After the Canora Supers swept through the 2019 小蓝视频east Senior Baseball League playoffs undefeated and won the league championship, the team was looking forward to defending the title in 2020.
Unfortunately, those plans were derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused the cancellation of the 2020 season. But since there was no baseball action this season on Al Sapieha field, the home of the Supers and Canora Minor Baseball鈥檚 U18 Team, the opportunity was there to make improvements to the playing surface, said Aaron Herriges, director of leisure services.
Herriges said the overall objective of the recent work done on the diamond was to provide a safe, enjoyable, high quality playing field for Canora鈥檚 residents.听
鈥淲e believe it will strengthen the baseball program in our community,鈥� continued Herriges. 鈥淲e want to support a continuous flow of baseball players and coaches from the grassroots level to U18 and then onto the Supers. Having great quality baseball at the higher levels permeates through the whole program and provides role models and attainable goals for our youth. It keeps players, coaches and spectators engaged.鈥�
鈥淲e are striving to create a feature diamond at our sports grounds. Every great sports grounds has one. The field is very visible from the Highway No. 9 and will look great when we have a game going on with large crowds. The spectator numbers were excellent in 2019 as we look to continue that trend.鈥�
Herriges believes the ball diamond improvements will benefit the entire community in the long run.
鈥淚t provides another beautiful attraction and enjoyable recreational opportunity for our residents, while giving any potential future residents another great reason to live here,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t creates an opportunity to host larger events, including sports days, barbecues and others.鈥�
鈥淲e want to create some excitement. It seems we鈥檝e done a lot of that already. We鈥檝e been getting great feedback and the project is not even done. We鈥檝e enjoyed all the honks we鈥檝e been getting from the highway while work was 小蓝视频 done.鈥�
The main focus of the project recently was the diamond鈥檚 infield. Workers included Town of Canora staff members Kris Currie and Randy Danyluk and Herriges and his father Brian, who volunteered his time.
鈥淲e installed amended sandy base soil and grade,鈥� said the younger Herriges. 鈥淲e put in 20 irrigation heads and quick couplers. We put in big roll sod, installed a clay mound, base cut outs, and top dressing; a daunting task completed in two days with a lot of hard work in the sun.鈥�
The work on the diamond was just the first step in the project.
鈥淲e are looking to plant trees for shelter from wind and sun,鈥� said Herriges. 鈥淲e plan to add large bleachers to the park, add some foul poles, and finish painting the team shelters. Next year, if COVID-19 restrictions are withdrawn, we would like to host an opening day event. But it鈥檚 too early to know for sure right now.鈥�
Al Sapieha Field was dedicated on July 19, 1997 at the Bantam C Provincial Championship held in Canora. Sapieha was remembered in the July 23 Canora Courier:听
鈥淗e was much involved in all aspects of baseball, as a player, a coach and an official. On February 28, Sapieha was 43 years old when he died in a car accident near Saskatoon. Shortly after arriving in Canora in 1981, Sapieha quickly became involved with senior baseball and his 鈥榚xcitement and love for the game took over,鈥� said Adrian Rock, a veteran Supers player. 鈥楾he next thing we knew, he was installing the attitude that we could win and we were better than an average team.鈥�
鈥淪apieha worked the team hard and had it enter area and provincial tournaments. He dedicated countless hours to the sport and often put the game ahead of his business. He continued leading the team until 1989, when he felt he could no longer be an active player. 鈥業t was time for Al to pass on his knowledge and exuberance to minor baseball and to his kids,鈥� Rock said. 鈥楢l continued to be part of our team, though it was through umpiring. He did this with the same dedication as playing or coaching, and when he couldn鈥檛 make it, he sent his wife Chris. Sapieha鈥檚 hard work and dedication to this game had brought baseball in Canora to new heights,鈥� Rock concluded.
鈥淚n his tribute, Terry Dennis, Supers鈥� coach, said, 鈥業 always think Al is still part of the team. Seeing his son, Noah, umping home and Chris umping first and topping it all off, but playing ball with his son, Nathan, sends a chill down my spine and brings a tear to my eye.鈥�
鈥淎 long-time minor ball coach, Sapieha assisted Tom Rakochy in coaching the Canora bantams during the previous season and was part of the group to make the application to bring the Bantam C Provincial Championship to Canora in 1997.鈥澨�
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