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Thunder, Strikes Again! After a banner 2007 baseball season, Kingston Thunder Baseball, and its members, just Keep on Rollin’. In 2007 Kingston Thunder saw its Bantam Rep team win Gold at the Eastern Ontario (EOBA) Championships in August, and its Mosquito Rep team bring home the silver at both the EOBA Championships in August and the Ontario (OBA) Championships on Labor Day weekend, almost doubling its player enrollment over the last two years. On Saturday January 12th, 2008 at the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association (EOBA) Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet, 5 members of Kingston Thunder Baseball will be honored for their contributions to the game of baseball for the 2007 season. Kris and Keli Grant have been selected as co-winners of the Senior Rep Player of the year award. This award is given to a player(s) who have excelled in their contributions to their team and the sport of baseball. Keli and Kris were members of the 2007 Bantam EOBA championship team, 2006 OBA & EOBA Peewee champions, 2005 OBA & EOBA Peewee Champions, 2004 OBA Mosquito Champions and won the EOBA Junior Rep player of the year award in 2005. Madison Bertrand, in just her first year of playing baseball has been selected to receive the Junior House League player of the year award for her stellar attitude and commitment to her team and the game of baseball. In Madison being selected to receive this award, it will mark the third straight year that a member of Kingston Thunder has won this coveted award. Don Parkinson will receive the Junior House League Coach of the Year award. Don has been a coach at Kingston Thunder Baseball for the last 8 seasons. He receives this award for his commitment, not just to the kids he coaches, but to every child within Kingston Thunder, that, just wants to play the game. Don has been quoted as saying that he intends to return for his 9th season coaching at Kingston Thunder in 2008, and is committed to improving the enjoyment of playing the game throughout the City of Kingston and its surrounding areas. Carol Steele has been involved in baseball for over 20 years. Carol started out on the Kingston Thunder executive where she is still a very active member today. When Carol became President of Kingston Thunder baseball her plan was to rebuild the house league and faltering rep program. Since that time Thunder’s numbers continue to increase every season. Thunder rep won three OBA championships and two EOBA championships. The league continues to get stronger and better each season thanks to Carol’s dedication and hard work. The rep program gets stronger every year and will soon have competitive teams in all age groups, a plan Carol developed and is now coming true. Under Carol’s guidance Thunder’s four fields complex has continued to get yearly improvements. Carol is involved in every aspect of Thunder baseball from taking care of uniforms to diamond scheduling to fund raising, to passing out freezzees after the game to the timbits players. Carol does it all for the kids and enjoys seeing her hard work pay off when the kids are having fun playing the game. Kingston Thunder would not be in existence today if it wasn’t for Carol. This past season Carol was honored by the city of Kingston when she received the Distinguished Citizens award from the city of Kingston for her dedication to sports and the city. Carol has also been a member of the EOBA executive for many seasons where she has been both treasurer and Secretary. She spends many hours attending meetings, taking and making phone calls and emails, look after the league’s finances all because she wants to give children the opportunity to play baseball. Congratulations Kris, Keli, Madison, Don, and Carol keep up the good work and we’ll see you on the field. |
