Fall Ball (Sept-Oct):
Fall Ball is the perfect learning environment for our players, with our primary focus being on advancing our developments from the previous season and making adjustments to our game. The development-first mentality allows players to focus on changing certain aspects of their game for the long-term gain. This allows players to push aside the game day pressure to perform they felt while in PBL playoffs, Canada Cup, Area Codes, MLB Workouts etc...
The program features plenty of full-time coaches for the fall schedule, which is perfectly synced with the return of many of our professional and collegiate alumni who always seem to find their way back to McLeod Park. The coach to player ratio allows for plenty of instruction day in and day out for our players and is also a great boost to the moral of the player. This time is designed to focus on education, development and is fun focused for all players and coaching staff.
Winter Training (Nov-Feb):
All players get to take advantage of our warm late falls to practice outdoors on the McLeod Park Turf during rainy days. This allows our athletes to continue to progress with their fall throwing programs much longer than the competition. We call this our "Turf Advantage". This also allows for the continuation of on field repetitions and game like scenarios. The same goes for late January & early February, as the weather heats up, our players begin to get on-field development before all other provinces in Canada.
December and January is primarily spent in the blue collar confines of the Langley Blaze Barn. This retrofitted facility features 4 hitting cages, 2 full length bull pens, retractable 1,500 sq foot defence work area, Jaeger Band Arm Care station & 2 Pro-Batter pitch simulators.
Spring Training:
Beginning in late January and early February, the Blaze will begin their work outdoors, back on the McLeod Turf! The goal of this early time outdoors is to transition the several months of work in the cages, bullpen sessions and individual drill work into live games.
Spring Training - AZ Pro Tour:
Much of the reputation, professional & college connections, separation from our competition, opportunity and history of success has been established by our annual Spring Training trip to Phoenix, AZ. The accolades and competitiveness that the Blaze program brings to Spring Training complexes across the state attracts the eyes of many professional and college programs to our games. The Blaze typically have a schedule that features several games against top ranked NJCAA powerhouse programs as well as many games against Minor League organizations. The Minor League organizations typically bring A, High-A players to compete against the Blaze, however countless times the Blaze have faced Major Leaguers.
The trip is truly an unforgettable experience for our players and their families. For our players to be able to witness countless fields littered with ball players all trying to make “The Show” is an eye-opener. For our players to be able to the drill work and mechanics used by the professional coaches and players is unrivalled for their development. For our players to be able to compete against Major League prospects and players in front of 40-50 scouts is a players dream.
Upon graduating from our program, the majority of our players will have had the following:
40-60 At Bats against Minor League & Major League Pitching
10-20 Innings Pitched against Minor League & Major League Hitting
15-20 Games Played against NJCAA Colleges whom consistently rank in the Top 25
25-30 Games Played against MILB & MLB competition
100+ Professional & Collegiate scouts watch them play all before they have even stepped foot on a college campus or pro-field….
Pre-Season:
Upon returning from the Arizona Pro Tour, the Blaze feed off of competing at the professional level with several games prior to the start of the BCPBL season. The Pre-Season games typically see us hosting teams from Alberta seeking warmer weather, local college programs such as UFV & TRU and several other PBL teams. The Blaze use those games to continue their development and begin instrumenting more team based, communication oriented, collaboration focused drills and practice.
Season:
The BCPBL season typically starts in mid-April and runs 5-6 games per week for the next four months. The BCPBL is a 13 team league that has been dominated by the Blaze since their inaugural season in 2001. The BCPBL offers a 48 game schedule that allocates a 4 game series against all teams in the league each season. The BCPBL has offered the most competitive baseball in Western Canada for the past 20 years. No league or schedule offered by any other program competes with what is offered by the PBL, it is for that reason that many teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario travel west to compete with such high quality competition. This level of competition is essential for the growth of our players, who without the high level of talent, would be left static with their development.
To further separate the Blaze from the PBL, the Blaze partake in competition with various teams from Washington who have plenty of Division I commitments and pro selections.
Post Season:
After the conclusion of each season we say goodbye to our senior class as they depart to begin their college careers. Many of those players will do individual and small group workouts with coaching staff prior to their departure to college to keep the rust off.
The majority of our returning players take this time to play in highly scouted and showcase tournaments, this includes, but is not limited to Area Code Showcase, Canada Cup, Pacific Northwest Championships and Tournament 12.
