The Prince Albert Minor Baseball Association’s 13U and 15U teams will have a new look and a new name when they hit the fields at the Kinsmen Baseball Complex next summer.
Starting in 2023, all 13U and 15U teams are being renamed the TLS Royals. The name change is to acknowledge the major support of TLS – The Landscaping Specialists—on the Grand Slam Baseball Rebuild project.
TLS is in charge all earthwork and landscaping for the project. The ownership group of TLS announced that are providing all the work for the project as a 100 per cent in-kind donation. The total value of the work they are providing in-kind is $70,000.00.
The Kinsmen Baseball Complex will be known as the “Home and the 13u and 15u TLS Royals”.
Tim Scharkowski, CEO of TLS explained that they have been involved in other ways with volleyball clubs, but nothing of this scale.
“It’s just nice to give back to the community (by) making sure that all of the youth have a place and a decent facility to enjoy, make friendships with and learn different things,” he explained
In a release, he said that being part of an expansion like this is a gratifying opportunity.
“This project for the Royals baseball teams and Prince Albert Minor Baseball Association is very meaningful and close to our hearts,” he said. “We are all parents and have always encouraged our children to pursue extracurricular activities in our city. We have always believed that the youth in Prince Albert deserve these facilities and as a company, (and) we take pride in the fact that we can help PAMBA in mentoring the youth of our community.”
The ownership group of TLS consists of Tim and Lillian Scharkowski, Paul Papp and Sam Papp. The group thanked Prince Albert Minor Baseball for the chance to be a part of the project, which they said will pay long-lasting dividends.
“With the expansion of the fields, these players will have many years of making memories and friendships that will last a lifetime,” the group said.
Scharkowski said they got a slow start on the project due to the late winter and having to juggle other projects. Ideally, they hope to be done within the next two or three weeks.
The project involves lengthening the field to make it regulation size for 15U, improving the infield, extending the irrigation lines and replacing the turf.
Minor ball president Duane Krip explained in a release that they are fortunate to have community minded businesses in Prince Albert. The earthwork and landscaping portion is one of the highest coast for the expansion of the 15U field, and to have 100 per cent of it donated by TLS is incredible.
“They want to be a contributor to the overall project (and) to the betterment of the overall park and facility” Krip explained. “Our board wanted to recognize them in a major way and that is what we decided to do. All of the 13U and 15U teams that will play there will be called the TLS Royals.”
Krip explained that the naming is really to show the appreciation and say thank you for all of the support TLS has given.
As well, all 13U and 15U house league and provincial teams will wear the TLS insignia on the back of their jerseys.
TLS was contacted by the board and jumped at the chance to help on a project of this magnitude.
“I’m just happy Prince Albert Minor Ball and Duane contacted us and asked us if we would like to get involved in it. I thought that was super and the timing was good on our part,” Scharkowski said.
In 2022 there were a total of 12 teams playing A and AA baseball in the two divisions, seven 13U Prince Albert teams plus Shellbrook and Birch Hills and three 15U teams.
The new baseball complex has already been the site of three major 13U tournaments drawing teams from Shellbrook, LaRonge, Humboldt, Muenster, Nipawin and Saskatoon.
The timeline for the completion of the project is mid to late August of this year.
Krip said the community has embraced the project.
“The overall support the community has shown us right from the get go is just phenomenal, with the businesses that have come forward and offering donations of money for the sponsorships and also the in kind donations that have come in for the work that needs to be done. It is absolutely phenomenal,” Krip said.
The plan for 2023 is to showcase the new baseball complex by continuing to host 13U and 15U regional tournaments and be a host site for Baseball Saskatchewan Provincials.
