More than 1,500 public school students from across Simcoe County wore their baseball best to help kick off the Barrie Baycats preseason and take the classroom outdoors on Tuesday. Ryan Rijo is a fan favorite and one of the longer serving Baycats. On Tuesday he signed dozens of autographs for the kids. “I remember being their age and coming out to these Baycats games. It meant so much to me when they used to do it to me, so I always make sure I leave enough time to do it for them,” says Rijo. The Baycats are getting ready to kick off their first season in the new Canadian Baseball League. The baseball club says it is ready to get going and share the experience with young fans. “The new league brings in a lot more talent, a few more imports, there’s a salary cap this year, so there’s some minor changes,” says Baycats head coach Josh Matlow. “These kids are our future and you can see the crowd and the energy and they’re ready and we haven’t even started yet,” Matlow adds. The day was centered around the game but involved a lot more for the kids. From mid-inning contests to cheering challenges, the day was designed to take the classroom outside and support the biggest local baseball association in the region. “The experience itself, the movements, the players, what they do, how they talk, how they act, all that contributes to their learning and I’m happy to be a part of this with them,” says Steven Kooy, a grade six teacher at Lake Simcoe Public School. “It’s fun being here. I love the Baycats, I love baseball. I’m here with some people from my school, some people from my class,” says Blake McDonald, a Grade 5 student. Tuesday was also an exciting day for the players who tell CTV they are chomping at the bit to get the season going and put on a show for their young fans. “We’re just excited to have professional baseball here in Canada, it’s a good opportunity to continue to grow the game in this country as it continues to grow over the years” says Noah Hull with the Barrie Baycats. The Simcoe County District School Board and the Baycats will do this all again on Thursday, when another 1,500 Barrie students arrive when Guelph come to town. The Baycats kick off the regular season on May 14 at home, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
