Oak Bay’s Carnarvon Ball Club will hold its ceremonial start to the baseball season at Carnarvon Park on April 21.
The event gathers all of the club’s members, parents and coaches for some fun, club president Dave Gramlich said.
“It’s a festive atmosphere and it’s usually followed by a couple of good old baseball games,” he said.
The opening ceremony also provides a chance to show off the club’s teams, their uniforms and their successes.
While the baseball season is already underway, the opening ceremony is held in April in hopes of warm, sunny weather, Gramlich said.
Known as the biggest baseball association on Vancouver Island, the club provides baseball and softball training for kids, and kids-at-heart, age three to infinity, Gramlich said.
The club, which has been around for more than 50 years, consists of about 450 players and approximately 41 baseball and softball teams.
The organization offers bantam, midget, and junior baseball programs for teens age 13 to 17 in Oak Bay, Victoria, and Saanich.
It also maintains a softball program for girls age five to 19.
The club is volunteer-based and has a strong focus on sportsmanship, leadership and dedication.
“We don’t award MVP’s or top scorers or top hitters or pitchers,” Gramlich explained. “We give out awards to all of our teams in good sportsmanship, leadership and dedication (at closing ceremonies).”
The home league season runs until the end of June.
The opening ceremony takes place at Carnarvon Park, 2801 Henderson Rd., at 11 a.m. with opening pitches around 11:30 a.m.
Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen will hopefully be one of the opening pitchers, Gramlich said.
For more information about the Carnarvon Ball Club, visit carnarvonbaseball.com.