Kamloops NorthPaws
{{short description|Collegiate summer baseball team in Kamloops, British Columbia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball team
| name =Kamloops NorthPaws
|logo = Kamloops_NorthPaws.png
| league =West Coast League
| division =
| location =Kamloops, British Columbia
| stadium =NorBrock Stadium
| founded =2020
| nickname =
| league_champs =
| series_champs =
| colours =Black, red, cream
{{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#E03A3E}} {{color box|#E6D8AF}}
| mascot =
| owner =
| general_manager =
|manager = Cole Armstrong
}}
The Kamloops NorthPaws are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Kamloops, British Columbia. The NorthPaws are members of the West Coast League and since 2022 have played their home games at NorBrock Stadium.
The Northpaws were founded following the conclusion of the 2020 season but did not play until 2022 due to COVID restrictions. The NorthPaws clinched their first playoff berth that same year but have not been back since.
History
The Kamloops NorthPaws were founded in 2020 as an expansion member of the West Coast League. The franchise was announced on September 9, 2020, by owners Norm Daley, Neal Perry, and Jon Pankuch.{{Cite web |last=Hastings |first=Marty |title=Kamloops NorthPaws baseball franchise coming to West Coast League next summer; more expansion on way |url=https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sports/kamloops-northpaws-baseball-franchise-coming-to-west-coast-league-next-summer-more-expansion-on-way-1.24200070 |access-date=2020-12-01 |date=September 9, 2020 |website=Kamloops This Week |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910125539/https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sports/kamloops-northpaws-baseball-franchise-coming-to-west-coast-league-next-summer-more-expansion-on-way-1.24200070 |archive-date=September 10, 2020}} The moniker NorthPaws was selected to denote Canadian pride and show cohesion among local baseball programs. Additionally, the name is a play on the term southpaw. The colors red and black were chosen with the incorporation of cream to provide a vintage look. Surrey native, Cole Armstrong was tabbed as the club's first manager.{{Cite web |last=Kaisar |first=Victor |title=Kamloops NorthPaws hire Surrey native Cole Armstrong as inaugural head coach |url=https://www.radionl.com/2020/10/08/67441/ |access-date=2020-12-01 |date=October 8, 2020 |website=Radio NL - Kamloops News |language=en}}
The NorthPaws debut season was delayed to 2022 when the league's Canadian teams sat out the 2021 season due to COVID-19 restrictions.{{Cite news |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/09/new-for-2021-kamloops-northpaws/ |title=New for 2021: Kamloops Northpaws |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=September 9, 2020 |access-date=January 20, 2024}}{{Cite news |first=Kevin |last=Reichard |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/04/14/canadian-wcbl-teams-scrap-2021-season/ |title=Canadian WCL teams scrap 2021 season |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2024}}
=2022=
The NorthPaws finished third in the North Division with a 26-27 record.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339|title=West Coast League - 2022 standings|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} Zach Beatty (McCook Community College) and Felix Chenier Rondeau (Oklahoma City University) combined for nineteen home runs. Pitcher Ben Polack (San Jose State) picked up five wins on the mound while Sean Heppner threw 43 strikeouts and held an ERA of 2.64.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/leaders.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339|title=West Coast League - 2022 leaders|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} 19,007 total fans attended regular season home games for an average of 760 per game.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33339|title=West Coast League - 2022 attendance|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}
The NorthPaws qualified for the postseason as a wildcard. Their season ended in the Divisional Series where they were swept by the AppleSox.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/schedule.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33546|title=West Coast League - 2022 schedule|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} 1,180 total fans attended the NorthPaws' one home game in the playoffs.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33546|title=West Coast League - 2022 post-season attendance|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}
=2023=
The NorthPaws failed to improve on their previous season and finished 2023 last in the North Division with the league worst 12-40 record.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33635|title=West Coast League - 2023 standings|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} 16,496 total fans attended home games for an average of 717 per game.{{Cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33635|title=West Coast League - 2023 attendance|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}
=2024=
Outfielder and pitcher Joey Nico (Westmont College) was named player of the week on July 1st. Nico connected for ten base hits over the week and earned his first home run and save in the NorthPaws' 7-5 win over the Sweets.{{Cite web|url=https://westcoastleague.com/rico-and-hangas-receive-wcls-moss-adams-weekly-accolades/|title=Rico and Hangas Receive WCL's Moss Adams Weekly Accolades|first=Chris|last=King|date=July 1, 2024}}
On July 9th, Joey Rico was selected to represent the NorthPaws in the All Star Game.{{Cite web|url=https://westcoastleague.com/wcl-all-star-game-rosters-announced/|title=WCL All-Star Game Rosters Announced|first=Chris|last=King|date=July 9, 2024}}
The NorthPaws improved on their 12-42 record from the previous season posting a 15-39 record. Despite the improvement, the NorthPaws would still finish last in the north division for the second straight season being twenty games behind the division leading AppleSox.{{Cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33874|title=West Coast League - standings|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}} 8,343 fans attended games for an average of 309.{{Cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=33874|title=West Coast League - attendance|website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies}}
The NorthPaws failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.
=2025=
The NorthPaws are currently tied with the AppleSox and Bells for first in the north division with a 6-3 record.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/standings.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070 Jared Hall (Bethel) has an RBI of seven.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/leaders.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070 1,017 fans have attended the NorthPaws' three home games for an average of 509.https://baseball.pointstreak.com/attendance.html?leagueid=145&seasonid=34070
Season-by-season record
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Year ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|League ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Division ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Finish ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Wins ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Losses ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Win% ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|GB ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Postseason ! scope="col" style="background-color:#000000; border-top:#E03A3E 5px solid; border-bottom:#E6D8AF 5px solid; color:#ffffff"|Manager |
| bgcolor="#96CDCD"|2022
|bgcolor="#96CDCD"|WCL |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|North |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|3rd |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|26 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|27 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|.491 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|7 |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Lost North Divisional Series 0-2 (AppleSox) |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Cole Armstrong |
| 2023
|WCL |North |8th |12 |40 |.231 |25.5 |Did Not Qualify |Keith Francis |
| 2024
|WCL |North |8th |15 |38 |.283 |19 |Did Not Qualify |Jose Bautista |
| 2025
|WCL |North |2nd |7 |4 |.636 |1 | |Riley Jepson |
| class="wikitable" border="1" |
| bgcolor="#EEDC82"|League Champions
|bgcolor="#D0E7FF"|Division Champions |bgcolor="#96CDCD"|Playoff Team |
Playoff appearances
- 2022 Wildcard Berth
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.northpawsbaseball.ca Official Website]
{{West Coast League}}
Category:Amateur baseball teams in Canada
Category:Baseball teams in British Columbia
Category:Baseball teams established in 2020
Category:2020 establishments in British Columbia
{{Canada-baseball-team-stub}}