Three longtime coaches were honoured when Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball held its annual Opening Day festivities on Saturday morning at Pitt Meadows Athletic Park.
Doug “Howie” MacDermit was inducted into the association’s hall of fame. He coached most of two decades, moving up through the levels with his sons, and won three provincial titles.
“He has given time and dedication to RMMBA and continues to do so despite the fact that he no longer has a child playing,” noted association president Bruce Evans in announced the induction.
The association will be asking Pitt Meadows to rename field seven at Pitt Meadows Athletic Park. They would like it to be called the Greg ‘Coach 7’ Bodnarchuk Field.
The longtime coach is known to all the kids as Coach 7, because of the number on his uniform.
“Coach 7 has a long and rich history with the RMMBA. He began volunteer coaching in 1995, served on the executive board for many years, and devoted untold hous to fostering a love of baseball in the boys and girls of our community,” said association special events coordinator Melissa Nisbet.
Midget AAA coach Mack Whitford was recocgnized for winning the BC Baseball Coach of the Year Award for U-18 last season.
Dayton Gill, who was a finalist in the Open Mic International singing competition last summer, sang the national anthem, and Pitt Meadows Mayor John Becker and Maple Ridge Coun. Gordy Robson each threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
The Bantam AA Royals were honoured for winning the provincial championship last season, and they led the teams in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” before baseball action got back under way to start a new season.
