As the leaves started to change colour and the inevitability of Old Man Winter’s return looming, I found myself yearning once again for the spring and the anticipation of another summer of baseball.
Little did I know, those thoughts were about to get amplified about ten-fold thanks to a late-September announcement from Baseball Canada and the Okotoks Dawgs.
Something that has been tossed around for years was finally going to see the light of day: an academy national championship.
The two are teaming up for THE ROAD TO OKOTOKS, a national tournament in 2026 culminating with the inaugural Morneau Cup.
“The Road to Okotoks is a bold new chapter for amateur baseball in Canada,” Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson said in a news release. “We’re creating a platform that not only celebrates elite competition but also supports player development and exposure.”
“Just as importantly, this event helps unify our baseball community from coast to coast by bringing the best together on a national stage.”
Judging by all the details released on Wednesday, this has been in the works for a while and has been well-thought out to make it a really unique event.
And, probably to the surprise of no one, I’m all-in on seeing this come to life.
PART OF THE STRATEGY
The first time I really got the sense that this might actually happen dates back to the end of 2023.
Baseball Canada had just released its strategic plan, which are typically used to outline values, missions, and pillars of an organization as it heads into the next few years.
One of the items that stuck out to me was how Dickson and Co. would be looking to investigate the potential of an academy national championship.
He and I had a great conversation about the plan, but also about the championship, on an episode of Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast, that aired in Jan. 2024.
“I think there is an appetite for that academy versus academy type of championship – I know there is,” he said at the time. “There has been a lot of discussion about it.”
Not surprisingly, a few potential roadblocks were identified early on, including whether a Baseball Canada tournament would be willing to bend the traditional tournament rules of having players represent programs where they weren’t born.
As an example, several Alberta academies recruit from outside their provincial borders, limiting their ability to represent Baseball Alberta.
There was also some concern around the timing, as some programs end with the school year, making it difficult to take part in a summer national championship.
All were items up for discussion as Baseball Canada made the rounds on developing the idea.
IN THE DAWGS HOUSE
With the Canadian Futures Showcase held in Toronto each September, one had to wonder a little bit about whether someone out west would want to host an academy national championship.
From the onset, Okotoks seemed like an ideal location given its history of hosting big events, both for Baseball Canada and the Western Canadian Baseball League.
The conversations started early on about what it would take to make the 5,200-seat Seaman Stadium become the venue for the championship.
They have hosted the WCBL’s All-Star Game festivities for the past four years with record-setting attendance, so top Dawg John Ircandia says the community’s appetite for high-level baseball made it an easy pitch.
“Rather than have our most elite teams go to tournaments in the United States, it is a game changer that Baseball Canada will provide a format in our own country where the best can meet the best,” he said in the news release. “We cannot wait.”
To get to Okotoks, teams will have to get through regional qualifiers, hosted by some of the top programs in the country, including Prairie Baseball Academy and Vauxhall Academy in Lethbridge.
THROWING A CURVEBALL
One of the more unique aspects of this tournament will be a one-round draft heading into the championship week in Okotoks.
Each of the 16 participating teams will be able to select one player from another program that doesn’t make the cut to bolster their lineup.
It’s a win-win situation as the teams will add another strong player, who could potentially be a standout player if it wasn’t for some bad luck at the regional qualifiers.
It’ll be a test for those young athletes looking to make an impression in front of professional, college, and Junior National Team coaches and scouts looking at the next generation of stars.
“This event represents a major step forward in providing elite Canadian amateur players with meaningful, high-level competition,” said Junior National Team head coach and Baseball Canada National Teams Director Greg Hamilton.
“THE ROAD TO OKOTOKS will deliver a true best-on-best environment with national bragging rights on the line — a setting that challenges our top athletes and prepares them for the next level. It’s an exciting initiative that will elevate amateur baseball in Canada.”
RECOGNIZING THE LEGENDS
Another underrated aspect of this tournament is simply in the naming of the trophy.
The Morneau Cup is named in honour of Canadian baseball and Minnesota Twins legend Justin Morneau.
“It’s an honour to have my name attached to an event that brings together the top amateur talent in the country,” said Justin Morneau. “Competing in a high-stakes national championship like this pushes athletes to rise to the occasion, and take pride in representing their teams and communities. I’m proud to support an initiative that celebrates excellence and helps grow the game across Canada.”
It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is honouring the players, coaches and builders who have brought the Canadian game to where it is today and where it will be going forward.
Players like Morneau, Joey Votto, Larry Walker, Russell Martin and Matt Stairs have been integral to the growth of the game in this country, as the kids who will soon be taking part in the Morneau Cup grew up with these players on their TV screens.
They wanted to be them. Just look at how excited Canadian Futures Showcase participants get when they see former Toronto Blue Jays players mentoring or simply watching at the annual event.
WESTERN HOSPITALITY
We’re lucky to get to see some of the best baseball talent in the country year after year.
Even this summer, we had Webber Academy host the 19U Women’s Nationals, Fort McMurray welcome the 18U Nationals, and Regina brought the Men’s Nationals to their respective communities.
The fans and volunteers always come out in droves to make major events like this memorable, and I have no doubt Okotoks and the Dawgs will do it again this summer.
They will also set the benchmark for the future, as I’m sure other programs and communities will want the chance to do it on their home turf down the road as well.
It’s an opportunity to put Canada’s athletes on a major platform to show they can put on a show, giving us an early look at upcoming Canadian Futures Showcase and Baseball Canada Junior National Team talent.
The Morneau Cup will also be a way to show what the teams and programs are all about, providing them with some exposure like you see in the U.S. with Perfect Game and Prep Baseball tournaments.
Lastly, this is a great way to honour a Canadian baseball legend while celebrating the bright future of the game.
It’s another step in the maturation of baseball in this country as we look to show why we are seeing elite-level talent get to the highest levels of the game.
Is it summer yet?
Tales of Baseball 