MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Alberta Premier Baseball League includes highschool teams from across southern Alberta.
The Talons of Eagle Butte High School first joined the league this year.
This could mean tougher competition for the senior team.
The Alberta Premier Baseball League was scheduled to start in 2020 before the COVID-19 outbreak.
They were only able to begin full operation last year.
It is Lyall Foran’s first year as program director for the baseball team.
One of his first goals was to get the Talons into the new league.
“Medicine Hat teams and Lethbridge came together for the first time in quite a few years, and through that we formed the Alberta Premier Baseball League,” Foran stated.
He mentions, “for quite a while Eagle Butte would just have a team in the Southern Alberta High School Baseball League. They’ve traditionally done pretty well in that league, so I just thought it was time to take a step in the right direction and move these guys up one level.”
Both McCoy and Medicine Hat High school are in the league as well.
Third year catcher Graceon Little feels his team is prepared to take on some harder competition.
“The last couple years were developmental for sure, and then this year we really stepped it up. We’re taking pride in what we do, we’re game on this year,” Little said.
This is second baseman Ryan Miller’s first year on the senior team.
He says both the team and coaches played a large role in making him feel comfortable as one of the younger players.
Because the team is new to this league, Miller says their main focus is on skill-improvement.
“Our coaching staff has been really good, I think Foran has done a good job getting us prepared for every game, and routine, and when to show up,” said Miller.
Although this team wants to succeed in playoffs, Foran says the his main goal is to give the team a chance to grow as baseball players.
“Really, we just want to make sure that we have a mainstay and a team in the Alberta Premier Baseball League, and make sure that players in the community know that whether its Hat high, Mccoy or Eagle Butte, they’re gonna have that opportunity to play in the top division,” said Foran.
The Talons baseball season began two weeks ago, and will continue to the end of the school year.
Most of their games will be in Medicine Hat, with a few trips scheduled to Lethbridge.
