National Coaching Awards

Baseball Canada Lifelong Coaching Award

The Lifelong Coaching Award is awarded to a coach who has made a positive, long-time contribution to coaching baseball in Canada at the local, and has demonstrated outstanding leadership, performance and guidance as a baseball coach throughout their coaching career.

2025 - Morgan de Pena, Winnipeg, MB

Morgan has dedicated more than four decades to shaping the game of baseball in Manitoba. A former power pitcher and Redboine MVP, Morgan began coaching in 1984 and has since led teams at every level, highlighted by a Western Canadian Championship and recognition as Manitoba’s High Performance Coach of the Year. Beyond the field, he served as Technical Director and then Executive Director of Baseball Manitoba for over two decades, earning the Sport Manitoba Administrator of the Year award in 2005. He has coached dozens of provincial teams, mentored countless athletes and coaches, and remains at the heart of development today as the head coach of Manitoba’s 16U provincial team. Morgan’s legacy is one of passion, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to growing the game across his province.

 

2024 - Gaétan Gagnon, Trois-Riviéres, QC

Gaétan has made an extraordinary contribution to the sport of baseball in Canada, dedicating nearly 40 years of his life to coaching and mentoring young athletes at various levels of the game. Gaétan is the president and founder of Baseball CRM, an organization that has been managing the Sport-Études program at both the secondary and college levels in the Mauricie region since 2008. For over 12 years, Gaétan has been a vital part of Baseball Québec’s AAA development network, where he has consistently demonstrated his exceptional coaching abilities, leadership, and passion for the sport. His role in shaping and developing young players in this elite program has been invaluable. Gaétan’s impact extends beyond the field, as he also served as a scout for the Atlanta Braves for 12 years. His keen eye for talent and his understanding of the game have been instrumental in the development of many players who have achieved success both nationally and internationally.

 

2023 - Rob Myrden, Corner Brook, NL

A constant figure both on and off the field in Corner Brook, Rob has been coaching for over 45 years spanning every level possible and  holds the title of coaching the most teams in the history of his local association and possibly the most teams in the history of  Baseball Newfoundland & Labrador. Coaching at numerous provincial, Atlantic and National Championships over the years, Rob’s coaching resume is matched by few. However, it is the impact that he has had on the baseball community of Corner Brook that would be the real reason he deserves this award. Rob has been the Head Coach for the association overseeing the entire baseball program and he has been a mentor to countless coaches. To quote former Corner Brook Baseball President and former VP of Baseball NL, Kevin McCarthy , "I would say that Rob Myrden coached every player who played baseball in Corner Brook for the last 30 years". Just a few short weeks ago he coached what is thought to be his final game and leaves his coaching post with what so many aspire to do: Leave something better than when you found it and have the respect of many after a job well done!

 

2022 - No winner awarded

 

2021 - Ian Mosher, Kentville, NS

When folks think of baseball in Kentville, Nova Scotia chances are Ian Mosher is the first person that comes to mind.

Born, raised, and still living in nearby Wolfville, Mosher has been a staple with the Kentville Wildcats organization since their inaugural season in the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League in 1977.

First, as a player, where he captured MVP honours in leading Kentville to a national championship victory in 1985, Mosher then progressed to roles of player/coach before assuming head coach duties where he served the organization until 2017.

In 2021, his famous number 29 was just the ninth number retired by the organization as the Wildcats also inducted him into their Hall of Fame.

Mosher has held various roles in baseball from his years as a player to administrative duties while coaching youth baseball up to the professional ranks, but it was his role as Head Coach of the Kentville Wildcats that he will be most remembered for.

“Ian has had a positive influence on an awful lot of young kids,” said Van Blarcom, a Hall of Fame member, and a long-time teammate of Mosher in an interview with the Annapolis Valley Register. “I don't know how many career pitches he would have thrown down in the batting cage for people working on their swing — it would be a very big number.”

Many of those kids that Mosher coached are now active in baseball circles and are coaches themselves. It is those types of stories that Mosher is most proud of in instilling a lifelong love of the game into his players and seeing the life lessons and successes achieved on the field applied off the baseball field.

“My greatest source of pride at this stage in my career is not my accomplishment… it’s the fact that so many of my former players are coaching,” said Mosher to the Annapolis Valley Register. “That is the most special thing for me.”

 

2020 - John Haar, Vancouver, BC

A three-sport star at the University of British Columbia (UBC), John Haar is the only athlete in the school’s history to have an opportunity to play professionally in three sports. But his father, Rudd, who was the head groundskeeper at Vancouver’s Nat Bailey Stadium, instilled a passion for baseball in his son at an early age. Primarily an infielder as a youngster, Haar was converted into an outfielder while toiling in the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees organizations.

After reaching the Double-A level as a player, Haar embarked on a coaching career that has made him one of the most respected managers in Canadian baseball history. His first high profile assignment came as an assistant with Team Canada in the Pan-American Games in Mexico City in 1975. Impressed with Haar’s work ethic, Baseball Canada hired the Vancouver native as its manager in 1986. Haar would guide the team to a fifth-place finish in the World Cup that same year. 

It was also in 1986 that Baseball Canada established the National Baseball Institute (NBI), which enabled top Canadian players to attend any post-secondary school while practicing and playing together in Vancouver. Haar was the NBI manager for its entire 14-year existence. Current Baseball Canada President Jason Dickson along with Matt Stairs and Corey Koskie are among the eight NBI grads that went on to compete in the major leagues. Haar’s defining moment as a coach came in 1991, when he guided the Canadian Junior National Team to Baseball Canada’s first and only international gold medal at the World Youth (U18) Championships in Brandon, Manitoba.. That team, that included the likes of Dickson and future big leaguer Stubby Clapp was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. 

For his efforts, Haar was named Baseball Canada’s Coach of the Year in 1991 and the International Baseball Federation’s (IBAF) top coach in 1992.

John has also coached the BC Selects at the Baseball Canada Cup for many many years while also coaching the North Shore Twins in the BCPBL.

His impact on numerous players and fellow coaches has been felt throughout the province of BC and Canada.

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Baseball Canada Grassroots Coaching Award

Each year the Baseball Canada Coaching Operations Committee will award a Grassroots Coaching award to each province. This award will be given to grassroots coaches who have demonstrated a positive coaching approach through the year, adhering to the LTAD principles, put forward some innovative developmental ideas while creating a fun environment for the young players. Performance should not be a factor, as we are looking for coaches who have been an excellent role model while encouraging players to return to the game of baseball next season.

2025 Winners

Province	Grassroots Coach Award Winner
BC	David La Casse - Cranbrook, BC
AB	Jason Harper - Whitecourt, AB
SK	TC Collins - Warman, SK
MB	Les McRae - Argyle, MB
ON	Steve O'Neil - Leamington, ON
QC	Frédéric Therrien - Saint-Jérôme, QC
NB	Aaron Johnson - Sussex, NB
NS	Matt Bustin - Windsor, NS
PE	Ian Millar - Ellerslie, PE
NL	Nikki Musseau - St. John's, NL

 

2024 Winners

Province	Grassroots Coach Award Winner
BC	Not awarded
AB	Dion Barry - Fort McMurray, AB
SK	Dante de Caria - Regina, SK
MB	Derek Helgason - Winnipeg, MB
ON	Darryl Silverstein - Thornhill, ON
QC	Mathis Lemieux - Drummondville, QC
NB	Scott Nealis - Moncton, NB
NS	Ashley Helmkay - Dartmouth, NS
PE	Trevor Mackenzie - Montague, PE
NL	Greg Whelan - Pasadena, NL

 

2023 Winners

Province	Grassroots Coach Award Winner
BC	Serj Sangara - Richmond, BC
AB	Josh Gryschuk - Mannville, AB
SK	Trevor Weir - Regina, SK
MB	Jack Bell - Headingley, MB
ON	Marco Bianchi - Toronto, ON
QC	Jean-Philippe Landry - Mascouche, QC
NB	Dave Barr - Fredericton, NB
NS	Craig Field - Cole Harbour, NS
PE	Shawn MacDougall - Stratford, PE
NL	Rob Kelly - Gander, NL

 

2022 Winnners

Province	Grassroots Coach Award Winner
BC	Marty Beyers - Langley, BC
AB	Trevor Anquist - Irma, AB
SK	Tyrel Hansen - Weyburn, SK
MB	John Magarrell - Domain, MB
ON	Scott Robinson - Whitby, ON
QC	Mélanie Blanchard - Terrebonne, QC
NB	Marisol Beaudry - Moncton, NB
NS	John Murray - Amherst, NS
PE	Not awarded
NL	Stephen Gosse - Grand Falls Windsor, NL

 

2021 Winnners

Province	Grassroots Coach Award Winner
BC	BC Girls Baseball Program
AB	Darcy Warawa - Lacombe, AB
SK	Not awarded
MB	Kelly Wien - Kleefeld, MB
ON	Not awarded
QC	David Gagnon - Montréal, QC
NB	Not awarded
NS	Glenna Ingraham - Antigonish, NS
PE	Jonathan Bastedo - Vernon Bridge, PE
NL	Brian Drover - Conception Bay North, NL

 

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Baseball Canada Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award

The Lionel Ruhr Coach of the Year is awarded to an individual acknowledged to have demonstrated outstanding leadership, performance and guidance as a baseball coach. Candidates for the awards are evaluated on a number of criteria including level(s)/ caliber of baseball coached, team performance and recommendations from Provincial Presidents or Coaching Coordinators.

 

2025 - Brittany Chan, Stouffville, ON

Brittany had a remarkable 2025 season that reflects her leadership and commitment to excellence. She was an integral piece of Team Ontario’s 16U women’s team coaching staff that won a historic gold medal at the inaugural Canada Games in St. John’s, Newfoundland — a milestone moment for women’s baseball in Canada. Brittany provided year-round instruction to female athletes across Ontario, coached at numerous Blue Jays Academy clinics, and even competed as a player, helping the Ontario Women’s team capture a bronze medal. She also achieved Competition Development Trained status in Baseball Canada’s NCCP, demonstrating her dedication to continuous learning and high-performance coaching. Through her coaching, mentorship, and impact on player development, Brittany continues to shape the future of female baseball in Canada.

 

2024 - Sean O'Brien, Innifil, ON

The impact that Sean has had on Ontario’s women’s program is immeasurable dating back to the inception of the program two decades ago. Having coached Ontario’s entry to 15 consecutive medals including 10 gold medals at the Women’s level from 2006 to 2022, Sean added to that tally in 2024 with Bronze at both the 21U and 16U national championships. His work as a coach extends beyond the Provincial program as he’s a member of the Female Baseball Committee in Ontario, oversees the Canada Games program where female baseball will make its debut next summer and is also the Lead Instructor at Baseball Ontario’s Girls Baseball Camps. Sean’s busy 2024 also saw him ID athletes for 3 teams that competed at the Ontario Summer Games where he led one of the squads to a bronze medal.

 

2023 - Mark Healy, St. John's, NL

Mark has been a constant force with the Women’s baseball program in Newfoundland and Labrador for a number of years and continued to lead the program in 2023 as the lead coach for High Performance Program. In addition to this role, Marke was Head Coach for NL’s 21U Women and 16U Girls provincial program where he led the 21U squad to a respectable 6th place finish at nationals while guiding the 16U program to its best finish ever at a national when they reached the semi finals eventually placing fourth. Mark’s work with women’s baseball is being felt throughout the province and will continue to have an impact for years to come.

 

2022 - Ashley Stephenson, Mississauga, ON

 

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A summer for the ages, Ashley Stephenson’s coaching resume was unmatched in 2022. In July, she became the first woman to manage a Canadian national baseball team when she led the Women’s National Team at the Friendship Series in Thunder Bay to two wins against Team USA. She also coached Ontario entries at the Women’s Invitational and 16U Girls Championships and in August was a guest instructor of the Toronto Blue Jays at their Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Florida. Ashley also went above-and-beyond working Girls Baseball Camps for Baseball Ontario and in September became the first woman to coach the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase in Ottawa.

 

2021 - No winner awarded

2020 - No winner awarded

2019 - Rob McCormack, Richmond, PE

2018 - Cavanagh Whitely, BC

2017 - Faron Asham, MB

2016 - Sheen Bromley, AB

2015 - Greg Brons, SK

2014 - Shawn Schaefer, BC

2013 - Mark Noël, NB

2012 - Maxime Hockhoussen, QC

2011 - Mike Krykewich, MB

2010 - Gautam Srivastava, BC

2009 - Joël Landry, QC

2008 - Mark Noël, NB

2007 – Roger Anholt, SK

2006 –  Jason Chee-Aloy, ON

2005 – Rick Johnston, ON

2004 – Richard Émond, QC

2003 – Todd Plaxton, SK

2002 – Joël Landry, QC

2001 – Remo Cardinale, ON

2000 – Dennis Springenatic, BC

1999 – Martin Pouliot, QC

1998 – Marty Lehn, BC

1997 – Greg Hamilton, ON

1996 – Marc Picard, ON

1995 – Bob Gillis, NS

1994 – Jim Fink/Neil Hogg, SK

1993 – Gary Blouin, BC

1992 – Éric Laforest, QC

1991 – John Haar, BC

1990 – Bernard Hénault, QC

1989 – Richard Émond, QC

1988 – Bill Green, BC

1987 – Marc Picard, ON

1986 – Louis Dupuis, NB

1985 – Al Robertson, MB

1984 – Eric Mackenzie, ON

1983 –Jim Ridley, ON

1982 – Richard Couturier, QC

 

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Baseball Canada Coach Developer Award

The Baseball Canada Coach Developer Award was handed out annually to an individual who has demonstrated commitment and excellency in the delivery of NCCP coach education to baseball coaches in their residing province.

 

2021 - Greg Williams, Mount Pearl, NL

2020 - Anthony Pluta, Victoria, BC

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