GVBA High Performance Division

West Shore
Triangle
Peninsula
Lower Vancouver Island
Layritz
Lambrick Park
Gordon Head
Esquimalt
Carnarvon-Allenby-Firemans

This page will highlight key announcements and information for the GVBA High Performance Program which will include the Mosquito, Pee Wee and Bantam AAA Eagle teams and the midget-aged Premier and Junior Premier Eagle teams. Newest announcements are at the top of the page.

Eagles Leave the Nest as Inaugural 2010 PBL Season Gets Underway
Both the Jr. Premiere and Premiere Eagles launched their 2010 campaigns over the April 10-11 weekend with double header action on both Saturday and Sunday at Lambrick Park. On Saturday the Premier Eagles hosted the Parksville Royals and after dropping a 6-2 decision to the Royals in Game 1, came back for a close 2-1 win in game 2 to earn the split. On Sunday, the Jr. Premiere Eagles took the field and swept both games from the visiting Nanaimo Pirates by scores of 4-3 and 6-2. More information may be found on the Eagles website HERE. Game action photos from Game 1 of the Premiere Eagles set with Parksville may also be found HERE.

Eagles Daniel Peakman Ranked 28th on List of Draftable Canadians
The Canadian Baseball Network has posted their 2011 list of draftable Canadian prospects and the Victoria Premier Eagles own Daniel Peakman has been ranked 28th on that list and joins Nick Pivetta who is ranked 3rd! Congratulations Daniel! The list and further information on the CBN can be found at http://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/draftlist/2011.

Premier Baseball League (PBL) Codes of Conduct Now On-Line
The PBL has issued Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Players and Spectators. These are now on-line here on the GVBA site (HERE). All those involved in the Junior and Senior Premier Eagles program should become familiar with them before the season begins.

GVBA's High Performance Baseball is Now EAGLES BASEBALL!
All of GVBA's Premier and AAA players will now run onto the diamond as Eagles. From Mosquito through to Premier, GVBA's high performance teams of talented athletes will compete as Eagles teams. Playing under the Eagles name will help ensure coordination of our high performance teams. Player & coaching development, promotion & communication, fund-raising, showcasing & college preparation, and administration & organization will all benefit. Keen players who want to play baseball at its highest level now have a clear GVBA path to follow --- as Eagles players from age 9 to 18.

GVBA's High Performance teams are:

The names for GVBA's Pee Wee and Mosquito AAA teams will be announced at a later date.

Upcoming Seminar on College Scholarship Opportunities - February 19th
Gautam Srivastava, GVBA's Director of Player Promotion for Eagles Baseball, has invited Bill Green to come and speak with the parents and players of our fine organization. Over the past 7 years, Bill has made it his mission to seek out and learn about the ins and outs of college recruitment from some of the top coaches, recruiters and scouts in North America. As a result of his efforts, his son Taylor Green received a huge number of college offers, and from these was able to select the school that best met his academic, athletic and financial goals. Since that time, Taylor has played two years of college ball and is now playing professionally. After receiving requests from many families throughout BC to share his experiences and expertise, Bill began offering a series of workshops designed to clarify the process of acquiring a college athletic scholarship, saving players and their families significant time, energy and money. These workshops are appropriate for male and female athletes in any sport and focus on:

Bill Green has agreed to assist the players and families of GVBA's High Performance Program (Eagles Baseball) reach their future goals as our program moves forward in 2010. Eagles Premier, Eagles Junior Premier, Eagles Bantam AAA and Eagles Junior Bantam AAA --- please join us: February 19th, 7:30-9:30, Pearkes Recreation Centre - Ross Room. Refreshments will be provided.

Gautam Srivastava Named as Director of Player Promotion for High Performance Division
The GVBA is pleased to announce that Gautam Srivastava is the Director of Player Promotion for its High Performance Program. As the GVBA High Performance Program's Director of Player Promotion, Gautam will coordinate a series of activities for the Eagles, Junior Eagles, Vipers and Bears. Working closely with Bob Mabee and other GVBA High Performance coaches, Gautam will:

Gautam is actively involved and connected with baseball happenings for elite baseball:

Stay tuned for information on upcoming events and activities and drop Gautam an email ( gsrivast@uvic.ca ) if you have any questions.

Victoria Eagles Nick Pivetta Ranked 3rd on List of Draftable Canadians
The Canadian Baseball Network has posted their 2011 list of draftable Canadian prospects and the Victoria Premier Eagles own Nick Pivetta has been ranked 3rd on that list! Congratulations Nick! The list and further information on the CBN can be found at http://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/draftlist/2011.

Premier and Jr. Premier Eagles Launch New Web Site
GVBA's Premier and Junior Premier teams have launched a new website to keep fans abreast of news and developments in their inaugural seasons. Team rosters and other information on the teams may be found at www.victoriaeagles.com

Roster Positions Still Open for GVBA Premier and Jr. Premier Eagles
Twenty-eight players have been identified for roster positions for both the Premier and Junior Premier Eagles, however both teams are looking to fill additional roster positions, with up to 6 roster positions in total being available on the two teams. Any midget-aged players who are interested in playing Premier level baseball in 2010 are urged to contact Gautam Srivastava as soon as possible by e-mail (gsrivast@uvic.ca) to arrange a try-out.

Bantam AAA Vipers Tryout Update - Fitness Assessment Date Set Plus Additional Tryout Date Added
The Fitness Assessment for Vipers (players born in 1995) has been set for Thursday October 1st 4:45p – 6:30 pm at Lambrick Park. Also please note that any players NOT able to attend two of the three scheduled Saturday assessment dates (see below) MAY attend the Thursday October 1st session provided an email notice is sent by September 29th to Ron Arcuri at ronarcuri@shaw.ca . For Saturday Assessments players should arrive 30 minutes prior to start time for an organized group warm up.

Preliminary Bantam AAA Bear and Viper Assessments Start This Weekend
The preliminary tryouts for the Bantam AAA Vipers and the Bantam AAA Bears baseball have been set and are noted below. The Vipers are a greater Victoria all star team comprised of players who are 14 years of age as of December 31, 2009 (born in 1995). The All Star Bears are 13 years old as of December 31, 2009 (born in 1996). These tryouts are to select the group that will continue to indoor training in January 2010. Prospects for the 2009 Vipers and Bears need to attend one of two Fitness Assessments (dates for fitness assessment to be announced and posted after the first Skills Session) and two of three Skills and Scrimmage Assessments of the preliminary tryouts scheduled for their age group:

Bears (1996 birth year)
Skills and scrimmage: Sunday, Sept 20 (3:00pm); Sunday, Sept 27 (9:00am); Sunday, Oct 4 (3:00pm). Must attend two. Fitness Testing Date & Time to be announced and posted after first Skills and Scrimmage Session.

Vipers (1995 Birth Year)
Skills and scrimmage: Saturday, Sept 19 (12:00pm); Saturday, Sept 26 (12:00pm); Saturday, Oct 3 (12:00pm). Must attend two. Fitness Testing Date & Time to be announced and posted after first Skills and Scrimmage Session.

All tryouts for both teams will be held at Layritz Park. There is a $20 tryout fee per player that is payable at the first session that the player attends.

IMPORTANT! GVBA BC Premier and Jr. Premier Fall Classic Rosters Announced - Workout Schedule Change
The Fall Classic and workout rosters for the Senior Premier and Junior Premier teams are presented below. Please note that the Senior team will practice at 12-2 pm on Saturday September 12, 2009 and the Junior team will practice at 2:30-4:30 on that same day.

Junior Roster: Allabarton, Byrne, Donaldson, Forbes, Gardler, Godfrey, Hickman, B. Johnson, J. Johnson, McEachern, Niketas, Phillips, Ranger, Rufh, Schulte, Strocel, Takhar, J. Thomson, Webb, Van Wik, Wild
Senior Roster: Adkins, Bednarski, Blashko, Brown, Bryan, Catto, Cuckovich, Davidoff, Dumais, Hawkins, Hull, Koop, Lindsay, Long, McQuisten, Miller, Peakman, Pivetta, Podmoroff, Rebbitt

BANTAM AAA MANAGERS AND COACHES NEEDED

NOTE: DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 15, 2009
Prospective Candidates are welcome to attend the tryout sessions (dates and times to be posted soon!)

GVBA is seeking coaches for our high performance program Bantam AAA Division (ages 13-14).

Positions Available

GVBA administers two teams of the top players in Victoria, in the Bantam AAA League in BC Minor Baseball; the Vipers 2010 (players born in 1995) and the Bears 2010 (players born in 1996). Victoria is the only city to offer both a developmental first year team (Bears) and a senior second year team (Vipers). We are seeking an experienced Manager for the developmental Bears; in addition, we would like to add Bench Coach(s) to both our Vipers and Bears teams. Coaches may have experience or could be young individuals, former players, interested in getting involved in coaching.

Qualifications
Top notch coaches serve as teachers, mentors, role models, friends, and as leaders in the community. Coaches have an enormous impact on the development of our youth, and enable a great learning experience. GVBA is looking for special leaders who will help impressionable, young athletes grow their love of the great game of baseball. We want coaches who create a demanding yet supportive team atmosphere that allows for individual growth and athlete development; we want coaches who will treat players with dignity and respect. GVBA wants to sign-up coaches who are very good at teaching teamwork, building character, and strengthening fundamental skills of keen and committed ball players. If you have the following qualifications, we may have an opportunity for you:

* Young adult coaches might not possess the track record as a coach for the listed qualifications, but may identify similar capacities or skills as a current/former player.

The Vipers and Bears host initial player tryouts in late September/early October 2009 (dates and times TBA). Indoor training and final player cut downs occur from mid-January, through late February 2010. League play starts in late March 2010 and runs through August 2010. The Vipers and Bears play in the Bantam AAA league, consisting of as many as 14 teams on the island and across the lower mainland. The teams generally have one Manager and two to three position or bench Coaches. The teams carry 13 to 14 players.

If you are interested in joining this growing baseball organization as a coach or manager, please apply now. The deadline for applications is October 15, 2009. Please send your resume through email to amsomers@shaw.ca. Questions may also be directed to the same email address.

A MESSAGE FROM TED HOTZAK, PRESIDENT, BCPBL
"The board of directors of the Premier Baseball Association is pleased to announce that approval has been given for a second premier team in Victoria. The addition of a second premier team will give all players the opportunity to play baseball at the highest level in the province in a league that has become known as “the best high school league in Canada." All parents and players who want to participate on a high performance baseball team within the Premier Baseball League (PBL), should be aware that there are two teams in Victoria and that they may try out for either team - the Mariners or the new GVBA team. New players to the PBL (regardless of age), are encouraged to review what both programs have to offer and try out for the team that they feel offers what they would like in a High Performance Program. The board is confident that both programs will offer quality instruction and provide a positive playing experience for all players. The development of players and the promotion of baseball will be the focus of both programs. Players who were on the 2009 Mariners Junior and Senior rosters, are grandfathered to the Mariners. For information about the two teams please visit the team websites: Victoria GVBA - www.victoriabaseball.com; Victoria Mariners - www.victoriamariners.com"

GVBA HPD Program INFORMATION NIGHT AND PARENT MEETING
Parents and players interested in learning more about the new GVBA midget-aged Premier and Jr. Premier teams should attend the upcoming information night scheduled for Thursday September 3, 2009 at 7:00PM in the Red Barn at Lambrick Park.

"Identification Camps" Now Set for the New GVBA BC Premier and Jr. Premier Teams
All players interested in trying-out for GVBA's new midget-aged Premier and Junior Premier teams should come to the first set of identification camps and assessments. Please attend and "show us what you have" if were born in 1992, 1993 or 1994 and want to play for the new teams in town. Tryout dates, times and locations include: Saturday September 5th, 12:00 NOON at LAMBRICK PARK, Sunday September 6th at 12 NOON at LAYRITZ PARK (New Diamond) and and Saturday September 12th at 12:00 NOON at LAMBRICK PARK.. Please use the link below to submit your registration information or CLICK HERE!

Premier Teams Coaching Staff Announced
GVBA is very pleased to announce that we have secured two top-notch coaching staffs for our Premier and Junior Premier teams, an important part of our High Performance Program. The Junior Premier Team will be Managed by Gautam Srivastava, with the assistance of Head Coach Jordan Will, Coach Steve Bailey, and Coach Duane Bertrand. The Premier Team will be Managed by Bob Mabee, with the assistance of Head Coach Marc Zdunich, Coach Ken Lamberton, and Coach Martin Winstanley. Bio's on the key members of each coaching staff follow below.

Bob Mabee:

Involved in Victoria Baseball for over 50 years
Canadian National Team member in 1970
Coached Mavericks League, Little League All Stars, Victoria Rockets
Manager/Head Coach BC Premier League Mariners, 2001-2003
Manager/Head BC Premier Mariners National Championship Team 2002
Manager/Head Coach Bantam AAA Bears and Vipers, 2004 and 2005
Son, Henry Mabee, currently pitching for the Chicago White Sox AA affiliate, the Birmingham Barons.

Marc Zdunich:

30 years of baseball playing and coaching experience
Player for University of Tampa Spartans, along with Fred McGriff, Tino Martinez and Gary Sheffield
Certified in 2005 by Oakland A's as professional hitting instructor
Coach and hitting instructor with Lower Vancouver Island Baseball (Capitals, Midget AAA Mariners), 2005 to 2009.

More Premier Baseball for Victoria Players - GVBA Awarded BCPBL Teams!
On August 27, 2009 President Ted Hotzak of the BC Premier Baseball League (BCPBL) announced that the Greater Victoria Baseball Association (GVBA) has been awarded a BC Premier and a BC Junior Premier franchise in time for the 2009/2010 season. The vote of the BCPBL Board in favour of GVBA's franchise application was unanimous. With GVBA receiving its franchise, Victoria now has two BCPBL franchises. This is a very important decision for players and parents in Victoria, as there will now be a choice of two different BC Premier programs for this coming season --- for players born in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The mission of the GVBA's High Performance Program is to develop and sustain a high quality program that enables young athletes to enjoy the great game of baseball and to develop the skills and confidence to pursue their aspirations. We are looking forward to having your player and their family join our program for a great year of baseball in 2009/2010.

CALL FOR COACHES - High Performance Division
GVBA wants to hear from you if you want to be a coach in our Midget-age high performance program. Send us an application through e-mail and let us know why you should be at the top-of-the-list for a Premier, Junior Premier or Midget AAA team. GVBA is looking for special leaders who will help impressionable, young athletes grow their love of the great game of baseball. We want coaches who create a demanding yet supportive team atmosphere that allows for individual growth and athlete development; we want coaches who will treat players with dignity and respect. GVBA wants to sign-up coaches who are very good at teaching teamwork, building character, and strengthening fundamental skills of keen and committed ball players. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED and more details. If you are interested in becoming a coach of a midget-age team in GVBA’s High Performance Division, please send a letter and resume to jmpaul@shaw.ca. We look forward to hearing from you.

GVBA Announces Formation of High Performance MIDGET Division
The Greater Victoria Baseball Association (GVBA) decided at its July 15, 2009 Board Meeting to initiate, direct and manage a high performance program for midget-age players. GVBA will now be expanding its program beyond Bantam AAA (Bears and Vipers) in order to enable players to move smoothly into the higher age bracket. Effective for the 2009/2010 season, GVBA will be providing a new Midget AAA/Premier option for parents and players to consider. GVBA intends to offer Midget AAA and/or a Junior Premier…and a Premier team. A High Performance Division (HPD) - comprised of current GVBA board members and other respected members of the baseball community - will provide overall coordination for GVBA Midget-age high performance teams. Among other key functions, the HPD will be responsible for selecting and supervising the head coaches for the teams. It will also coordinate GVBA's other high performance teams in the Mosquito, Pee Wee and Bantam divisions. The High Performance Division will report directly to the Board of GVBA. Over the coming weeks, GVBA will be recruiting head coaches for its midget-age high performance teams. All top-notch coaches are encouraged to express their interest. Details will be posted soon here. Questions or queries about GVBA's midget-age high performance program should be directed to Joe Stephenson, Vice President, GVBA through: jstephenson@shaw.ca