By Matt Betts
It may not have ended in a championship, but the Road to Okotoks was an experience the Terriers program won’t soon forget.
After winning the Ontario regional qualifier, the team travelled west to compete for the Morneau Cup in Okotoks, Alta.
A loss to Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep to open the tournament was followed by a pair of victories over the Atlantic Frontier and Okotoks Dawgs.
A loss to Team Saskatchewan closed out the round robin.
The Terriers 2-2 record after pool play was good enough to get into the play-in round, where they once again fell to the Gulls.
Despite not achieving the ultimate goal, head coach Ryan Pollard was highly complimentary of the experience.
“I have nothing bad to say about this,” Pollard said before the team’s play-in game. “It’s top notch baseball, best teams around, it’s been so good. The event has been run right. I think it’s a great thing for Baseball Canada and all the teams around.”
The job of any high school program is to develop players and prepare them for the next level.
The Road to Okotoks provided a unique opportunity to blend player development and exposure with the pursuit of winning a national championship.
It’s a setting and mindset college bound players need to be ready for.
“They put the work in and develop, and they come here with players from all over Canada and see how competitive it is,” Pollard said. “The competition has been lights out.”
Pollard was impressed with the way his team earned the respect of other programs with their play.
He hopes the program can use the tournament to help players reach their goals.
“We’re building off the wins, everything coming together as a group,” he said. “I think we can use this as a building spot and keep going. Seeing how hard it is and the competition that’s out here.”
