The 2025 baseball season is shaping up to be a special one for Whalley Little League.
A 70th-year celebration is planned July 12 at Whalley Athletic Park, where thousands of kids have played on ball diamonds over the years.
The event will be "a huge party in the park," according to Clint Stewart, new president of Whalley Little League.
"This also marks 25 years since our Big League District 3 team became the only Canadian team to go on and win the World Series," in 2000, with two Whalley coaches and five players on the roster, Stewart said.
Plans are to dedicate one field and two buildings at the park in Whalley, where a season-opening ceremony was held Saturday (April 12), along with multiple Hall of Fame inductions, Stewart added.
"We want to honour Terry Street, a Whalley Little League player who lost his life in Afghanistan," Stewart said. "We have a tournament named after him, but we also want to name the field, Minor 5, after him as well.
"We'll also rename our Little League and senior batting cages after the outgoing president and vice-president, Mark Deshane and Gavin Burke, who are the longest serving board members in Whalley history."
Whalley's current executive team, named last November, includes Clint Stewart (president), Mylyne Precioso (1st VP), Kevyn Nobel (2nd VP), Charmaine Stewart (secretary), Zahra Nerval (treasurer) and Victoria Nobel (registrar).
On Saturday (April 12), season-opening ceremonies saluted Whalley's 2024 Major All-stars team that won the Canadian championship. Players and coaches were given championship rings and plaques to celebrate their run to the 2024 Little League World Series.
The team of 12 preteen boys won the national championship in Kingston, Ont., to advance to the fabled tournament in Williamsport, Penn., last August. Their lone tournament win was a 12-5 romp win over Team Puerto Rico when all 12 runs were scored in a single inning and every Whalley player crossed home plate.
In October, the players were in the spotlight again at Surrey City Hall for a celebration of greatness in council chambers.
Whalley's 2024 Major All-stars were Xavier Cabalfin, Ronan Bobiles, Ben Wegwitz, Eric Popovich, Blake Anderson, Marek Kluth, Kayden Krestanovich, Jozef Young, Joshua Hernstedt, Riley Suvilai, Ray Dhasi and Rye Precioso, with coaches Stephen Young, Eric Kluth and Jason Wegwitz.
