Colborn combines love of softball and country life

Local star piles up awards with Lady Buffs in Texas

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Cadence Colborn sets to make a hit during game action.

Cadence Colborn couldn’t pass up a chance to go on a new journey in Texas when the opportunity combined two of her biggest loves – softball and country life.

After graduating from Tommy Douglas Collegiate in June of 2024, Colborn ventured down to Canyon, Texas, to play for the West Texas University A&M Lady Buffs Softball Team in the NCAA Division II ranks. While Colborn grew up as a softball standout in Saskatoon, she would travel with her family to do work on the family farm outside of town. It was a place where Colborn always felt like she was home.

When she was with presented the chance to join the Lady Buffs playing out of a small city of just over 16,000 people in the northern part of Texas, Colborn couldn’t pass it up.

“I have a huge agriculture background,” said Colborn. “My dad is a farmer.

“I’ve grown up around the farm. I’m an animal science major, pre-vet major. It is just right up my alley.

“Everything is ‘yee-haw’ and cowboy hats. I also rodeo, so that is really cool too. Everything is rodeo down there.”

Colborn is back in Saskatoon playing for the CT&V Selects U19A team. The 18-year-old returned home after having a spectacular first season with the Lady Buffs. In 57 total games, Colborn, who plays first base, went 48-for-111 at the plate for a .432 average, nine home runs and 51 RBI.

She was named a second team All-Lone Star Conference all-star, to the Lone Star Conference All-Freshman team and a National Fastpitch Coaches Association South-Central Region second team all-star.

Along with piling up the awards, Colborn helped the Lady Buffs put up a 56-8 overall record. The Lady Buffs fell 2-1 in the best-of-three NCAA South Super Regionals to the University of Texas at Tyler Patriots for the right to advance to NCAA Division II College World Series. The Patriots would move on to claim a second straight NCAA Division II national title.

Cadence Colborn goes yard at nationals on August 3, 2025.

Being part and playing well in the Lady Buffs lengthy post-season run was a thrilling new experience for Colborn.

“It was awesome,” said Colborn, who stands 5-foot-7. “We talked a whole year about playing for a national championship, so we could kind of set ourselves up for that stage.

“In practice, we play harder than we do in the games. Practice is always harder. It was just unreal.

“I’ve never played on a stage like that. The fans are crazy.”

Growing up in Saskatoon, Colborn seemed destined to play softball for the longer term. She regularly went to games her father, Shawn, played in and remembers chasing down foul balls to make a little extra cash from the scorekeeper. She credits Shawn and her mother, Andrea, for being the biggest influences in helping her in the game.

“I grew up around the ballpark,” said Colborn. “I’ve just kind of been playing my whole life.

“It has just kind of been in the family. I was born with a ball in my hand. There are pictures of me with my dad’s ball glove on.

“I started T-ball when I was like five.”

When she started playing softball, Colborn was drawn to crushing the ball with the bat.

“I think hitting has always been my favourite,” said Colborn. “I love just swinging the bat and feeling the ball fly off the bat.

“I just like the atmosphere. I think it is fun. If you strike out or have a tough day at the plate, you can come back on defence.”

Colborn excelled at the sport as she grew up. Before she headed off to play for the Lady Buffs, Colborn gave hometown fans thrills playing for the provincial champion Saskatoon Prairie Dog Selects at Softball Canada’s Under-19 Women’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship Tournament that ran July 31 to August 4, 2024 at the diamonds on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

Cadence Colborn takes up a defensive position at first base.

The Selects posted a 5-3 overall record, and Colborn was named a tournament all-star. At the plate, Colborn posted a .474 batting average and nailed three home runs. In the playoff round, she homered off Fraser Valley Fusion pitcher Morgan Reimer, who has been a regular in Softball Canada’s national team system.

Ryan Ray coached Colborn last season and is coaching her again this season in the Selects program. 

Having been part of high-level softball as either a player or a coach for almost his whole life, Ray was immediately impressed with Colborn.

“She is a very, very hard worker,” said Ray. “When she puts something in her mind, she does it.

“She works and works until she gets it done. It is not always easy to coach a player that is that driven, because they expect a lot out of you too. I love the challenge that she gives all the time, and it has always been enjoyable coaching her.”

Ray believes Colborn’s potential to go far in the sport is huge.

“The sky is the limit,” said Ray. “She can play in the Olympics.

“I firmly believe that she is a good enough hitter to do that, and her defence is getting better and better all the time. The sky is the limit for her. Whatever she puts her mind to, she will get.”

Originally, Colborn thought she would remain close to home when it came to playing post-secondary softball. That changed the deeper she got in her high school years.

“I started to really think about it when I was in Grade 11,” said Colborn, whose younger brother, Braeden, plays for the Saskatoon Giants Under-18 AAA Baseball Team. “I actually didn’t think I was going to go play college softball.

Cadence Colborn enjoys driving the ball deep.

“I wanted to stay home and go to the U of S (Saskatchewan). Then, a couple of my friends started signing. They’re older than me.

“Then, I was kind of like, ‘Yeah, I kind of want to go do this, and I think I could be good at it.’”

When she started playing for the Lady Buffs, Colborn said she had to adjust to how good the pitchers were, and her coaches worked with her regarding approaches at the plate.

“The pitching was unreal,” said Colborn. “I had never seen pitching like that.

“There were rise balls where they hit their spots. On the other side, our coach found ways to help us. We hit off the machine every day.

“The pitching was just unreal. They threw like 66, 67 and all the way up to like 72 (miles per hour). They mix their pitches, they mix paces, and they just really tried their best to get you out.”

On a personal front, Colborn was hoping to pick up an all-star award as a rookie. She wasn’t expecting a trio of all-star honours to come her way.

“It was just unreal,” said Colborn. “That was a goal going in was just to make a conference team.

“I made a conference team and a region team. I did not expect to be named a region player in my first freshman year, but that was just surreal. I was just grateful to even be nominated for the regional award.”

Now that she is back at home for the summer, Colborn is hoping to help the Selects have another big season. When the campaign with the Selects wraps up, she will play for Saskatchewan’s women’s softball team at the Canada Summer Games that runs August 8 to 25 in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

While the NCAA is more open for movement than it ever has been with rule changes regarding the transfer portal in recent years, Colborn is planning to remain with the Lady Buffs, because that is where she feels most at home.

Cadence Colborn, left, is pictured after winning a provincial title.

“I like where I am at right now,” said Colborn. “It is great.

“It is good for my schooling as well. I will see what the future holds, but I definitely want to win a national championship. I think we have a really good chance at that next year, so I’ll be sticking around for the next couple of years until we win one.”

Berries back in business in rocking photo roundup

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Carter Beck gives a thumbs up after sliding in safe at third.

They were Saskatoon’s hottest ticket in the summer of 2024 and are continuing their momentum early in their 2025 campaign.

The Saskatoon Berries began their inaugural Western Canadian Baseball League season a year ago playing their home games out of Cairns Field. Over their 26 regular season home dates, they averaged 1,931 spectators per game.

The expansion Berries started out 3-8 before jetting to a 31-26 finish to place sixth overall in the 12-team circuit. They advanced to the best-of-three East Division Championship Series before falling 5-3 in a series deciding Game 3 to the Moose Jaw Miller Express on August 13, 2024 at Cairns Field.

Barry the Bear is feeling happy with a bowl full of popcorn.

Centre-fielder Carter Beck, who is from Carnduff, Sask., took home WCBL awards as the circuit’s Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Canadian. In 51 regular season games with the Berries, Beck posted a .374 average, 11 home runs, 38 runs batted in and 53 runs scored.

In the early part of the 2025 season, the Berries have jumped out to a 7-2 start. While they are playing in just their second season, they have been tabbed as an early favourite to contend for the WCBL championship.

Our lead picture for this photo roundup shows Beck giving the thumbs up after sliding safely into third base after hitting a triple in a 14-6 victory over the Fort McMurray Giants on June 4 at Cairns Field. Our second photo comes from that same game, and it shows mascot Barry the Bear about to enjoy a bowl of popcorn. The third picture sees pitcher Merek Yeager going through his windup on a throw to home plate.

Merek Yeager windsup to fire a pitch over home plate.

Along with the pictures featuring the Berries, this photo roundup includes other scenes from baseball, football, softball and track and field. All these sports are in full swing, and it is common there are nights on the Complex grounds where Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Track and Field Track, Cairns Field, Leakos Field and all eight of the softball diamonds are all in use at the same time.

The pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. In this photo roundup, all of these pictures were taken by our Communications Coordinator in Darren Steinke.

Without further ado, here is a selection of 15 shots we hope you enjoy.

Here comes the heat

Saskatoon Diamondbacks pitcher Sean Coverett fires a pitch to home during a Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League Under-18 AAA game on May 13 at Cairns Field. The Diamondbacks would get past the East Central Red Sox on this night 11-8.

Gainer meets the fans

Saskatchewan Roughriders mascot Gainer the Gopher gives high-fives and meets fans at Saskatoon Minor Football Field as part of the CFL team’s Green and White Day on May 17. Green and White Day is one of the first big events of the 2025 season where the Roughriders interact with their fans.

All-out effort

A Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver makes a catch during simulated game activities during the team’s Green and White Day held on May 17 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Roughriders went through a number of simulated game situations in their player evaluations.

Meeting Rider Nation

The Saskatchewan Roughriders meet their fans following a simulated game session that was part of the team’s Green and White Day activities held on May 17 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Roughriders players satisfied all the autograph and picture requests that came their way.

Conference call

Members of the Wynyard Blues have a meeting on the pitching mound during action at the Quinn Stevenson Memorial 18U AA Tournament on May 24 at Leakos Field. In a tightly contested game, the Blues dropped a 2-1 decision to the Saskatoon Cardinals.

Setting the pace

A group of runners finds their pace during a 3,000-metre race during the SSSAD’s Bob Adams City Championship on May 29 at the Track and Field Track. This was the second of two days the city championship ran at the track.

Big effort

A discus thrower from Aden Bowman Collegiate launches a throw during action at the SSSAD’s Bob Adams City Championship on May 29 at the Track and Field Track. School meets attract athletes that view track and field as their main sport and athletes from other sports.

Take off

A shot put thrower from Bishop James Mahoney High School launches a shot during action at the SSSAD’s Bob Adams City Championship on May 29 at the Track and Field Track. All athletes at this meet were looking to qualify for the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association provincials that ran June 6 and 7 in Moose Jaw.

Angel in the outfield

A centre-fielder from the Twin City Angels U17A team reacts to making a diving catch in the outfield during a game at Glenn Reeve Field #4 on June 4. The effort drew cheers from players in the dugouts of both the Angels and the Saskatoon Stealth.

Defensive gem

Fort McMurray Giants shortstop Darcy Barry comes up with a great defensive throw to get the out at first in a WCBL game against the Saskatoon Berries on June 4 at Cairns Field. The play was one of a handful of highlights for the Giants as they fell 14-6 to the Berries.

Crusader takes down Crusader

A Team Green defensive lineman who also plays for the Holy Cross Crusaders High School Football Team takes down a Team Green quarterback who also plays for the Crusaders. Team Black and Team Green were going at it in the Saskatoon Minor Football North Sask Academy U18 championship game at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on June 4. Team Black prevailed over Team Green 20-17.

Trophy time

Two captains from Team Black pose for a photo after receiving the championship trophy after their squad won the Saskatoon Minor Football North Sask Academy U18 championship game at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on June 4. The academy league features some of the best age group players in the north half of the province.

Kick the dust up

A member of the Melfort Spirit U19A women’s softball team stirs up a tonne of dust sliding into second base under the tag of a Saskatoon CT&V Selects U19A player on June 5 at Glenn Reeve Field #5. The Selects prevailed 7-1 in the Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association league contest.

Coming through in the clutch

Saskatoon Valkyries rookie receiver Jada Duchene jets upfield after making a clutch catch and gets a big first down inside the final two minutes of a WWCFL regular season contest against the Manitoba Fearless on June 8 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Duchene’s reception played out to be huge in allowing the Valkyries to hold on to a 16-12 victory.

Valkyries cheer undefeated regular season

The Saskatoon Valkyries give a big cheer after slipping past the Manitoba Fearless 16-12 in a WWCFL regular season contest on June 8 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The win secured a perfect 4-0 regular season record for the Valkyries.

Roughriders’ Picton enjoys helping the kids in Saskatoon

Receiver still remembered for time with Rams

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Mitchell Picton gives a play call to a group of players.

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Mitchell Picton chuckles for being known as the University of Regina Rams player that comes to Saskatoon to coach the kids.

Since 2022, Picton has made way up to Saskatoon from Regina to be a guest coach for Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros camp. The Playground To Pros camp is the annual Easter time camp that helps with developing skills and fundamentals in players at the grassroots level.

Picton was back at this year’s camp that ran April 22 to 24 at the Indoor Training Centre on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. While he has been a member of the Roughriders since 2017, Picton is amazed about how many locals remember he played five seasons for the University of Regina Rams from 2013 to 2017.

After the Rams were eliminated from the Canada West playoffs on November 4, 2017, Picton signed with the Roughriders on November 15, 2017 and has been with the CFL franchise continually from that time. Picton, who will turn 30-years-old on May 29, still gets into friendly jab sessions regarding the Rams rivalry in U Sports with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies every time he visits Saskatoon.

“It is definitely still alive,” said Picton, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 197 pounds. “I always make sure to pack a little bit of Rams gear when I come up to Saskatoon.

“I’m certainly still a Rams fan. I still have a little bit of distaste for the Huskies. They’ve got a few decent guys over there that I’ve become friends with over the years.”

Picton is part of a sizable group of CFL players who help with the Playground To Pros camp including Huskies alums in Riley Pickett and Nathan Cherry, who both play for the British Columbia Lions, and Josh Hagerty, who suits up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Pickett, who also an alum of the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops, is the Lions long snapper and fullback, and Cherry toils on the defensive line. Hagerty is a defensive back with the Blue Bombers.

Mitchell Picton sizes up a play call during a scrimmage.

While Picton enjoys getting to know and working with players on various other CFL teams, his biggest joy comes from working with the kids at Playground To Pros.

“It is always fun,” said Picton. “Being from Saskatchewan, a kid that grew up playing Regina minor football and that sort of thing and came through the Team Sask ranks, it is always good to come out and give back, because that little kid was me a bunch of years back.

“It always feels good to come out and be involved in the minor football community.”

The players who take part in the Playground To Pros camp get to try every position in the game of football. Picton said he tries to pass on simple lessons to the players he works with.

“You try to teach them the basics,” said Picton. “You see each kid for a very short amount of time.

“You try and give them one or two things to maybe work on and help their craft a little bit. You are not going to change them overnight or develop a player overnight. You try and give them the tools to take back to their teams for their football season to work on that is going to help their game progress.”

Growing up in Regina, Picton said he didn’t remember going to a camp that was exactly similar to Playground To Pros, but he did attend some development camps. He believes the Playground To Pros camps allows players to get a taste of every part of the game. Picton added he took part in a variety of sports growing up in Regina, and it is good to enjoy numerous sports.

Mitchell Picton, centre, hands a football to a player.

“There were always camps and stuff that we went to throughout the spring and summer,” said Picton. “I played a lot of sports growing up.

“Football season started for me when RMF (Regina Minor Football) started. I was playing hockey through the winter. Then into the spring, I played lacrosse.

“In the fall, it was time to play football. I was kind of playing different sports at different times. I’d pick up my football helmet again when football season rolled around.”

Picton also enjoys being on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. He likes working out at Ignite Athletics and thinks the Indoor Training Centre is a perfect spot to hold minor football camps in.

“Ignite (Athletics) is great for us,” said Picton. “They treat us extremely well, so we always like coming up there and getting some work in.

“Just the facility, the turf and everything that they have here is kind of in one spot. It makes it easy for us to train and coach the kids and do all that kind of just under one roof. It makes it pretty good.”

He adds he is always impressed with how many of the guest coaches from the CFL ranks are Saskatchewan products.

“I think it speaks to the talent that we have in Saskatchewan,” said Picton. “There are a lot of guys playing football professionally now that are from Saskatchewan or played at the U of R or U of S and that sort of thing.

“It is great to get up here with them a little bit. We’ve trained together. It is always good to see guys like that and get a little work in.”

Mitchell Picton gives feedback to a group of players.

Of course, Picton said it is special when the young players recognize him for being a member of the Roughriders. 

He talks frequently about those encounters with Saskatoon product and Roughriders long snapper Jorgen Hus, who is an alum of the Rams and the Hilltops.

“For us, we almost not downplay it, but it has become pretty normalized for us,” said Picton. “That is our occupation.

“That is what we do is we play football. We try to not make it as big a deal between us. Then, it is cool when you see the kids, and they’re super excited.

“Then, you kind of do have that different perspective of what we do is important in the community, and people care a lot about it.”

Following the conclusion of the Playground To Pros camp, Picton returned home to Regina for a short stay before returning to Saskatoon. Roughriders rookie camp ran from May 7 to 9 at Griffiths Stadium. Main camp was set to begin on May 11 at Griffiths with the team returning to Regina on May 25.

Picton is looking forward to the upcoming CFL campaign.

Mitchell Picton shares a laugh with some fans on May 18, 2024.

“You’re excited for training camp to get going,” said Picton. “You’re excited to get into the season.

“You are not quite as excited for three weeks of living in dorms in Saskatoon, but that is all part of training camp and what we go through in our jobs. I am excited to get the season going and get up here and get to work.”

For more information on the various programs offered by Saskatoon Minor Football, feel free to check out their website at saskatoonminorfootball.com.

Photo roundup centre stage taken by Canada Games tryout session

By Gordie Howe Sports Complex staff
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

A pitcher gets in the wind up for a pitch at a Canada Game tryout.

The field turf field at the Indoor Training Centre can be used for game or simulated game situations for both younger and older age groups.

The field that measures 90 yards by 50 yards has hosted game action for younger age groups in various sports. 

Most notably just months after opening in 2019, the Saskatoon Minor Softball League held its under-12 and under-14 city championships there when heavy rainy weather conditions made outdoor diamonds unplayable. 

Teams were able to take part in games using complete diamonds set to the dimensions for their respective age groups.

Older age groups are able to hold simulated games and scrimmages there too in order to get training and evaluations done.

A hitter drives a ball into the outfield at a Canada Game tryout.

On April 27, Softball Saskatchewan used the Indoor Training Centre to hold scrimmage game situations for the final tryout session for its Canada Summer Games Men’s Team in the U20 age group.

The diamond was positioned in a way to allow for a full infield and only parts of right field and left field were cut off.

Our lead picture for this photo roundup shows a pitcher in a wind up unloading a pitch to home plate. The second picture of this photo roundup shows a hitter smoking a hit into the outfield. The third picture shows a runner heading towards third base while paying attention to what is happening in the infield.

A runner runs the base path while being alert at a Canada Games tryout.

Along with the pictures from the final tryout session for Softball Saskatchewan men’s team that will play in the Canada Games, this photo roundup includes other scenes from baseball, cricket, football, softball and track and field. 

The images come from various facilities including the Indoor Training Centre, Cairns Field, Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Glenn Reeve Fields and the Track and Field Track.

The pictures in this photo roundup capture some of the memories that are made on our grounds. In this photo roundup, all of these pictures were taken by our Communications Coordinator in Darren Steinke.

Without further ado, here is a selection of 15 shots we hope you enjoy.

Valkyries back in action

The Saskatoon Valkyries, who have won the last four straight WWCFL titles, do a post-practice cheer on April 15 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Valkyries begin their regular season schedule on Saturday, May 10 when they host their provincial rivals the Regina Riot at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Saskatoon will also host the Manitoba Fearless on Sunday, June 8 at 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

Smart shot

A member of the Sixers cricket team drives a low throw into what would be an open part of the field during a practice session in a pitching lane on April 19 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Sixers and the rest of the Saskatoon and area cricket teams are enjoying the start to the outdoor season.

Passing on pointers

A coach from the Saskatoon Royals female baseball program, left, demonstrates a stance and other aspects of hitting to a young player on April 20 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Royals have been holding training sessions on Sundays during the off-season for a number of years at the Complex.

Playground battle

A running back tries to escape the grasp of a tackler during a session at the Playground To Pros camp run by Saskatoon Minor Football on April 22 at the Indoor Training Centre. The Easter time camp helps develop skills and fundamentals at the grassroots level.

Coach Mace is in the house

The second day of the Playground To Pros camp held by Saskatoon Minor Football at our Indoor Training Centre on April 23 finished with a sweet bonus for the players. Corey Mace, who is the Saskatchewan Roughriders Head coach and Defensive Coordinator, stopped in to give words of encouragement to the athletes.

Thank you photo for coaches

Following the third and final day of Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp at the Indoor Training Centre on April 24, the coaches posed for a group photo. A lot of familiar faces from the local football community helped out with this camp. The photo gives a thank you to the field bosses for offering their time to work this camp.

Big turnout for Playground To Pros

Everyone who was involved with the Playground To Pros camp held by Saskatoon Minor Football at the Indoor Training Centre posed for a group picture after the event’s final session on April 24. Memories were made that will last a lifetime.

Sweet hands

A receiver makes a big catch in traffic during Rush High School Female Flag Football League action on April 28 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Rush league has been a big vehicle for getting and keeping female players in the sport of football.

Running to find daylight

A receiver bolts downfield after making a catch during an evaluation session on May 1 at Saskatoon Minor Football field for the North Sask Academy program run by Saskatoon Minor Football. Following these evaluation sessions, Saskatoon Minor Football places players on six different teams via a draft for a schedule of spring season contests.

Track and Field Track returns to action

Kira Comfort, who is a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women’s Track and Field Team, slings a javelin down the infield of the Track and Field Track during a training session on May 1. That was the first day the Track and Field Track was open for the 2025 season.

Here comes the heat

A Saskatoon Selects pitcher fires a pitch to home plate during game action on May 2 at Glenn Reeve Field #4 on May 2. Excitement was in the air as softball teams got outside for game action at the beginning stages of their respective 2025 campaigns.

Tracking the ball in

A Saskatoon Hustlers player follows the ball into her glove for an out during game action on May 2 at Glenn Reeve Field #7. After putting in time to get stronger and faster during workouts and practicing to sharpen up skills in the off-season, players enjoy getting to show off the results of the work they put in when the 2025 spring and summer season begins.

Pressure throw

A quarterback in the Rush High School Female Flag Football League fires a pass downfield under pressure on May 6 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The quality of play in the Rush league keeps getting better year after year.

Special Delivery

A Saskatoon Giants pitcher delivers a throw to home during under-18 AAA contest in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League on May 7 at Cairns Field. The Giants went on a magical run last season to win the provincial title.

Happy early Mother’s Day

A happy early Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. We hope you enjoy the above poem.

Home grown from small town Saskatchewan

Road to WCBL started in Carnduff for Berries’ star Beck

By Darren Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex

Carter Beck hits a triple to complete the cycle on August 11, 2024.

Saskatoon Berries star Carter Beck had a beginning in baseball that was made in small town Saskatchewan.

Growing up in Carnduff, which is a town with a population around 1,200 located in the southeast corner of the province, Beck’s introduction to the game came from watching his father, Blair, play senior baseball. At a very young age, there were signs baseball might be a big part of Carter’s life.

“When I was three-years-old, I was already attracted to being a bat boy,” said Beck. “I don’t think I could carry a baseball back then, but I was trying to be the bat boy.

“I went and watched like pretty much every senior baseball game he played in Carnduff on the Astros when I was younger. I can remember when I was 13-years-old I got on the lineup, because they had nine guys.

“In case someone got hurt, I was sitting (in the dugout). I was ready to go. I was pretty excited.”

Other memories from those days watching Blair play senior baseball saw a youth aged Carter running around to collect foul balls to get 25 cents for each ball he returned to the scorers table. He would gather up enough foul balls to buy a Freezee at the end of the night.

He also had fun playing catch with his father’s teammates. The baseball games also provided cherished time for Carter to be with his grandpa.

“I just loved being around the ball field watching it, playing it and getting serious with the guys,” said Beck. “It really brought me close to baseball when I was younger.”

Beck grew up playing minor baseball in Carnduff and would end up suiting up for the South East Twins baseball program that plays games out of Estevan, Weyburn and Alameda. Playing for the Twins under-18 AAA team, Beck took part in Baseball Saskatchewan’s provincial championship tournaments that were held at Cairns Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds in July of 2022 and 2023. In 2023, Beck was named the most valuable player for the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s under-18 AAA level.

Carter Beck (#20) has great speed on the base paths for the Berries.

During his journey up the minor baseball system as a player, Beck often had Blair as one of the coaches of the teams he would play on including the Twins. Those years allowed Carter to become a player that excelled in the outfield mainly at centre-field and at the plate.

Beck suited up for the Berries as a rookie in their inaugural campaign in 2024. It ended up being a spectacular campaign for Beck.

In 51 regular season games with the Berries, he posted a .374 batting average, 11 home runs, 38 runs batted in and 53 runs scored. Beck claimed awards from the WCBL as the circuit’s Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Canadian.

Leading up to his second season with the Berries, Beck is currently playing in the NCAA Division I ranks with the Indiana State University Sycamores Baseball Team as a sophomore.

Beck was honoured to take home a pair of league awards in his first campaign with the Berries.

“It was really cool,” said Beck. “I think I was in my eighth or ninth grade when I saw they did a top Canadian award in the WCBL.

“I said to my dad, “That would be pretty cool to get one day.” Sure enough, last year being able to do it was pretty cool. It just kind of happened with the season I had going well for me all year.

“Getting some acknowledgement, I guess for a good season, that was really cool. It is good to have a small-town Sask kid get those awards in that league too being a Saskatchewan/Alberta league.”

During his final season with the Twins in 2023, the idea of playing in the WCBL in Saskatoon popped into Beck’s head. On March 29, 2023, the Sask Entertainment Group (SEG) and the WCBL announced during a press event at the Indoor Training Centre that Saskatoon was granted a WCBL expansion franchise to begin play in May of 2024.

Carter Beck hit .374 for the Berries in the 2024 regular season.

SEG would own the team that would be dubbed the Berries after a contest was held to name the club. Along with owning the Berries, SEG also owns and operates the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and the NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush.

On July 5, 2023, the new baseball team announced that Joe Carnahan would be the club’s first head coach. He built a legacy in the WCBL in Swift Current playing for league championship teams in 2001, 2005 and 2006. Carnahan became the team’s head coach and guided them to league titles in 2010, 2016 and 2017.

When Carnahan came calling on the recruiting trail, Beck answered.

“Being in the first year definitely played a role,” said Beck. “I thought it was going to be a really cool experience.

“Just knowing like what they’ve done with the (WHL’s Saskatoon) Blades and the (NLL’s Saskatchewan) Rush and that it is all the same organization, that got me pretty excited. I just thought with the new team, there would be a lot of fans out there, and I knew they would do it right. I just wanted to play somewhere where I knew it was going to be a lot of fun and hopefully get some big crowds.

“They seemed to be the best fit.”

When Carnahan was recruiting Beck, the veteran coach knew the skill player developed a good reputation of being spectacular both at the baseball diamond and away from the game. Carnahan appreciated what Beck brought to the baseball park.

“I like just the way he plays the game,” said Carnahan. “He plays the game hard.

“He wants to win, and his skill set was very good too. The way he plays the game, he plays the game hard every pitch.”

Carter Beck takes questions during a post-game interview.

Carnahan said he got a better appreciation for how spectacular Beck was away from the diamond when the two dealt with each other on a daily basis with the Berries. Carnahan said the Berries aim to interact and be involved with the community. He was impressed with how well Beck interacted with people outside of the team and the community at large.

“He has been great,” said Carnahan. “That is exactly what we want with our organization.

“We want to have guys who are not only good players but good people. He represents our organization well, the city of Saskatoon well, his family well and now Indiana State well. He is a good ambassador for all that.

“We’re very happy to have him. He is one of a kind.”

Carnahan added that the first season Beck had with the Berries was pretty special.

“I thought he had a very good season especially for being a freshman to come in and not only contribute, but to be an impact guy defensively, offensively and with some power,” said Carnahan. “He did a great job for us all year.”

As an expansion team in 2024, the Berries went through their bumps. They started out 3-8 and improved rapidly to finish with a 31-26 record to place sixth overall on the 12-team circuit. The Berries packed Cairns Field attracting an average of 1,931 spectators for their 26 regular season home dates.

In the post-season, the Berries prevailed in a best-of-three East Division semifinal series 2-1 over the Medicine Hat Mavericks, who are annually one of the circuit’s toughest teams.

Game 1 of the best-of-three East Division Championship Series saw Beck deliver the most memorable moment in the team’s short history. In a 14-1 romp over the Moose Jaw Miller Express at Cairns Field on August 11, Beck hit for the cycle going 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs batted in.

Carter Beck signs autographs for some young Berries fans.

That meant Beck hit a single, a double, a triple and a home run all in the same game. Hitting for the cycle is one of the most difficult statistical feats to accomplish in Baseball.

With the single, double and home run under his belt, Beck came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh with a man on looking for the triple. He ultimately completed a feat that will always be a career highlight.

“My fifth at bat I came up with like we were up by 10 runs,” said Beck. “I looked at the outfield.

“I might as well try and hit the triple is what I thought. I looked at the outfield and saw that my place spot was in left field. I got a fastball away that I was able to hit over there.

“I think the left-fielder might have done a little bit of a circle to get to it. I’m sliding into third, and I’m almost over sliding the bag. Sliding into third, getting up and seeing everybody on their feet celebrating, it was really cool.”

The set with the Miller Express went to a series deciding Game 3 on August 13 at Cairns Field. The Berries season came to an end after they fell in a tight contest 5-3. They gave the fans a final salute before departing the field.

Last January 6, the Berries announced Beck as their first returnee for the 2025 campaign. The Berries open the season on Thursday, May 29 traveling to Weyburn to take on the Beavers at 7 p.m. at Tom Laing Park. They open their home schedule on Saturday, May 31 at 4 p.m. taking on the Regina Red Sox at Cairns Field.

During the 2024 campaign, Beck enjoyed having numerous family members come out to his games in Saskatoon and when the Berries played on the road against the circuit’s other Saskatchewan member teams. While 2024 was great, Beck is looking forward to a thrilling second campaign with the Berries in 2025.

“It is going to be super exciting,” said Beck. “I think people know what they are going to get now when they come to games too.

Carter Beck (#20) looks forward to the 2025 season with the Berries.

“I think everybody I talked to anyways had fun coming to those games. I know we are going to bring back some guys, and we’re going to bring back an even better team. We’re going to be really good this year, and it should be a whole lot of fun to watch seeing some of the guys we have coming this year.

“It should be a lot of fun again.”

For more information about the Saskatoon Berries and their upcoming WCBL season, feel free to check their website at www.saskatoonberriesbaseballclub.ca.