🎉 Thunder Awards 2025 ⚾

House League Awards:

House Player of the Year 13u & below

Liam Strike

Liam had a great season. A solid player that makes consistent catches and solid hits.
He is definitely one of the best players on his team. But, what makes him really stand above the rest is his attitude.
He is always positive. He encourages his teammates when they make a good play or when they fumble.
He shows sportsmanship by cheering on the opposing players when they make a good play,
or offer some friendly advice to 'help them get better'. Congrats Liam!

Liam has also been named by the EOBA as the EOBA House League Player of the Year -13u & below.
Congrats Liam!

House Coach of the Year 11u & below

Jason Teepell

Jason is a phenomenal coach. His positive approach produced improvement throughout the season
and encouraged enthusiasm during each game. Jason was compassionate, patient and a wonderful coach.
He demonstrated strong leadership and motivated the team win or lose.
He had a great attitude all season and the kids continued to strengthen and build on their skills.
Thanks and Congrats Jason!

Jason has also been named by the EOBA as the EOBA House League Coach of the Year - 13u & below.
Congrats Jason!

House Coach of the Year 14u & above

Jeff Downie

Jeff maintained a fun, fair environment for all the players.
He valued his players confidence and encouraged all of them to try out all of the positions.
This was sometimes to the detriment of the final score but it improved many of the players feelings about baseball.
It was clear as the season continued that the atmosphere on the bench was positive and
inclusive and all of the kids always left the field smiling, regardless of the score on the board.
Jeff stepped up when we needed one more coach in the 18u division of our house program.
Not always as easy age to coach Jeff managed to create a great team spirit amongst his players.
Thanks and Congrats Jeff!

Jeff has also been named by the EOBA as the EOBA House League Coach of the Year - 14u & above.
Congrats Jeff!

Marilyn Eimers Award - Female House Player of the Year all divisions

Claire Sweet

Claire has had an amazing year both as a player and a teammate .
She has become a very good leader on our team this year and has really made it such a fun team to show up for every week .
Very polite but also can rally the team when we need a spark .
It was her first year in 11u and she had a great season. Congrats Claire!

House Pitcher of the Year all divisions

Van Beal

Van provided steady all-around play for the Ravens 18u team.
The Ravens finished first in the regular season and were finalists in the playoffs.
Van has played for Thunder for many seasons. Van acted as a mentor for the younger players on his team.
Van kept a positive attitude even if the game wasn't always going the way he planned/hoped.
Congrats Van on a great season!

W.J. Woodland Award - House League Team of the Year all divisions

The 9u Jaguars - Coached by Scott Ewart

The Jaguars went 11-0 in the regular season with a + 114 run differential.
A well rounded team with everyone contributing.
The Jaguars went 4-1 in the playoffs. Playing 4 games on Championship
Saturday to capture the 9u Championship.

Rep Awards:

Matt Brash Award - Rep Pitcher of the Year 10u & above

Callum Nicholson

Callum was the cornerstone of the 18u pitching staff this season, consistently stepping up
when the stakes were highest. Whether it was a tight league matchup or a crucial tournament game,
Callum brought a calm intensity to the mound that inspired confidence throughout the team.
Over 8 appearances, he pitched 40 innings and faced 178 batters, issuing just 14 walks while striking out 46 and allowing only
16 earned runs. His control and efficiency were outstanding, and these numbers reflect not
only his technical ability but also how smart and focused he was every time he took the mound.
A standout moment came during the 18U teams EOBA run, where as the starting pitcher for our opening game,
Callum delivered a composed and commanding performance, securing the win and setting a
strong foundation for the rest of the tournament. Callum's reliability, work ethic, and ability to
perform under pressure make him an ideal candidate for the Pitcher of the year award.
Congrats on a great season Callum!

Rep Junior Player of the Year 13u & below

Colin Morkem

Colin Morkem was definitely the most improved player on the 13U rep team.
Colin started off the season slow but he seemed to regroup and gain confidence.
He started the season batting 7-10 spot and by the end of the season he was in the third spot.
Over the last 30 games, Colin batted over .600 and had many key RBIs to help his team win games.
Not only did he do it with his bat but he was impressive in the field with his glove too.
Colin's ability to read fly balls, his arm strength and speed moved him to centre field and he did not disappoint.

Rep Senior Player of the Year 14u & above

Jacksen McLean

Jacksen McLean is our Senior Rep Player of the Year in recognition of his exceptional leadership, dedication,
and performance both on and off the field. As captain of the 18U rep team, Jacksen led by example;
he organized team warm-ups, supported his teammates during practices and games,
and consistently demonstrated composure, sportsmanship and grit during high-pressure games.
His ability to unite the team and foster a positive, focused environment was a key factor in the team’s success this season.
On the field, Jacksen delivered a standout season, contributing significantly both offensively and defensively.
His consistent performance at the plate and reliability in the field made him a crucial part of the team’s lineup.
He was instrumental in several key wins, often stepping up in clutch situations and demonstrating the 
kind of poise and determination that inspired and motivated his teammates. 

Matt Steele Award - Rep Junior Coach of the Year 13u & below

Scott Ewart

Scott has been an excellent addition to the Thunder family. He exemplifies how hard work and dedication creates great talent.
He is fair but firm and provides the athletes with a level of instruction and support that allows them to succeed.
Scott is an incredible coach for young baseball players. He coached the 9U rep team to a strong 3rd place finish.
Scott is not only a strong technical coach but he's also knows what is takes to compete and
has a way of communicating these things to his players.
Other Comments - Scott not only coached the rep team, he also coached a house league team
to try to develop some of the up and coming ball players.
His dedication and popularity as a coach are evident in our tryouts for the 2026
season as we had a very high turn out of players hoping to play for Scott's team.

Rep Female Player of the Year all series

Jillian Foster

Jillian played for our 11u team.
Jillian worked hard through the winter and gained confidence. She earned key playing time at 1st base
and in the heart of the order. Her relentless enthusiasm and positivity was infectious and helped create
a wonderful atmosphere on the team. She also consistently came up big with some huge hits,
catches in the OF and stretches at 1B. Great season Jillian!

Rep Team of the Year all series

16u Team

Thunder 16u Rep team was successful on and off the field this season.
They hosted and won a tournament. They won their 16u EOBA championship.
The attended the OBA A Championship tournament for the 3rd season in a row.
They are the true definition of team. They worked together to achieve their goals.
Humble, mature and dedicated. They also took on a community project together
in rebuilding a batting cage that was then used by all rep teams in the association.
The team was coached by Brendon Gurd. Team Manager Jen Smith.
Assistant Coaches Matt Gallupe & Bryan Conner.
Congrats on an awesome season!

Umpire Awards:

Junior Umpire of the Year - Levels 1 & 2

Elliott Smith

Elliott is 16 and plays rep in our organization.
He is always willing to lend a hand to help the association and this year also took on the role of groundskeeper.
He has taken it upon himself to make sure diamonds/bases/mounds etc are all up to standard before every game.
He spends countless hours helping with everything. He has taken on a mentor role for our younger umpires
and many of our young players have said they want to be an "Ump" just like Elliott when they are bigger.
Elliott has earned the respect and appreciation of both coaches and players. The coaches often compliment his
umping and 'like when he is their ump'. His deep knowledge of the game, strong work ethic, and unwavering
professionalism set him apart. He makes fair, accurate calls, and approaches every game with a positive attitude.
He sets the standard for newer umps and is a great role model for them to look up to.
Elliott has been umpiring since he was allowed by OBA, and fills in wherever needed. Elliott deserves
this award for his time and personal effort. Elliott is a responsible umpire.
He is able to adapt his skills to different ages and levels and coaches, parents and players
respect and admire his abilities. Elliott is very deserving of this award.

Elliott has also been named by the EOBA as the EOBA Junior Umpire of the Year - Level 1&2.
Congrats Elliott!

Frank Martin Award - Senior Umpire of the Year - Level 3 & above

Bryan Leeman

This year Bryan has really stepped up to help both our rep and house programs.
He is a role model for younger/less experienced umpires and was reliable and consistent in his duties.
Bryan was always willing to fill in where needed.
He is a level 3 umpire with many years of experience but was always willing to umpire any age group and any level.
He has fun with the players and is firm and direct with coaches. A great addition to our umpiring team.

Volunteer Awards:

Don Parkinson Award - House League Volunteer of the Year

Olivia Smith

Olivia has volunteered in our Challenger program since it's first year.
Despite having several jobs as a student she dedicated every Wednesday evening to ensuring she was available to attend.
Olivia is positive and encouraging and is a true delight to have in our program.
Olivia Smith is an amazing young women who never misses a night of Challenger Baseball.
Challenger Baseball comes with a lot of obstacles as each player has their own unique issues and challenges.
Olivia always seems to take the players with the most difficult issues that make it extremely challenging for the player to play baseball.
Olivia comes every night with a lot of energy and a positive attitude.
1) she is patient 2) she runs the bases with the kids 3) she has pushed players around the field in wheel chairs 4) Simply put she is amazing. 

Carol Steele Award - Rep Volunteer of the Year

Carol Steele

A wonderful addition to any organization. Kingston Thunder has been fortunate to have Carol Steele as a pillar of our association.
Carol has done more for our association than anyone else. She has worked with and around so many issues
these past few years and always finds a way to work through them to benefit the kids.
She has managed to organize fundraising which allowed more kids to play baseball.
She made sure every team had everything they needed to play this year.
She did all scheduling for indoor and outdoor practices and games. She ran tournaments for 10/11/13/16 and 18u teams.
And she was instrumental in making sure our transition to be incorporated was smooth and correct.
Our association and Rep program would not run without her.
Kingston Thunder is lucky to have such a dedicated, giving person as a huge part of the organization.

Four of our Thunder Award winners went on to win EOBA Awards!
Congrats to Liam Strike, Jason Teepell, Jeff Downie & Elliott Smith! Check them out!

View our History of Awards, Retired #s & Honorary Members