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Recent Salina Blue Jays News

2021 Year in Review

By Sheldon Howell 12/27/2021, 3:00pm CST

2021 Year in Review

from KCLB League Commissioner: 

 

Sheldon Howell 

 

As we wrap up and officially close the book on the 2021 summer collegiate season, I have taken some time to sit and reflect on all that “was" the KCLB this summer. During this reflection a few major details have stuck out to me and I want to highlight them. 

The first and most important is how thankful I am to be where we are today. I am so grateful for the team that we have built around this league. The leadership and dedication from the league members is unmatched. Our members are mostly unpaid, overworked, selfless individuals that give back to the game out of the goodness of their hearts. Something that is so special and dear to me. I cannot say thank you enough to you all. It is truly not possible without each and every one of you. So again, thank you! 

The second thing that stuck out to me was growth. Our league saw a massive step in the right direction in our communities. Our host community has grown. Families and individuals have started to gravitate to the way that we operate. I saw more posts and ranting and raving about the experiences that they had with our players than ever before. People were engaged in our games, our activities and events. It was a true sense of community, and it was amazing. To all of the host families and their extended networks, thank you. Thank you for opening your homes and your families to this experience. As you learned, these guys become family really quick and your stewardship doesn't go unnoticed. These players will remember you for a lifetime. Long after they finish playing, they will still remember the experiences they had with you this summer. So again, thank you. 

Lastly, was our unity. To say that this summer had some bumps and bruises would be a massive understatement. This was hands down, the craziest summer of baseball that I have ever been a part of. We lost players, we lost coaches, we lost beds, we lost transportation, I thought I was going to lose my mind at points. But through all of that, we stuck together. The KCLB kept its perfect track record in tact. We started and finished as a unit, as a league. This league has always been about each other, and communicating through the differences of competition, and we accomplished that yet again. So to all the teams, their ownership and management, thank you. 

In conclusion, I know that we have changes on the horizon. The landscape of summer collegiate baseball is changing every year. Affiliations move, dynamics change, its the true nature of the beast. It's been my honor to lead this group and I look forward to continuing to lead this league for many years to come. With conviction, I believe that we are at the beginning of something very special with the KCLB. I know that we are in the absolute best position we could be, at this very point in time. We showed once again, its not all about wins and losses. It's about giving back more than you get. Providing a place for these young men to continue to follow their dream, its bigger than baseball. 

Our sights are already set on 2022. I for one can not express in words how excited I am to be able to work through all the lessons that I learned this year. 2022, get ready, because the KCLB is coming for you. 

 

For all of you that have entrusted me with the leadership of this league, thank you. 

 

Sheldon Howell 

KCLB 

Commissioner

2020 KCLB Season Canceled

By Sheldon Howell 05/05/2020, 5:00pm CDT

Season Canceled

2019 All League KCLB

By Sheldon Howell 08/20/2019, 10:30am CDT

All League Coaches/GM Selections 2019 

1st and 2nd Team Awarded 

 

Catcher 

1. Trevor Beard (Liberal)

2. Kyle Gaura (Cannons)

 

1stBase 

1. Jake Selco (Pipeliners)

2. Cayde Ward (Liberal)

 

2ndBase 

1. Jimmy DeLeon (Hays)

2. Grant Lung (VC)

 

ShortStop

1. Matt Cavanaugh (Hays)

2. Aiden Shepardson (Liberal)

 

3rdBase 

1. Tyler Brown (Pipeliners)

2. Jordan Williams (Liberal)

 

OutField

1stTeam 

1. Drake Angeron (Hays)

2. Conner Emmet (Liberal)

3. Justin Lee (Hays)

 

2ndTeam 

4. Garrett Thornton (Heat)

5. Thomas Cain (Cannons)

6. Cash Balentine (Outlaws)

 

Pitchers

1stTeam 

Wyatt Divis (Hays)

Clay Westbrooks (Cannons)

Hayden Woolsey (Heat)

Valenny Jimenez (Outlaws)

Robert Gonzalez (Dodge)

Riley Bost (Liberal)

Collin Cicere (Heat)

Trey Goodrich (Liberal)

 

2ndTeam 

Payton Strambler (Liberal)

Connor Hart (Cannons)

Tommy Garcia (Hays)

Steven Pagendarm (Heat)

 

Co-Offensive Players of the Year

Justin Lee (Hays)

Jake Selco (Pipeliners)

 

Defensive Player of the Year

Matt Cavanagh (Hays)

 

Co- Pitchers of the Year

Wyatt Divis (Hays)

Valenny Jimenez (Outlaws)

 

Organization of the Year

Kansas Cannons

GM/Coach of the Year

Rod Stevenson

Tom Sleva