By Sheldon Spackman and Josh Hall

Chatwood to lead St. Joseph Baseball Academy

Mar 26, 2018 | 5:00 PM

A highly decorated local baseball player has been hired to teach at the new St. Joseph Ball Academy in Red Deer.

Jason Chatwood grew up playing minor baseball in Innisfail and Red Deer and since 2003 has had several career highlights, including appearances in the Western Canada Summer Games, Canada Cup, World Baseball Challenge and Team Canada / MLB Top Prospects Camp. This in addition to numerous individual awards earned in college, university and the Western Major Baseball League with the Saskatoon Yellowjackets.

Currently, Chatwood is the Athletic Director and Physical Education Department Head at HJ Cody High School in Sylvan Lake and still a player, coach and President with the Red Deer Riggers Senior AAA baseball team.

Chatwood says there were a number of things that attracted him to the opportunity at St. Joseph.

“The fact that it was in Red Deer and it was local,” admits Chatwood. “I think normally in the past, if you’re looking for a position like this, you would have to be willing to relocate your family. I truly believe it’s something that central Alberta needs and can really benefit from.”

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“I love teaching and a passion for me is baseball,” Chatwood continues, saying the academy will be great for the development of local players. “The fact that I’ll be able to get to do that every day is an opportunity that I really couldn’t turn down and something that I’m very excited about.”

Chatwood says the academy comes at the right time as both baseball and softball are growing across the country.

“I think you’re seeing a lot more of these opportunities given to kids, so it’s really nice to see this happening locally, so our kids don’t feel they have to relocate at a young age to go to Calgary or Edmonton.”

Chatwood says with the facilities and the coaching in place in central Alberta, young baseball and softball players will be able to nurture their aspirations of becoming a better player right here at home.

“Whether their focus is to really improve on their skills or potentially if their goal is to move on and play baseball or softball at the post-secondary level, it’s very realistic for kids and it’s out there,” says Chatwood.

Looking back, Chatwood is grateful for the experiences and opportunities he had playing baseball growing up.

“The game’s been wonderful to me,” he admits. “It’s given me so many opportunities and let me meet so many people, so if I can help share some of my experiences or some of the things that I’ve learned to the next group coming up and some younger kids in central Alberta, then I think that’s something I would love to be a part of.”