Wilson: Okotoks Dawgs to host Baseball Canada Canadian academy national championship
Baseball Canada and the Dawgs Academy have announced the launch of “The Road to Okotoks” national championship, which will see 16 elite academy teams compete for the Morneau Cup in Okotoks, Alta. from July 14 to July 19. Photo: Baseball Canada
*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories. You can read it here.
September 24, 2025
By Ian Wilson
Alberta Dugout Stories
The road to Canadian baseball academy supremacy will run through Okotoks.
Baseball Canada and Dawgs Academy have announced the launch of “The Road to Okotoks” national championship, which will see 16 elite academy teams compete for the Morneau Cup.
Named after Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer and former American League MVP Justin Morneau, the prestigious prize will be awarded at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks in mid-July of 2026 to the top team of amateur baseball players who are 19 years old or younger.
“The Dawgs are thrilled to host the very best of youth baseball from across the country,” said Okotoks Dawgs Founding/Managing Director John Ircandia.
“There is no better venue than the Seaman Stadium Complex, and as demonstrated by the sold-out crowds we experience every summer, no better fan base than Okotoks, the communities of the Foothills and the Greater Calgary Area. Rather than have our most elite teams go to tournaments in the United States, it is a game changer that Baseball Canada will provide a format in our own country where the best can meet the best. We cannot wait.”
Seaman Stadium will serve as the primary venue for the championship, which is set to take place from July 14-19. Games will also be played at adjacent Tourmaline Field.
Home to the Okotoks Dawgs of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL), Seaman Stadium is widely regarded as one of the top amateur baseball venues in North America. The 5,200-seat stadium regularly welcomes capacity crowds and was ranked by U.S. publication Ballpark Digest as the No. 1 overall baseball draw in Alberta, the top summer collegiate baseball draw in Canada, and among the top three summer collegiate draws in North America.
Baseball Canada said the event will mark a new era in national youth baseball.
“The Road to Okotoks is a bold new chapter for amateur baseball in Canada,” said Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson in a press release.
“We’re creating a platform that not only celebrates elite competition but also supports player development and exposure. Just as importantly, this event helps unify our baseball community from coast to coast by bringing the best together on a national stage. We’re thrilled to launch this with support from the Okotoks Dawgs, Justin Morneau, and some of the most respected amateur programs in the country.”
Competition will officially get underway in May and June with three regional qualifiers that are hosted by top Canadian academy programs. The qualifiers will determine the 16 teams that advance to the national championship in Okotoks.
The Langley Blaze and White Rock Tritons will host qualifying games in British Columbia, while Vauxhall Academy of Baseball and Prairie Baseball Academy will welcome teams to Lethbridge.
Ontario qualifiers will be hosted by the Mississauga Tigers High Performance Program, the Ontario Blue Jays, the Ontario Nationals and the Ontario Terriers.
In an effort to include top amateur talent at the national championship, all 16 qualifying teams will take part in a one-round player draft ahead of the action in Okotoks. The draft will allow squads to bolster their rosters by selecting top athletes who meet the eligibility criteria.
The Road to Okotoks will provide players with the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of professional, college and Junior National Team (JNT) evaluators.
“This event represents a major step forward in providing elite Canadian amateur players with meaningful, high-level competition,” said Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national teams and JNT head coach.
“The Road to Okotoks will deliver a true best-on-best environment with national bragging rights on the line — a setting that challenges our top athletes and prepares them for the next level. It’s an exciting initiative that will elevate amateur baseball in Canada.”
Morneau – a New Westminster, B.C. first baseman who played 1,545 Major League Baseball (MLB) games, mostly with the Minnesota Twins – also expressed excitement about the tournament.
“It’s an honour to have my name attached to an event that brings together the top amateur talent in the country,” said Morneau.
“Competing in a high-stakes national championship like this pushes athletes to rise to the occasion and take pride in representing their teams and communities. I’m proud to support an initiative that celebrates excellence and helps grow the game across Canada.”
The championship will feature Canada’s top 300 youth players, including members of the JNT.
The Okotoks Dawgs 18U Black team, ranked as the No. 2 academy/travel team by U.S. scouting service Perfect Game, has earned an automatic spot in the 16-team championship.