The Bridgewater Baseball Community

    I grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia called Bridgewater – population of roughly nine thousand. If you are wondering if it is called Bridgewater because there is a bridge over water, then yes, you are correct.  Bridgewater is a very strong community in terms of development. It has expanded rapidly over the past ten years. More companies create more job offerings which cause families to reside either in Bridgewater or close by. It is a very close community. Bridgewater takes pride in letting everyone know that they have a say and encourages those who feel strongly about something to get the word out.  More specifically, Bridgewater revolves around Sport. Sport has brought Bridgewater a lot in terms of tourism, and publicity. We recently brought a Jr.A hockey team to Bridgewater in which are sold out every game. Our high school sports are developing more athletes that will one day play at the next level whether it is in the US or in Canada. The community that I am most involved with is the baseball community, most notably the Bridgewater Baseball Association.

      I have played baseball in Bridgewater since the age of five. I have been apart of many great teams, I have played with many great players, but what makes the players and teams great is the association itself. In 2003, Bridgewater Baseball had a falling out with some members of the association. The aftermath left the BBA bankrupt. It was a sad day in our community, especially for all those volunteers who were really the reason why we had so much success in the first place. It was up to parents, players, and volunteers, to make the Bridgewater Baseball Association better than ever and to overcome the past and look towards the future. Now in 2011, we are better and stronger than ever. There is a board of directors in which takes anyone who wants to be heard and believes they have way it takes to create a stronger association, creating a stronger community. The baseball community is absolutely on the right track.

     For the past five years, I have been working for the Bridgewater Baseball Association as an instructor for the house league program. This program was developed to not only work on the athlete’s skills but to create better individuals. It is necessary to understand that these kids see you as a role model and for them to play a significant role in their community  all starts when they step foot on the ball field. I am here in Calgary to play baseball for the University of Calgary. I am not here just for myself; I am here to learn so I can share what I have learned with the players at home.  To be viewed upon the community as an individual who will one day play an even more important role in the association.

    In order for a community to be successful means there needs to be leaders and followers. It is vivid who are the leaders and followers in my community but what makes the baseball community so strong is the identification of each person’s role. One needs to realize that even if you are a leader or a follower that everyone plays a role that benefits the community as a whole. The successes and failures have made us stronger and I am proud to say that I have been apart of this community basically my entire life.

 2009 - Myself on the right with a broken ankle, next to some future Major Leaguers.