Saskatoon Bridge City Umpire Association

Softball Saskatchewan is Proud to Host the 2024 Softball Canada Congress and Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet

We are excited to welcome you to the 2024 Softball Canada Congress and Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet, taking place on Saturday, November 9th, at the Saskatoon Inn. This prestigious event will bring together the best in our sport, celebrating excellence and dedication to softball.

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:00 PM, followed by the Hall of Fame Banquet at 7:00 PM.

We are thrilled to announce the following honorees who have made outstanding contributions to softball:

Don Bates (Coach)
Trevor Ethier (Athlete)
Bryan Kosteroski (Builder)
Keith Mackintosh (Athlete)
Gary Skjerven (Official)

Please join us in recognizing these incredible individuals for their achievements and lifelong commitment to the sport.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet are available for purchase until November 1st through Softball Canada. Secure your spot today and be part of this unforgettable celebration! Purchase Tickets at the following link https://softball.ca/2024agm/tickets

A big shout out and congrats to Halle Meadows on being nominated and winning the Leo Mareschal Junior Most Improved Umpire for 2024!

Halle began umping last year with SBCUA and came back for year two and brought along her dad and younger sister to the crew.
She went from only basing to starting late last season plating.

"Umping has really helped me step out of my comfort zone and has allowed me to meet so many different amazing people. Whether it’s coaches, players or other umpires. Umping isn’t just a job for me, it’s an opportunity for me to learn and grow, as well as watch the sport that I love in the process." Halle Meadows

Congratulations again Halle on this award! SBCUA is excited to see how far you will go in the years ahead with umping - maybe we will see you on the big screen doing an international game!!

Congratulations to Wendy Belyk on winning the Neil Thiessen and Adult Most Improved of the Year for 2024!

Neil Thiessen Award:
The award was created in memory of Neil Thiessen, who was an umpire for a short time but left us a memory of a man who loved the game of softball and umpiring. Even during his fight with cancer, Neil would come down to the diamond and offer some positive and moral support to us. I shall always remember Neil as a person with a sincere desire to please people and his dedication to this association as the Treasurer for a number of years and that “Smile” of his.
Qualifications
(1) Who has contributed to the association throughout the year(s)
(2) Someone who has gone above and beyond his/her duties to the association.
(3) A person who has contributed to the betterment of the umpiring program through his/her appearance, example and leadership on and off the diamond.

Well done Wendy! Much deserved for all you have done for the Softball Community in and around Saskatoon!!

Here is a little background on how and why Wendy umps

"Growing up in a small town meant a shortage of umpires, so I decided to get into umpiring as a way to help out in my community, and give back to the sport I played for years.

Throughout the years, I've been fortunate to have umpired at numerous Provincials (U13 through to adult), as well as 2 Canadian Championships (U17 in Montreal and U19 in Saskatoon).

I've met fantastic people along the way, and have been fortunate to have some of them become lifelong friends." - Wendy Belyk

Registration is now open for the Blue Convention!

Check out more information by clicking the link below

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160103071996156&id=705921155

Registration for the 2025 Blue Convention is now open! Visit the Softball Canada website at https://softball.ca/programs/umpires/blue-convention to register!

Stay tuned for more information!

Did you know that Softball Canada has a scholarship for any umpire member of a Provincial/Territorial (P/T) Association who is registered with Softball Canada and who is entering the first, second year or subsequent year of a post-secondary educational institution.

Click on the link below if you want to know more

Ed Bitz Scholarship Any umpire member of a Provincial/Territorial (P/T) Association who is registered with Softball Canada and who is entering the first, second year or subsequent year of a post-secondary educational institution is eligible for this scholarship. The applicant must be a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent R...

Come join in an evening of fine dining and celebration as the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame celebrates the accomplishments of athletes, builders, teams and the sports organization of the year!

Go to www.sasktoonsportshalloffame.com for more information.

Just a reminder to register to attend our semi-annual meeting on October 26th in Saskatoon! For more information follow the link! https://www.softball.sk.ca/article/98256

Gavin Russell was presented a Certificate of Recognition for 50 years of umpiring by Softball Saskatchewan. This honour was presented to Gavin at the Mens Provincials held in Saskatoon in August this year.

This is what Gavin had to say about his umping career
"I first registered in 1972 and have been registered since. I have done 3 Canadian Championships, numerous Westerns and 1 Western SloPitch Canadian as well as numerous Provincial Championships plus Exhibition Games involving teams from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, the Czech Republic and others. I have been involved in helping to Host Visiting Umpires at the Championships held in Saskatoon including Worlds, Canadians, Westerns and the ISC Championship. Finally, I have enjoyed my time as a member of our Executive.
I ENJOY all aspects of the game from my on field duties to mentoring to the camaraderie of all participants."

Well done Gavin! Congratulations on this milestone!!

Congratulations to Kale Bristol on being award the Junior Umpire of the Year for 2024! The award was presented to Kale by the namesake of the award - Mr. Bob Draeger!

This award is based on the following qualifications:

(1) 1st year as a registered umpire, with a Level 1.
(2) Good appearance and physical condition.
(3) Has demonstrated a keen interest in umpiring and good judgement.
(4) Has progressed through the year to achieve another level or has demonstrated the ability to advance.

Kale had this to say on why he umps and what he has learned:

"Being a shy guy that likes sports, umpiring has given me a chance to make some extra money while being involved in a sport I enjoy. It helps me interact with others and also gives me the opportunity to make split second decisions. I look forward to another season to help me grow my knowledge of the game and give me a chance to work on higher level games with more experienced umpires."

Way to go Kale! SBCUA is excited to see how you will develop and where you will go on the diamond with Team Blue!

Congratulations to Gavin Russell and Wendy Belyk for being awarded the 2024 SASA Players Choice Umpires Award!

We want to take this opportunity to reflect on how thankful we are to have such an amazing group of umpires working in and around Saskatoon! Thank you for being a part of our organization!

Thank yo to all of those that support Team Blue on the diamond!
Husbands and wives
Children
Grandparents
All family members that cheer us on from the side!

Plus a huge shoutout to the following for their support as well:
Saskatoon Minor Softball League
Saskatoon Adult Softball Association
Softball Saskatchewan
Softball Canada