McGee, L’Heureux recognized with Baseball Canada Awards

There, working alongside the best from across the country, McGee was also chosen to work the plate for a semifinal game, recognized as one of the top officials in the country.

Philip McGee, 2022 Baseball Canada Dick Willis Umpire of the Year Award recipient. (submitted photo/Baseball Canada)

McGee was also invited to umpire at the Canadian Futures Showcase put on by the Toronto Blue Jays, which is used as an identification camp for umpires, as it is for players, where he was selected for international recommendation status opening him up for future opportunities on the international stage.

For McGee, who has been umpiring in the Battlefords since moving to the community from New Brunswick in 2012, it all comes back to the love of the game and the thrill of the competition to be the best he can be.

“At this point I’ve been umpiring for more of my life than I have not,” he said with a laugh.

“I’ve always loved baseball and getting into umpiring was a way to make a few dollars, but what really brings me back is – once you get to a certain level – the level of competitiveness amongst umpires to really be the best we can be,” he said.

“It’s like being a player; you want to be at the right position at the right time and when you get with a good group of umpires, we push each other just like players to be good.”

In addition to his regular duties umpiring for the local teams and these additional tournaments and events, McGee has also helped grow the game. He offers a glimpse behind the curtain on what it means to be an umpire, shining a light on the human element behind the job with his podcast, The Leading Edge: Umpire Stories.

Available across streaming platforms, from Spotify to Apple Podcasts and more, the veteran official said the idea came about as a way to stay connected with others around the game during the pandemic, and has just continued to grow from there.

“It was a way for me to relive some stories and enjoy them, interviewing other umpires to hear about their stories and where they’ve been,” he said. “We talk with umpires about topics on both sides of the plate and talk a little bit about the game and about the individual as well.”

McGee said as he looks back at the last year, he’s grateful not only for the opportunities but also for the support of his family.

“I wouldn’t have been able to have the year I had without the support of my wife Melissa and kids Rexton and Molly,” he said. “Being away for weeks on end is tough, and without their support, it wouldn’t be possible.”

Volunteer of the Year – Regan L’Heureux, Unity

Unity’s Regan L’Heureux, who is from just an hour and a half up the road in Edam, has been coaching for over 15 years in the community, in addition to serving as president of Unity Minor Ball and vice president of Baseball Sask.

And while it’s no surprise for many around the local ball scene to see his name as this year’s recipient of the Volunteer Award, for L’Heureux, it wasn’t even something he considered until he heard the news.

“I was super surprised when I found out, but humbled and appreciative for sure,” L’Heureux said. “I’m fortunate to work with lots of great people in Unity, and coaches and managers and volunteers over the years with lots of good people around me that make it a lot of fun.”

Regan L’Heureux (pictured middle, red jacket), 2022 Baseball Canada Volunteer of the Year Award recipient. (submitted photo/Baseball Canada)

In addition to his regular coaching and board duties over the course of the season, L’Heureux has also been instrumental in overseeing one of the community’s biggest fall projects yet, coming up on year two of a plan to resurface each of the local diamonds in need over the next four years; a project he said will make all the difference.

“The ball diamonds in Unity are kind of the focal point of the program and we have a few diamonds we identified that need some upkeep, so we’ve budgeted the last three years for this current project where we plan to re-turf and re-shale the infield of a diamond a year for the next four years and have collaborated with the town to take on that project,” he said.

L’Heureux added that with their most recent project – as with so many others – it’s only made possible due to the support of so many in the community.

“Without all the donations and sponsorships we get from the community and local businesses, none of this stuff happens, and it’s all the rest of the volunteers that make it happen,” he said. “Without them, none of these rinks or ball diamonds would look the way that they do and that’s what makes it all go around in a small town.”

While his dedication to the game may make for a lot of hours at the diamond, in board meetings and planning projects, L’Heureux said even after all these years, there’s no place he’d rather be.

“I’ve been playing ball and involved with ball since I was a kid, with many, many years of heading to the ballpark,” he said. “It’s my passion and it’s what I love to do, so I’m still doing it and still enjoying it.”

The full list of Baseball Canada’s 2022 award winners can be found here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1

by Martin Martinson

McGee, L’Heureux recognized with Baseball Canada Awards

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