Saskatoon baseball academy celebrates a decade of success

Hockey reigns supreme in Saskatchewan, especially during the winter months, but there are big things happening in baseball as well.

The Going Yard Baseball Academy opened its doors in 2013, and is marking its 10th year.

(Going Yard Baseball Academy/Submitted)

The academy runs U12, U13, U14 and U15 teams, which train and practise for 11 months of the year and travel to tournaments across the country and in the U.S. The idea behind the program was to give players more exposure and space to develop their skills.

“There was no facility in Saskatchewan that was offering anything in regards to baseball training specifically, and there were players leaving constantly to Alberta,” said Matt Kosteniuk, one of the coaches at Going Yard.

Jordan Draeger, another one of the coaches at Going Yard, said the goal wasn’t to try and pull kids away from other sports, but rather to ensure players have access to baseball-specific training.
“We find that athletes need something other than hockey, and we’re just happy to provide … and give athletes a different avenue towards success, collegiate scholarships and provide them opportunities,” Draeger said.

The academy moved from its original location on Alberta Avenue to its new home at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex in 2019.

“Moving over to Gordie Howe really made dreams become a reality,” said Joel Davidson, who’s been training at the academy since 2017. “Playing outfield and taking reps with the high roof, it’s a difference.”

Davidson said the academy is less about size, strength and athleticism and more about mindset and the desire to take the game to the next level.

Draeger said he’s noticed changes thanks to new technology, which means they are able to get information to college coaches and scouts instantly rather than requiring them to be there in person to see the athletes.

“I was communicating with a collegiate coach earlier this morning,” Draeger said. “He’d like to see video on a particular area on our athlete today when we’re working out, so we’ll capture that video (and) give them that immediate feedback the same day.”

He said those advances continue to open doors and close the gap when it comes putting players in programs that match their skills.

Kosteniuk says he’s noticed a difference in the development of players since the move as well.

“It’s evened the playing field, big time,” Kosteniuk said.

“It was very obvious when we’d go down south, especially down to our tournaments in Arizona … that defensively we were very far behind and we weren’t in a situation where we could compete with other players and teams.”

Getting exposure for athletes is critical, Draeger added, as there are geographic challenges, and it can be costly to regularly travel to the U.S. for tournaments.

Draeger said some Going Yard is now even better than some of the facilities south of the border.

“The collegiate facilities don’t even compare to what we’ve got here,” he said. “You’re taking a bit of a step down in quality of facilities as you take a step up in competition (down south), and I think that’s shocking in some cases.”

Having the facilities has helped Davidson believe he can reach his baseball goals. He said he’s not sure what he would’ve done if Going Yard wasn’t available.

“Without this, I don’t know where I would be at,” Davidson said.

He said his goal is to reach the highest level of collegiate baseball.

Up next for Going Yard are zone evaluations for around 2,500 minor league baseball players from Saskatoon, and three teams will be heading to tournaments in Las Vegas during February break.

The 10-year anniversary dinner will be held March 10 at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.