The Bulls are back in town as training camp kicks off
After nearly two years, the Bulls are back.
The Lethbridge Bulls kicked off their training camp Friday in preparation for a shortened 2021 campaign.
The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) may be back, but it’s far from business as usual.
The league will feature an all-Alberta schedule after many teams, including all the squads from Saskatchewan, opted out of the 2021 season.
We’ll also be seeing double the Dawgs as Okotoks will put out two teams this season, thanks to its large academy system.
As if all of that wasn’t already enough, the WCBL will finally be living up to the C in its name – the league will feature only Canadian talent this season.
Issues with crossing the border has made it impossible for any Americans to play in 2021.
While this might not be ideal for first year head coach Chance Wheatley, he says there’s still plenty of talent on the roster.
"Expect still a very high quality of baseball," he told CTV News. "Sometimes the Canadians simply get overlooked because they’re Canadian."
Wheatley also mentioned that you should expect to see a lot of local talent suiting up for the Bulls this season.
"We’re really lucky here in Lethbridge, we’ve got a very deep talent pool. It’s great for the Canadian kids, it’s really good for the kids here and especially in Lethbridge."
One of those local products is Ty Penner.
Penner grew up in Lethbridge and should be a big part of the Bulls plans for this season.
While this isn’t his first season with the Bulls, the first and third baseman notes that it’s going to feel a lot different from his first.
"It’ll definitely be different," he said.
"I played here my first year with the American guys so it’ll be different not having those guys, but we’ve got a lot of good Canadian talent."
While the season may look different, most people are just ready to play ball no matter the circumstances.
Bulls president and GM Kevin Kvame is certainly one of those people.
"It's been a long time coming, I think our total is 680 days that's going to be between Bulls games which seemed impossible to ever fathom but that was the reality of the situation," he said.
Not only will baseball be back at Spitz Stadium, but fans will be making their return also.
The Bulls so far are allowing for 30 per cent capacity, but that could very well increase with the provincial opening plan going into effect this summer.
The team won’t have much time to get prepared for the start of the season either as they play host to the Okotoks Dawgs Black on June 18 at Spitz Stadium.
For more information on the upcoming season, you can visit the Lethbridge Bulls website.
(With files from Quinn Keenan)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.