Young fans race onto the field to greet their favourite players following the Kamloops NorthPaws' 11-4 loss to the Portland Pickles during their home opener on June 6, at Norbrock Stadium in Kamloops, B.C.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
In tournament-mad Kamloops, B.C., it’s not easy to stand out, but the Kamloops NorthPaws, a summer baseball team, is giving it a try.
Looking to build upon their inaugural season in the West Coast League, the team – which is composed of college-eligible players like those in NCAA Division 1 and 2, as well as a handful of local athletes – got off to a rough start with their 11-4 home opener loss June 6, but that didn’t phase the dozen or so kids who crowded onto the field after the game.
The NorthPaws are among the newest recruits to the West Coast League, and play out of Kamloops’s Norbrock Stadium, along the Thompson River. The Edmonton Riverhawks, Nanaimo NightOwls and Springfield Drifters also recently joined the league, which features teams from Alberta, B.C., Oregon and Washington. The wooden bat league consists of 16 teams and a 54-game regular season.
The new team’s loss was surely eclipsed by the sight of the young fans running the bases before greeting their new favourite baseball players – and grabbing a signature or two before their school night bedtime.
The Kamloops NorthPaws host the Portland Pickles during their home opener for the 2023 season of the West Coast League on June 6. It's a summer wooden bat league for collegiate players and has attracted athletes from NCAA Division 1 and 2 teams.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
Kamloops NorthPaws' Cooper Neville sprints from first base as Portland Pickles' Aidan Garza pitches.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
The Kamloops NorthPaws sign balls and hats for young fans.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
Kamloops NorthPaws outfielder Felix Chenier-Rondeau reacts to an inning as he runs to the team dugout.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
Dancers perform ahead of the Kamloops NorthPaws home opener.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
Liam Reynolds pitches to Kyler Stancato.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail
The Kamloops NorthPaws and the visiting Portland Pickles play the final innings under the lights.Marissa Tiel/The Globe and Mail