Whitecourt Royals teams wrap up the season with provincial championships, including a golden moment at home

Last weekend was jam-packed for Whitecourt Minor Baseball (WMB) as several teams wrapped
up their season with some provincial action. Locally, the U11 AA Tier 7 Whitecourt Royals
welcomed three other teams to the community for their provincial championship in a winner-
take-all weekend blitz.
The Sherwood Park Acuren Athletics, Parkland Twins White, and Strathmore Reds 2 travelled in
for the tournament, kicking off the opening ceremonies on Friday night at Graham Acres. The
opening ceremony featured three special guests invited by Whitecourt Minor Baseball to either
throw or catch the first pitch.
Ten-year-old Carsin Green, a player with Challenger Baseball, was one of the special guests.
“He loves hitting dingers and throwing fastballs. He is working so hard at baseball and hopes to
one day play for the Royals,” read a post on WMB’s social media before the ceremony. Green
threw one of two first pitches.
The second person to throw a pitch was Koehn Ziemmer, a Mayerthorpe native selected by the
LA Kings in last year’s NHL draft and has since signed an entry-level contract. “Koehn’s journey
serves as an inspiration to young athletes, showcasing the power of passion and
determination,” read the post.
The final special guest was Jason Benson, a super volunteer with WMB. “Jason was lucky
enough to play baseball for sixteen years. He began playing in the Oyen Minor Ball Association
and was fortunate to win a provincial championship, high school championship, and
Saskatchewan Major Baseball League Championship, played senior men’s baseball, two years
at NJCAA at UND Williston and two years NAIA at Minor State University. We wanted to let
Jason know how much we appreciate the countless hours he has volunteered to help grow our
organization.”
Following the opening ceremony, the Whitecourt Royals took on the Strathmore Reds 2. The
local team took home their first win, beating Strathmore 16-9. The next game for the Royals
came on Saturday at noon against Parkland Twins White. Again, the Royals dominated, winning
11-1. Six hours later, the Royals entered the dugout to take on the Sherwood Park Acuren
Athletics. The Whitecourt Royals remained undefeated, winning the game 18-8.
At 10:00 am on Sunday, the first-place Whitecourt Royals took on the second-place Parkland
Twins White team. The Whitecourt Royals had a huge fan base watching the action all
weekend, but on Sunday morning, the home team’s side of the fence was packed with family,
friends and community members ready to cheer.
Early in, the Royals took the lead. In the third and fourth, the Twins surged, stealing a few runs,
but Whitecourt’s team managed to hold on and take it 8-5, winning the 2024 11U AA Tier 7
Baseball Alberta Provincial Championship!
Lisa Turcotte, Provincial Chair for the Whitecourt Royals tournament and proud ball mom, said
seeing the team win in front of local fans was special. “We had parents helping, and many fans
come out and support the team. It was not just family members but community members. We

had members of the Whitecourt Fire Department, the RCMP, and the Town of Whitecourt who
came out to watch. And not just for one game either.”
Turcotte said the boys worked hard all season long. “Their skill set has developed so much
compared to the beginning of the year. They developed as a team, and they are a family. They
have worked hard together, and the coaches were so encouraging. They set the kids up to be
good young men by giving them life skills,” she said, watching the team gleefully haul the trophy
around the field. “They put it all out there and wore their hearts on their sleeves and put all those
skills that they have been working hard at to work. They left it all on the ball field and did a great
job.”
Rhonda McKinnon, Host Coordinator, said the support received from the community was
amazing. “This is a lot of work, and it takes all hands on deck from the parent group to make it
possible. It also takes the support of the community. We had phenomenal response from
sponsors, including the Town of Whitecourt Sports Hosting Program, which provided us with
funds to help support this event.”
Both ladies sang the praises of the business community for making the season what it was. The
sponsor list, featuring the logos of dozens of area companies, was displayed proudly at the field
throughout the tournament and shared on social media. Speaking about the coaching staff,
Head Coach Jason Harper and assistant coaches Tyler Perrin, Shawn Martens, and Pat
Shrode, Turcotte said they went above and beyond for the kids. “Not only did they do the regular
two-day-a-week practices, but they would also put in extra practices for the boys that needed
help. They set up dryland training and provided all of the apparel for them. They went really,
really above and beyond.”
Head Coach Jason Harper said he decided to start coaching two years ago so he could help
influence the kids and have a positive impact on them. “Team sports teach leadership and how
to be part of a team and be respectful and it teaches kids to be good young humans,” When
asked why he and the coaches offered extra support outside of regular practices, Harper said
seeing kids struggle was hard and sometimes all they need is a little one-on-one time. “The
extra practice is something we do as coaches to help them in their development, and in the end,
it puts a smile on their faces, and that is what this is all about.”
He said showcasing the community by having the championships in Whitecourt was awesome,
and he thanked everyone for stepping up. “Thanks to all the organizers that put on the event.
Thanks to all the parents and fans who came to cheer, the sponsors, and the groundskeepers.
The field looked awesome, and the facility looked awesome. I can’t thank everybody who
contributed to this weekend enough.”
Three other WMB teams were in action last weekend. The 13UAA Whitecourt Royals won gold
in their provincial championship in Irma, the 15UAA Whitecourt Royals won silver in Fort
Saskatchewan, and the 18UAA Whitecourt Royals lost in their provincial championship in
Innisfail but played very well. Congratulations to all WMB teams for a job well done!