Record turnout boosts Rosetown minor ball season
By David McIver
Minor softball and baseball league play in Rosetown is set to begin this week or next, according to Ryan Wickett, chair of the ball committee for the Rosetown Minor Athletic Association.
About 240 children and youth have registered this season, the highest total the program has seen. The players are spread across 23 teams, which may also be a record.
The association will field an 18-and-under baseball team for the first time since 2019. Before that, the last 18U team was in 2002, a squad Wickett himself played on.
Numbers are also up at the younger levels. Four 11U baseball teams have been formed, up from three in 2025, with 44 players in that age group requiring the purchase of new jerseys.
A ball camp featuring instructors from Saskatoon’s 222 Fastpitch program and the senior Angels, originally scheduled for April 26, has been postponed to May 24. The new date will also serve as picture day. A sports day for all minor ball teams is planned for June 13.
Pembina Pipeline Corporation has donated $20,000 toward a new scoreboard for the No. 2 diamond, also known as the Mainline Auto Group diamond. Wickett noted the company has several local employees, including Mike Sparks, who submitted the application, and Kelly Green.
The minor softball program includes six teams: a U-15 team coached by Lynden Paquette, a U-13 team coached by Aline Wait, two U-11 teams coached by Blayke Lefaivre and Henry Pretorius, and two U-9 teams coached by Kelli Emmons and Mike Sparks.
In baseball, the 18U team is coached by Damon Werrell with Jennifer Werrell as manager. One 15U team is coached by Ryan Wickett and managed by Amber Wickett, while Brett Gray coaches the other 15U team with Stevie Dyok as manager.
Matt Choumont and Jason Cledgett will coach the two 13U teams. Four coaches — Kent Carlson, Adam Johb, Kyle Macey and Tyler Gilchrist — will lead one of the four 11U teams.
Conrad Olson and Derek Guinan will coach the two rally cap teams. Olson, Guinan, Emmons, Rob Gregory and Justin McGonigal will each coach one of the five T-ball teams.
The Rosetown Minor Ball Committee includes Wickett, Emmons, Gray, Wait, Sparks, Guinan, Olson, Johb, Denise Waldner and Chris Rawson.