Minor ball continues be clocking 100 mph fastballs when it comes to growth, but unless additional diamonds are developed more Cochrane players will be taking their base in Calgary.

The Cochrane Minor Ball season opened Friday night when the Major 'AAA" Crush travel team hosted the Calgary Centennials. Now they'll be a flurry of games over the next few months, followed a growing number of teams participating in summer leagues.

"This is opening weekend and the town did a great job of getting the diamonds ready for us. Three or four days ago, it wasn't looking very good but it looks good now," says league president Corey O'How. 

While the town's park's department has done what it can, there's a squeeze play on the horizon for Cochrane's rediscovery of the sport. Between minor ball and adult leagues, there are over 1,100 Cochranites playing organized ball each summer and more who wish they could.

There were many ear-to-ear grins during warmups prior to the first minor ball game played here this season. Here the visiting Centennials do a little batting practise while the Crush warmup their infield.

From t-ball to softball to senior ball, over 600 of them are playing minor ball in a sports association that has practically tripled in size in the last five years. The major/minor program alone sees a total of 15 teams playing house league and they are joined by an additional six from Canmore. The league has grown to three junior and two senior teams plus an entry in the Calgary North Baseball League.

What this all adds up to is a major crisis that could rear its face next season when potentially five teams will be seeking to use the Rodeo South diamond in minor ball's allotted time (Tuesday/Thursday night, Saturday, half-day Sunday). It's the only one that has the 90 ft. base path for the older, more powerful youth that are ideally 300 ft. down the lines and deeper in centrefield.

"The kids keep moving up in age and what we're lacking is diamonds with a 90 ft. base path diamond. That's what we really need or else we're going to be sending kids to Calgary because we really can't handle five teams on that diamond with only that many days."

The adult leagues also start their seasons this week and are in the same situation. There are four diamonds somewhat suitable for play and the mixed league has long been maxed out at 27 teams with long waiting lists of players and teams. 

O'How says when push comes to shove what is need is at least one more large diamond to help stumble through the next year or two.

"The town has done a lot in the last year. We still have a ways to go and some things we can work together on but I think they've done everything they have been able to do as far as utilize the existing fields that we have."

"It's going to be a big challenge for Cochrane Minor Ball and the Town of Cochrane next year."

Any plans for new diamonds seem down the road as chatter continues on building a new quad on land the town hasn't annexed yet or in the proposed Greystone development which even approved today is likely a few years down the road.

O'How says the need for diamonds goes beyond minor ball and he also sees the eco-social value for the entire community.

"More diamonds are good for the town," says O'How. "They also bring people here who will spend money with local businesses."

Adding Irrigation to Diamond

The league had hoped to add irrigation to the Matt Krol north diamond before the season started but the weather didn't cooperate and now it will be completed in the fall. They have some companies donating labour to help out with the project and tie in with a system already irrigating the Matt Krol south diamond.

Storied Senior Team Joins New League

A successful Cochrane senior boys team has struck out to join a new baseball league.

The Cochrane Toros have joined the Calgary North Baseball League (CNBL) that was launched last season. It was designed to include a midget division for 17, 18 and 19-year-old players and a Junior AAA team for players aged 19, 20 and 21 to continue playing after completing Little League baseball.

Most of the players on the Toros, though, are 15-16 years old. Its core players have played together through the divisions of Cochrane minor ball and along the way won three championships in the last five years.

The CNBL is formed of 12 teams and besides Calgary and Cochrane also includes teams from  Okotoks, Strathmore, Chestermere, Airdrie and Canmore.