championship just like the Leafs will!” Vince said.

With that kind of optimism Vince Caschera can’t help but succeed as he moves on to continue his education and pursue his baseball dreams.

London Midget Badgers left-handed pitcher Kyle Zimmer was one of 44 high school athletes honoured at the 2013 Rogers Sports Celebrity Dinner and Aucton at the London Convention Centre on February 11th as nominees from their respective schools for the Alex Kelman SPECTRA Awards. The acronym SPECTRA stands for Sportsmanship, Participation, Excellence, Character, Teamwork, Respect, and Achievement

Zimmer was the Male SPECTRA nominee from John Paul II H.S. recognizing his sporting achievements throughout his four years of high school, and his participation in volleyball, basketball and baseball. Kyle has been named John Paul II's Male Athlete of the Year for each of his first three years in high school.

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BADGER HEAD COACH TO RECEIVE QUEEN ELIZABETH II DIAMOND JUBILEE MEDAL
by Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

London Badgers head coach Mike Lumley is one of 41 Canadian sports figures on a list released by the Canadian Olympic Committee who will be honoured with the receipt of a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for their contribution to Canadian sport.

“We owe so much to those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to advance sport excellence in Canada,” said Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee and member of the three-person panel who submitted the nominations to Rideau Hall. “It is a true privilege to be able to shine a spotlight on these 41 heroes who have given so much to Canadian sport and asked so little in return.”

Mike Lumley commented on what this award means to him, “It is a great honour to receive this award especially when one of your peers has felt strongly enough to nominate you. There are many great people in the sport community who work hard everyday to ensure our youth have teams to play on each and every year. There are coaches who are fantastic teachers and role models who help mould our kids to become striving functional adults. Every single coach I had the opportunity to be around growing up had a positive effect on me as a person, an athlete and as a coach. It's their guidance and passion that has allowed me this humbling honour.”

The following bio of Mike Lumley was submitted by the Canadian Olympic selection committee.

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Mike Lumley grew up playing baseball in London, Ontario and after playing professionally in the United States, decided to help kids from his hometown get the same chances that he had to succeed in the sport. Coming out of Eastern Michigan University, Lumley was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fifth round of the 1988 draft. He never made it to the major leagues, but it just so happened that for the last three years that he played, the Tigers AA team was based in London. When his playing career ended in 1993, he turned to coaching.

Now the head coach at Western University, Lumley guided the Mustangs to four Ontario University Athletics titles in five years (2005-07, 2009). He has been named OUA Coach of the Year four times for baseball (2001, 2004, 2005, 2009).

Lumley has also been a vital part of the London Badgers, the town’s minor baseball organization. Currently the Chair of the London Badgers Advisory Council and Director of Coach and Player Development, Lumley has seen over 100 players receive post-secondary scholarships and over 20 players be drafted by Major League Baseball teams.

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MIZUNO-SOURCE FOR SPORTS AWARD

The Annual London Badgers Awards Banquet which honours the success of players and coaches from all of its teams as well as special contributions to the organization was held on December 21.

As is the case every year there were award winners from each team, but this year there were some new presentations of significant importance.

The Mizuno-Source For Sports Award was presented for the first time in 2012 to Lawson Burnett of the Badger Bantam team. This prestigious award will be awarded annually to the one player in the organization who most exemplifies the London Badgers Mission Statement.

The London Badgers Baseball Organization is committed to achieve excellence and to providing each Badger player opportunities to play baseball at an elite level while striving to move each player to the next level of his game. Through the sport of baseball we will instill discipline, teamwork, leadership, respect, integrity, and the tradition of the Badger Baseball Family.

Additional criteria considered in choosing a worthy recipient of this award were:

1. An association player who is committed to achieve excellence through his training on and off the field.

2. An association player who has set goals to play at the collegiate or pro level.

3. An association player who is a constant leader through hard work and team involvement.

4. An association player who displays respect and integrity toward the Badger Program and the sport of baseball.

This year’s recipient of the Mizuno-Source For Sports Award, Lawson Burnett commented on what it was like to be awarded such an important honour, “To win an award like this is a big honour to me, because I take such pride in working out at the Athletic Club and at Centrefield Sports. It’s huge for me because it feels like my work has paid off, but I know I have plenty more work to accomplish. I think it is awesome to be given this award awesome because there are so many other guys who could have received it, and for me to win the award is such an honour.”

This award is the result of the continued commitment to and support of the Badger program by Jason Rabjon of Mizuno Canada and Colin Hopper of London Source For Sports, and it carries with it the presentation of a Custom Mizuno Glove and a $500 London Source for Sports Credit.

Lawson Burnett was asked if he had plans for his $500 store credit from Source For Sports, “The money that I got will probably go toward a new bat or turf shoes or maybe even some clothes. I am not sure yet. It is all still sinking in that I have won this award”

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FITZSIMMONS AND FIRTH NAMED CANADIAN BASEBALL NETWORK FIRST TEAM ALL STARS

Two former London Badgers were recently named Canadian Baseball Network ‘Canadians in College’ First Team All Stars.

The All-Star teams are put together annually by Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network. The 2012 First Team has Jon Fitzsimmons atop the voting among Relievers and Andrew Firth was top vote getter at Third Base.

Fitzsimmons who attends Canisius College in Buffalo, New York earned the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year award. He was the first player in the history of the Canisius program to win the award which was first presented in 2004.

Jon’s 11 saves put him atop the list of Canadians playing south of the border as well as breaking the Canisius College single season record for saves. He posted a .142 ERA while averaging 12.08 strikeouts per nine innings. In MAAC play, he did not allow a hit or a run in nine appearances (8.2 innings).

Andrew Firth completed his third season at the University of British Columbia. The Thunderbirds play in the NAIA Western Region. Andrew started all 47 games with the Thunderbirds spending some time at second. He had an average of .360 with four home runs and 50 RBIs, powering a team that was devastated by injuries. He led the team in hits (71), 12 doubles (tied) and RBIs. Firth had a .482 slugging percentage, a .419 on-base percentage and a .901 OPS. Firth was named to the All-NAIA West All-Star team and was honoured as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar athlete for his achievements in the classroom and on the field

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Each year at the Annual Awards Banquet the London Badgers acknowledge a special group of players by welcoming them into the ‘Club of Thieves”

This distinctive group is made up annually by players from each team who have posted 20 or more stolen bases.

The following players earned entrance into the ‘Club of Thieves’ in 2012. Congratulations!

Major Mosquito

Minor Peewee

Anthony Polowick
Jaryd Lund
Cole Tucker
Deklan Garinger
David Williams
Ewan Mason
Tanner Zelenko

Major Peewee

Kian Bukala
Tyler D'Alessandro
Riley Garinger
Adam Hall
Logan Muttersbach

Minor Bantam

Kevin Bowden
Daniel Lichty
Drew Caspi
Adam Keyes

Major Bantam

Tyler Foslett
Braydon Giesbrecht
Matt Thomson

Minor Midget

Garan Stevens
Ryan Hartig
Andrew Fletcher

Major Midgets

Nolan Anderson
Preston Carr
Chris McQueen
Andrew Warner

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London Badgers Chairperson and Director of Player and Coach Development Mike Lumley ranked 81st on the annual list of the 100 Most Influential Canadians in Baseball created by Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network.

The list was topped by Paul Beeston and Alex Anthopoulos both from the front office of the Toronto Blue Jays, and it is a who's who of players, coaches, scouts, and baseball administrators who either work in Canada or are Canadian.

The highest ranked active professional player on the list was Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds who checked in at #10.

Mike Lumley who in addition to his extensive duties with the London Badgers also serves as head coach of the Western Mustangs Baseball team is no stranger to Bob Elliott's list of Top Canadians and this year's finish at 81st is a step up from his place at #90 on the 2011 list.

Everyone involved with the London Badgers program should be very proud of the high regard that Mike Lumley and the entire Badger program are held in by baseball observers across the country.

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MATT SMITH NAMED 2012 BASEBALL ONTARIO PLAYER OF THE YEAR
by Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

London Badger pitcher Matt Smith was named the 2012 Baseball Ontario Adult Player of the Year at the Baseball Ontario Awards Gala held at the Nottawasaga Inn in Alliston on November 17th.

It was the second consecutive year and fifth time in the history of the program that a London Badger Midget player has been awarded the Baseball Ontario Player of the Year Award. Byron Reichstein was the 2011 winner, while Ryan Zimmer in 2009, Jamie Romak in 2002, and Chris Robinson in 2001 were previous winners.

Smith who is currently in his first season at Roane State C.C. in Harriman, Tennessee played six seasons in the Badger program. He and teammates over those six years, Dan Parsons, Nolan Anderson, and Sean Refflinghaus all finished off their Badger careers by making two consecutive trips to the Baseball Canada Midget Championships, bringing home a Gold medal in 2011 and a Bronze medal in 2012.

Matt commented on what this latest honour means to him, “It was a great way to end my Badger career… a second trip to the Midget Nationals, bringing home a second medal and then receiving this Baseball Ontario award. It is a definite honour, but baseball is a team sport and without the coaches especially Mike Lumley and the great teammates behind me, I couldn't have been successful.”

The hard-throwing left hander posted an overall ERA of 1.41 while recording 131 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings of pitching in 2012. His finest moment may have been the Bronze medal game at the Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Quebec City. In that game he held the host Quebec City team to two runs on two hits in an eight-inning nail biter that saw him pick off a runner at first to end the top of the eighth and give his teammates a chance to win it for him in the bottom of the inning.

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LONDON BADGERS BRING HOME BRONZE MEDAL

The London Badgers defeated host Quebec City by a 3-2 score in extra innings to capture the Bronze Medal at the 2012 Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Quebec City.

Left-hander Matt Smith pitched all eight innings for the Badgers holding the opposition to two runs on only two hits. Nolan Anderson who was named the Offensive Player of the tournament had two hits in the game, but it was Minor Midget player Garan Stevens who singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning to drive in Quinton Twohey with the winning run.

In morning action the Badgers lost to Alberta 6-3. Alberta went on to defeat British Columbia 4-1 in the Gold Medal game.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the London Badgers Midgets have brought home a medal from the Baseball Canada Midget Championships and the sixth time in the history of the Badger program. They have participated in the Baseball Canada Midget Championships nine times in the past 16 years

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Chris McQueen led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second and third, and he scored on a wild pitch.

That was all the scoring by the London Badgers Midgets this afternoon versus New Brunswick at the Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Quebec City, but it was all they needed as Badger pitchers Matt Smith, Alex Somers and Andrew Warner combined for a 1-0 shutout.

Tomorrow's schedule has the undefeated London Badgers playing Newfoundland and Manitoba.

At the Junior Nationals in Trois Rivieres, Quebec, former Badger Paul Lytwynec has reached base safely in his first two plate appearances as a member of the Windsor Selects representing Ontario. Windsor who in addition to Lytwynec picked another former Badger Ryan Zimmer are leading Manitoba 11-4 in the fifth inning of their tournament opener.

Right-handed pitcher Andrew Warner of the London Midget Badgers will be a member of the Ontario team representing Ontario in the upcoming Canada Cup August 8-13 in London, Ontario.

The Canada Cup which serves as a selection camp for the Baseball Canada Junior National Team will officially begin with Opening Ceremonies taking place at Labatt Park on August 8th at 7 p.m. followed by a game between Ontario and Alberta. Tournament play starts the morning of August 8 at 9 a.m. at Labatt Park when Ontario faces Quebec.

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LONDON BADGERS - 2012 BASEBALL ONTARIO MIDGET ELIMINATION CHAMPIONS!
Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

The London Midget Badgers entered the final day of the 2012 Baseball Ontario Elimination Tournament undefeated and finished with a pair of wins to capture the Championship and earn a spot in the Baseball Canada Midget Championships for the fourth consecutive year.

After knocking off the Tecumseh Thunder 4-1 in the semi-final the Badgers scored a come-from-behind 8-3 win over Newmarket by scoring six times in the top of the seventh inning.

Nolan Anderson came on in relief of starter Dan Parsons in the final to give the Badgers a chance for their thrilling finish. In a classic come from behind finish in true Badger style, the Midget Badgers scored 6 runs in the 7th inning to secure their victory.

The Baseball Canada Midget Championships will take place in Quebec City August 16-20.

SATURDAY AUGUST 4
Round 2

10:00 am ER Brampton 6 vs W1 Sarnia 5 Game 11

WY W6 Oakville 1 vs W7 Hamilton 6 Game 14
12:30 pm ER L2 Mississauga N 1 vs L3 East York 2 Game 8

ER W13 London 13 vs W14 Hamilton 2 Game 20
5:30 pm ER L1 West Toronto 12 vs W8 East York 1 Game 15

SUNDAY AUGUST 5
Round 4

10:00 am BW W15 West Toronto 2 vs W16 Tecumseh 8 Game 21

Round 5

5:00 pm ER Brampton 6 vs Tecumseh 13 Game 25
5:00 pm CR Sarnia 0 vs Newmarket 6 Game 26

MONDAY AUGUST 6

10:00 am ER London 4 vs Tecumseh 1 Game 27

Round 7

1:30 pm

ER Newmarket 3 vs London 8 Game 28

LONDON BADGERS 2012 BASEBALL ONTARIO MIDGET ELIMINATION CHAMPIONS

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BADGERS HOST 2012 CANADA CUP
Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

The Baseball Canada Cup is the primary selection process for the Junior Canadian National Team. This prestigious tournament will be hosted by the London Badgers and will feature the top 17U Players in the Country. Come down to Labatt Park “Canada’s Favorite Ball Park” and support your favorite province.

The Championships will be hosted in London August 8 to 13, 2012. All games will be played at Labatt Park and Dan Pulham Memorial Field.

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MINOR MIDGET BADGERS WIN GOLD IN NEW YORK
Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

They say that you have to wait for those things that are truly worth waiting for. No group of young men would know how true that statement is, more than the 2012 Minor Midget London Badgers.

Nine members of this year’s Minor Midgets have played together since Pee Wee. Over the past four seasons they have never won a tournament.

They had come oh so close. Six times they have made it to the semi-finals or finals of tournaments, twice winning ICBA playoffs and twice losing in the semi-finals of OBA’s.

The wait is over and according to Head Coach Steve Cochrane, the wait, as the saying goes, was ‘well worth it. “The boys have worked very hard and I was really proud of them.” Cochrane said.

The long-awaited tournament victory came this past weekend (July 20-22) in Syracuse, N.Y. at the CNY Thunder Classic in the 16U Division.

The tournament victory was capped off with a 3-2 win over the Syracuse Chiefs in the final, but as one would expect after waiting four years for something and being so close so many times that you could taste it, this win did not come easily.

Matt Bowden certainly helped his team as he threw a complete game throwing only 64 pitches over 7 innings and allowing only 6 hits.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a pair of two-out hits, but the Badgers rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning led by the bats of Kyle Nesbitt and Zach Desa who both singled and scored along with a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Cotton that gave the Badgers a 2-1 lead and the victory was within reach just needing three outs.

Of course as could be expected the Minor Midgets had to fight for everything and had to fight very hard for the win that would give them the elusive first-ever tournament victory.

Syracuse tied the score in the top of the seventh to set up the exciting win. In the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 2-2 Nathan Phelps walked; Andrew Fletcher and Kyle Nesbitt were intentionally walked to load the bases, the Syracuse second baseman committed a costly error on Zach Desa’s hard-hit ground ball scoring Phelps to give the Minor Midgets what they had been waiting so long for.

Overall in the tournament the Minor Midget Badgers posted a record of four wins and one loss.

Right handed pitcher Dan Parsons of the London Midget Badgers held Cambridge hit-less through seven innings to record a complete game no-hitter in an 8-1 victory on Sunday, July 15 at Norm Aldridge Field.

Parsons struck out 15 Cambridge batters while only walking one. Dave Ramsdale who was bench coach for this game said, "Dan could run the fastball by them anytime he wanted, and there was no way he was giving up the ball."

Next action for the Midget Badgers is tonight July 17 at 8:30 p.m. Dan Pulham Memorial Field when they host Stratford in an I.C.B.A. game and this weekend the Midget Badgers will be traveling to Syracuse, New York to participate in the CNY Classic Tournament.

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MINOR PEEWEE BADGERS AT COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK
By Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

The Minor Pee Wee Badgers have recently returned from a very successful trip to All-Star Village in Cooperstown New York. All-Star Village was created in 1999 in Cooperstown, New York the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame to provide a quality summer-baseball experience for 10U and 12U baseball teams from across North America on state-of-the-art fields built with Major League amenities.

As the only Canadian team to participate in the 23-team All-Star Village tournament during the week of July 2 - July 13 the Minor Pee Wee Badgers posted a round-robin record of 4 wins and 2 losses before winning two playoff games and losing in the Semi-final to a team from California, the So Cal Riot by an 8-1 score.

Throughout the week the Badger offense was led by Will Pollard .636 Batting Average, Tyler Davis .467 and Cameron Sanderson .450. Terrell Spring pounded out a pair of home runs while Will Pollard, Daniel Battel, Adam Growden, Aidan Pook, John Geddes, and Colin Carruthers each hit a home run in the tournament.

Some pitching highlights included Colin Carruthers and Ryan Farragher combining for a two-hitter in an 11-1 victory over the Bridgewater N.J. Americans, Gino Pak and Cameron Sanderson only needing 43 pitches to record a 14-11 win over Lockport Illinois Vipers, and Curtis Dethomasis and Daniel Battel holding their opponents to seven hits in a 9-4 victory.Chicago Pioneers.

With an overall record of six wins and three losses the Minor Pee Wee Badgers finished tied for third in the week-long tournament.

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Ontario Youth Team coach Marc Picard and his coaching staff moved a step closer to finalizing the Ontario Youth Team roster for the upcoming Canada Cup to be held in London August 8-13 by naming a list of 40 players who will be invited to attend a final selection camp July 14-16.

Two London Badgers players were named to the 40-man roster. Infielder Andrew Warner and left-handed pitcher Kyle Zimmer. Zimmer who was named to the 40-man roster last year as a 16 year old, but did not make the final cut attends John Paul II H.S. while Warner is a Saunders S.S. student.

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DAN PARSONS ACCEPTS SCHOLARSHIP TO LOUISBURG COLLEGE
By Dan Haugh, Badger Media Liaison

London Badgers Midget player Dan Parsons has accepted a baseball scholarship to Louisburg College in Louisburg, North Carolina.

Dan who is the son of Dana and Craig Parsons, attends Strathroy District Collegiate Institute and has played in the Badgers program since his major Pee Wee year of 2007. The 6’ 4” right handed pitcher was a member of the 2011 Baseball Canada Midget Gold-Medal winning Badger team, and so far this season has a 3-1 record with an ERA of 1.33 with 27 strikeouts in 26 1/2 3 innings pitched.

Louisburg College is a D-1 Junior College. The Hurricanes just finished their most successful season by posting a 52-9 record under Head Baseball Coach Mike McGuire and finishing the season ranked 20th in the NJCAA Division 1 final National poll.

The Hurricanes’ Recruiting Coordinator Jeff Stanek took some time to talk about how Dan ended up in Louisburg and what the coaching staff likes about him, “Dan actually got in touch with us in March of this year by sending us an e-mail with video of himself. Obviously any coach loves when a player reaches out to express interest in his program. Our pitching coach and I watched his video. We liked his mechanics, and we thought that his fastball and off-speed pitches all looked pretty good. A month later Dan was able to come down to North Carolina to visit Louisburg and throw for us in person. When he threw for us, our staff liked what we saw. He is obviously a young kid with very appealing size and frame who possesses athleticism in his delivery. All of those factors put together made our whole staff believe that Dan's best days in baseball area ahead of him.”

When asked about why he chose Louisburg College, Dan had this to say. “I chose this school because they have a great baseball program and a beautiful campus. The coaches here are doing great things. Coach McGuire, Coach Stanek and Coach Brown have completely turned this program around into a nationally recognized school. I look forward to being part of such a great team, and hopefully I can have a great impact on their success in 2013.”

Dan also had some comments about what he expects from the 2012 Midget Badgers, “I really believe our team has what it takes to do it all again, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out. The saying really is true; hard work pays off and easy work is worthless.”

Coach Stanek had some additional comments about what he thinks awaits Dan Parsons in the near future. “While he is here, as he physically matures, gets on our weight and long-toss program, we expect him to be able to fill out his great frame. As he adds that strength and goes through a year's worth of throwing in this good southern climate, we expect Dan to take off here and turn himself into a legitimate pro prospect.”

In reference to that ‘good southern climate’ that coach Stanek spoke of, Louisburg is a town with a population of about 4,000 where the average temperature in December and January is around 12 degrees Celsius.

While those of us who have to spend the winter in London, Ontario might be envious of Dan Parsons being able to enjoy a much warmer climate, we all wish him well as he continues his education and furthers his baseball career at Louisburg College.

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the loss of one of our Badger family members, Trevor Barton. Trevor lost his life early Saturday morning when he was struck by a train passing through the downtown London area. Our condolences go out to his family and to all he has shared his life with.

In his short baseball career Trevor was the 2004 Baseball Ontario Junior Player of the Year, has won the National Championships with the London Badgers in 2009, the Elimination Championships in 2009 and 2011, the OBA championship in 2009 and also attended St. Clair Community College on a baseball scholarship.

He was a huge asset and ambassador to the Badger program and truly epitomized what a Badger is... A fierce competitor who backed down from no one!

I would ask our Badger Community to keep Trevor's family in your thoughts and prayers.

-Mike Lumley

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Taylor accepted a scholarship last summer at Post University in Waterbury Connecticut where he began studies in September. Carr is one of three Canadians on the baseball roster of Division II Post University Eagles. Pitching coach, Forrest Irwin is also Canadian. “Post University is a Division II school that is located in the middle of Waterbury, Connecticut, 20 minutes from New Haven where Yale is located and 10 minutes from Hartford where the University of Connecticut is based.

Carr will remain in the states for the summer of 2012 when he will be a member of the Winchester Royals of the Valley Baseball League in Virginia. The Royals finished atop the North Division standings in the 12-team Valley Baseball League in 2011 with a 31-18 record.

Post University’s head baseball coach AJ McNamara took some time to comment on how Taylor ended up at Post, and he also spoke a bit about Canadian baseball players in general and what they bring with them when they come to the United States to play baseball. “Actually, my Associate Head Coach Ray Ricker found Taylor and did an outstanding job of recruiting him and getting him here to Post. We knew that Taylor had several good offers from other schools, but Coach Ricker continued to stay in contact with him throughout the recruiting process and showed him that Post University was a great opportunity for him. We liked Taylor so much we offered him a scholarship, so things worked out great. Coach Ricker deserves all the credit there,” said McNamara who went on to talk about Canadian baseball players, “I firmly feel that Canadian baseball has done an outstanding job of preparing its players both mentally and physically for the rigors of high school and college baseball. If you look at the competitive high school summer tournaments now, many of those competitions are being won by Canadian teams. Not only are they talented ballplayers, but they also are very mature and savvy when they come to us. Those are big attributes to possess while trying to be academically and athletically successful.”

Speaking of academic challenges and the necessary adjustments that he had to make moving away from home for college and to further his baseball career Taylor had this to say, “The first two or three weeks at Post University was the most stressful time in respect to baseball, because I was being judged by my coaches as well as my teammates on whether or not I was going to be a good fit to the team. This process made the start of my career at Post very stressful. This will continue throughout my term at Post, so it will always be an incentive for me to do my best. “

“The Badgers have prepared me for the intense level of baseball that universities play at. Without the Badgers I wouldn’t be where I am now both physically and mentally.

I think playing for an organization like the Badgers has helped me to get my name out across the border to schools in the United States. Mike Lumley’s status with Baseball Canada has helped me tremendously because many coaches in the USA know who you are talking about whenever you drop the name Mike Lumley. The baseball experience with the Badger organization has only been positive.”

Taylor spoke about Post University and why it was his choice to continue his education and pursue his baseball career, “The biggest thing that made me decide to accept a scholarship at Post University is the fact that the campus is fairly small, so I knew that I would be known around campus and the teachers would know me by name and they wouldn’t just see me as a number.”

Taylor’s mother Kelly talked about his time with the Badgers and what it is like to see her son move away from home, “Both his father and I are extremely proud of Taylor. The Badger program was a very positive environment for Taylor. He has spent a lot of time with those boys, the coaches and Mike Lumley. We are lucky to have such a high level of baseball in this area. Taylor began his baseball love in St. Thomas with the Cardinals. The next step was the Badgers. It’s not just a great group of young men that come out of the Badger organization, but there are relationships that are made between players, coaches and parents that will last a long time. It truly takes a village to raise a kid and the Badgers organization was and is a good village’.”

Kelly told a story about one of their first experiences in Waterbury that illustrates the type of community it is, “When we went to set Taylor up for a US bank account at the TD bank in Naugatuck, Connecticut, the manager and tellers were so friendly that by the time we left, the manager had invited Taylor for dinner if he was ever feeling homesick. It made it easier knowing that I was leaving him in a safe community. The Police station is right across from his apartment complex where he lives with another baseball player Dean White.”

It might be a while before Taylor Carr is back in Canada playing baseball, but it appears that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Coach McNamara spoke about what he has seen of Taylor so far in his brief time at Post, “Right now, Taylor is doing an outstanding job. He's very poised and confident in what he is doing. He has a high baseball IQ and his maturity level is much higher than others of the same age. On the field, he's done a tremendous job at becoming a better defensive infielder and he's doing a very good job at adjusting to wood bat and playing at the Division II level. There's always more growth and development to be made, but right now I see Taylor as someone who is going contribute a lot in his first season and I think he will only continue to progress and shine in future years.”

London Badger left-handed pitcher Matt Smith has accepted a baseball scholarship from Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee, where he will be headed in September to continue his education and further his baseball career.

Smith was a member of the London Badger Midget team that won a Gold Medal at the 2011 Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Head baseball coach at Roane Sate David Lane says that the coaching staff at Roane State is very excited to have Matt as a new member of their team, "We have been fortunate to have some quality players from Canada. Canadian players work hard and have a great understanding of the game. When we began working on our pitching staff for next year we checked our contacts to find the best personnel we could find. One of our catchers, former Badger Brady Stafford suggested that we take a look at Matt Smith to fill our left-handed pitching needs. Matt and his family were able to visit Roane State and he was able to workout with the team. We were very impressed with his command and pitch quality."

Raider pitching coach Zach Sterner who pitched in the Philadelphia Phillies organization commented on Matt and what he sees for the future, "I think he has more in his tank when we tweak some things, but overall I like him. When Matt reports in August we will be working to make him a weekend starter for us. The Fall season is the time when we work to determine if a pitcher is a conference starter, reliever or a weekday guy. We only go after the best so the competition is constant. That's what makes you better, and we are sure that Matt will compete well."

Matt says that he wants to focus on training and commitment this summer, "I also feel I need to work on my command of the strike zone. I have been working on it indoors, but I still need work. That is what I want to do this summer."

Matt and his family visited several U.S. schools before settling on Roane State and he commented on what he likes about the school he chose, "I feel Roane State is a good fit for me athletically because it fits right into what I want to do as a baseball player, and that is a starting position in the pitching roster. I love to pitch and start games, and that's just what I can do down there. Academically the school is just like all the other Junior Colleges I visited."

Matt attends Sir Frederick Banting S.S. in London, and is the son of Cam and Janice Smith. Matt's older brother Aidan was a member of the 2009 Badger Midget team that won Gold in Fredericton.

At the Annual London Sports Celebrity Dinner, Nolan Anderson added another accomplishment to a long list that included being a member of the Baseball Canda Midget Champion London Badgers and being named MVP of the Gold Medal game in Regina.

Click on this link to read the full story. Congratulations to Nolan!

LUMLEY NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR - REICHSTEIN NAMED ADULT PLAYER OF YEAR

At the Baseball Ontario Awards Gala held at the Delta London Armouries on November 19, London Badgers head Coach Mike Lumley received the 2011 Baseball Ontario Coach of The Year Award while Badger Midget player Byron Reichstein of St. Thomas was named Baseball Ontario Adult Player Of The Year.

Lumley's Midget Badgers captured the Gold Medal at the 2011 Baseball Canada Midget Championships in Regina. It was the second Gold Medal in three years for the London Midget Badgers to go with a bronze medal in 2010.

Reichstein was an integral part of this year's Midget Badgers posting a .404 batting average, and he is currently attending Texarkana C.C. in Texarkana, Texas on a baseball scholarship. In 2010 Reichstein was a member of the Ontario Youth Team that won a Silver Medal in the 2010 Canada Cup.

In addition to Lumley and Reichstein receiving honours, London and District Baseball Association Umpire-In-Chief Rob Companion was named Baseball Ontario Level 5 Umpire of The Year.