Mitch Schmidt, left, is back with the Okotoks Dawgs after two seasons on medical leave. Next are coaches David Robb, Andy Peterson and Joe Sergent. Photo: Brent Calver/Western Wheel File Photo

June 25, 2025

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

OKOTOKS, Alta. _ The G7 Leaders’ Summit was held in Alberta last week.

We saw the police presence at the airport, helicopters circling and extra security staying at the hotel. And maybe in a few years we’ll see how successful the meeting at nearby Kananaskis was.

The results came in a few years ago from the Okotoks Dawgs 2018 summit. The Edmonton Prospects had eliminated the Dawgs in the summer college league playoffs by a 2-1 score in the decisive game. That meant three Dawgs playoff exits courtesy of Edmonton in three strait summers.

Dawgs founding father John Ircandia called a meeting for the next morning Aug. 4, a Saturday. More than one coach wondered “could we be all fired?”

3B coach Andy Peterson

On hand were second-year manager Mitch Schmidt, an assistant coach with the Bellevue University Bruins in Nebraska, third base coach Andy Peterson, head coach of the Linn-Benton Roadrunners, in his third year with the Dawgs, pitching coach Joe Sergent, in his second year, Dave Robb, in his 16th season and Ircandia.

Ircandia told his staff, “You guys are in the trenches, you see the players on a day-to-day basis. What do you need from us for next year to right this ship? Whatever it is … you got it.”

Sergent said the coaching staff “was all on the same page.” Andy (Peterson) had the direct quote, “We need guys that care.”

“We all collectively said that ‘we need kids who care.’ Kids who care about the Dawgs, the community of Okotoks, the Dawgs Academy and representing the logo,” said Sergent. “We then collectively agreed to start going for more Canadians because they know Okotoks the most.”

The next year instead of going after the big name players at schools, they recruited players who cared.

A love affair: Ircandia said a huge factor was bringing in “Mitch Schmidt, not just to manage the club, but to head up our recruiting effort in collaboration with our other coaches. He knows everyone. Everyone loves Mitch.

“Also, it didn’t hurt having an Academy thanks to (coaches) Tyler Hollick, Jeff Duda and Lou Pote producing more and more elite talent,” Ircandia said. “You’ve been to our games at Seaman Stadium, you have seen our facilities … who wouldn’t want to play there?”

The Dawgs’ summer college team brought in Canucks like LHP Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.), OF Noah Geekie (Strathclair, Alta.), OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.), LHP Matt Wilkinson (White Rock, BC), Ricky Sanchez (Okotoks, Alta.), C Gavin Logan (Oyen, Alta.) and Oregon State OF Jacob Melton,

Sergent said the Dawgs went from 7-to-8 Canadians in 2018 to 22 the next year.

“Ever since then that has been how we have done it,” Sergent said, “guys that wanted to win like Dustin Schorie and Brock Townsend (from Bellevue, recruited by Schmidt), plus Tanner Simpson and Justin Hammergren (both from Lewis and Clark State).”

Behind Simpson the Dawgs knocked off Edmonton to advance to the final and beat the Regina Red Sox in 2019.

Then, came the COVID year. In 2021, the Lethbridge Bulls beat Edmonton to take the title. Then the Dawgs created their second string of three straight championships, winning in 2022, 2023 and last year. Pote managed the last two titles and this year Schmidt and Pote are co-managers.

“The Three Peat we had was littered with those guys: SS Brendan Luther (Mississauga, Ont.), McCoy Pearce (Kamloops, BC), Caleb Lumbard (Regina, Sask.), Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.), Nash Cowell (Yarmouth, NS), Ricky, Brunner, Geekie, etc.,” Sergent said. “We had Canadian guys sprinkled in with Americans that care (Townsend, Schorie) and wanted to win.

Pitching coach Joe Sergent makes a mound visit. Photo: Ian Wilson, Alberta Dugout Stories.

“We built a culture and a family over a fantasy ball team. The players now police the culture.”

A lefty, Sergent pitched for San Joaquin Delta College, then was recruited by Lamar University in Beaumont, Tex. He was drafted in 1999 in the 21st round by the Florida Marlins and pitched five seasons in their organization, reaching double-A Portland. From 2004-07, he pitched for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the Northern League posting a 21-5 regular season record before joining the Calgary Vipers in 2008. From 2008-10, the Golden League all-star was the ace of the staff that won the 2009 league title and was 6-0 in playoffs during his time in Calgary. In his 12-year career, he owned a regular season record of 64-33 with a 3.95 ERA in over 800 pro innings pitched.

The Dawgs do a doubles celebration which began in 2022. Every single player does it when they hit one: Grab the imaginary salt, grab the imaginary pepper, then shake it above their head.

“It’s the same when we hit a home run,” Sergent said. “They hug each other outside of the batter’s box to not disrespect anyone or the game. Culture and family. That’s how those Edmonton teams built it that we kept losing to. That is what has got us four championships in the last five seasons.”

* * *

Flashing back: Looking into the review mirror, Ircandia said “he’d be shocked if he didn’t add.”

“We need better and more pitching, pitching, pitching … did I say pitching!” he said.

Ircandia said he also may have harkened back to the original Dawgs days where he “would line up Jimmy Henderson, Tanner Osberg, James Avery, Justin Cardinal, Jeff McDonald, etc. and say ‘okay, they get zero, so are we winning 4-0, 5-0 or 15-0?’” Henderson is a Dawgs Hall of Famer after pitching with Milwaukee and now is a Brewers coach. Before joining the Brewers, he was a 26th round pick of the Montreal Expos. Osberg was a New York Mets draft in the 34th round and Avery was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 29th.

That 2018 post-season meeting helped the Dawgs re-bound to the top. The Dawgs have won seven times since 2007 and have an eighth title as the Calgary Dawgs in 2004.

“But when John wanted that meeting the morning after being eliminated by Edmonton a third-straight year, with the whole staff, we all thought we were getting fired,” said one coach.

Ircandia’s patience prevailed.

* * *

You ought to be in pictures: The 1 1/2 picture window of the new weight room give a beautiful view of the field. At the bottom of the glass are eight pictures of former Dawgs: OF Micah McDowell (Kentville, N.S.), drafted by the Miami Marlins, OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) at triple-A with the Durham Bulls (Rays), LHP Matt Wilkinson (White Rock, BC) in the Cleveland Guardians chain, OF Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) drafted by the Atlanta Braves, LHP Justin King (Lloydminster, Alta.) also of the Marlins and 1B Matt Lloyd (Calgary, Alta.) in the St. Louis Cardinals system.

And in the middle, a place of honour, is Dawgs Hall of Famer, former Milwaukee Brewers closer and current Brewers coach Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.).

* * *

Wanting the two-man system: NHL referee Chris Schlenker (Medicine Hat, Alta.) umpires ball games in the off season. He played four seasons in the WHL with the Regina Pats and Prince Albert Raiders. His son Marek Schlenker has played in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks.

The umpire has a sense of humor. During a recent game, the pitcher crossed up the catcher, the ball struck Schlenker and he went down. Face down. With his feet facing the pitcher’s mound. When coaches arrived the umpire asked, “Wasn’t there supposed to be a catcher there?”

Late night stalking: When he was with the Anaheim Angels, Dawgs co-manager Lou Pote was staying at The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg for a series with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Pote headed to his room late one night, while LHP Jarrod Washburn thought he’d walk around the vacant tennis courts and call his wife. Minutes later Washburn called Pote saying, “Get down here ... I just saw a panther jump over the net.”

Pote and Washburn searched without any success. Finally, Pote asked, “Do they even have panthers in Florida?”

“Yes,” replied Washburn, “the Florida Panthers.”

Elliott: Okotoks Dawgs 2018 summit resulted in changes ... and titles