Going Yard Baseball Academy 2024/2025
Goats Purpose
The academy is aimed at players who have been identified as high-performance athletes. Aimed to attract players who have aspirations to play baseball at a high level and are committed to working year-round on their skills. The program is designed to focus on the athlete's talents as individual players to provide opportunities for them to excel in the game and attract post-secondary baseball opportunities.
Going Yard's core values revolve around Respect, Responsibility and Commitment while helping our players to improve teamwork and social skills.
Academics and Sask DLC Partnership
Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre (Sask DLC) and Going Yard Baseball Academy have signed a multi-year agreement to support our student athletes success both in the classroom and on the field.
Going Yard has worked collaboratively with Sask DLC to develop specific Baseball Skills courses available at the grade 10-12 levels. All students enrolled with Going Yard Academy will have the option of being enrolled in this course, allowing them to earn high school credits while growing their baseball skills.
Athletes attending the Going Yard Academy will be able to choose the amount of online classes they wish to participate in. They will be supported by the Going Yard Academy and will also have access to Sask DLC teachers & facilitators.
Attitude and Effort
We prepare our players for elite baseball competition and teach players what it takes to play baseball at a high level. Goal setting and engagement from our players are paramount. We aim to provide them with the knowledge to take control of their development.
Coaches are invested in each player, and work hard with them to develop a plan to reach their goals to be seen and scouted for post-secondary opportunities.
Practicing at an elite level means consistent repetition, skills-specific instruction, advanced game tactics and understanding. By practicing alongside other elite players, athletes will be challenged and pushed to reach their maximum potential.
It is expected that the student-athlete maintains a positive relationship with their academic institutions. If the player is expelled or suspended from school on any given day, the player will not be eligible to train or attend team events that day and throughout the duration of the suspension. Students are expected to maintain academic integrity and show leadership qualities in their classes.
Top Facilities in Canada
Goats train out of the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, one of the premier indoor facilities in the country. The complex offers:
- 90 x 50 yds field turf, complete with 2 full-size infields
- 3 full-length pitching tunnels complete with mounds and targets
- Rapsodo pitching camera and radar technology, pro-level data
- 3, 65ft hitting cages, complete with Hack-Attack pitching machines
- HitTrax data capture and simulation hitting technology
- 15,000 sf weight room, run by leaders in the industry, Ignite Athletics
- 3,000 sf separate Goats weight room
- 2 large classrooms, complete with monitor and speaker systems
- 2 full-sized 18U baseball fields (Cairns Field, Leakos Field)
Goats Staff - The Goats coaching staff currently comprised of 5 professional coaches with college or MLB experience. These coaches share their knowledge and experience to help young players improve in all aspects of the game. The staff works closely with players to prepare them for the transition to post-secondary baseball, as well as the challenges faced in everyday life. Our coaches have the passion to push baseball forward in Saskatchewan and create as many opportunities as possible for our players.
Jordan
Draeger
Connor
Sparks
Marshall
Dean
Brody
Boyenko
Andrew
Albers
Goats Exposure
Goats take as many exposure opportunities as possible to get in front of college scouts. Playing in both U.S. and Canadian-based tournaments. We look for the highest competition to push our players to compete at their highest potential.
Goats Alumni
Goats get the opportunity to train alongside collegiate and professional players as our alumni return home for much of their off-season training.
Over 90% of Going Yard Baseball's athletes have had the opportunity to play baseball at a post-secondary institution in North America.
Additional program features
- Clothing Package
Please reach out if you have interest in the program, or if you have any questions: goingyardbaseball1@gmail.com
Training Schedule
Daily Training - Monday to Friday 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM on field or turf & weightlifting sessions.
September 1st 2024 / May 1st 2025
Game Schedule 2024 / 2025
(Subject to Change)
Fall 2024
- September 2nd & 3rd – Saskatoon Tournament
- September 9th & 10th – Winnipeg, MB
- September 15th to 18th – Kamloops, BC - Best of the West
- September 23rd & 24th – Regina, SK
- September 29th to Oct 1st - Regina, SK
- October 6th - Williston Community College
- October 7th - Dawson Community College
- October 9th - Miles City Community College
- October 10th - Bismark Community College
- October 15th & 16th – Showcase / Tournament - Saskatoon, SK
Spring 2025
March 10th to 18th - TIG Invitational Collegiate Baseball Tournament - Tucson, AZ
- March 25th to 31st - Mesa Spring Training - Phoenix AZ
- April 11th & 12th - Okotoks Baseball Academy - Okotoks, AB
- April 18th & 19th - Webber Baseball Academy - Calgary, AB
20+ Games against Collegiate Competition. Direct exposure to viable collegiate baseball programs.
Going Yard Baseball can trace its humble beginnings back to January 2013. Going Yard Baseball began at 1902 Alberta Ave. under the care and direction of Dan Demchenko and Matt Kosteniuk. The Going Yard Training Centre was home to the Saskatchewan Baseball Academy, where Greg Brons along with Matt Kosteniuk was able to groom the players who would eventually make up the core of team Saskatchewan who would go on to win the Canada Baseball Cup in 2016 and 2017. In 2016 Jordan Draeger was added to the Going Yard team. During this time, Going Yard Baseball introduced the Fall Baseball program which was previously run by Saskatoon Fall Baseball with Jesse Renneberg. The program developed into an off-season training program known today as the "Goats" program. The Goats program has grown with time and success and has now developed into 4 year round traveling teams and the Going Yard Baseball Academy. Marshall Dean and Brody Boyenko joined us full time running the Goats programs and our academy. Going Yard Baseball has now produced 50+ post-secondary baseball players and is the preferred training center for our local professional players. The dedication of the staff and the love for the game of baseball have been the driving force behind the growth of Going Yard and the success we have achieved over our first 10 years.
Coaches:
Garrett Hawkins - Pitching - San Diego Padres
Jordan Draeger: Catching / Hitting - Bluefield State College, West Virginia.
Marshall Dean: Pitching/Infielding - University of Central Missouri
Brody Boyenko: Pitching/Strength&Conditioning - Prairie Baseball Academy
Nolan Machibroda - Hitting - Current Pro Player
Andrew Albers: Pitching - Former MLB player
Connor Sparks: Pitching - Former MLB Draft Pick,