Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club amalgamated baseball in Richmond Hill into one organization over 25 years ago.  It started with just a simple House League division and a more competitive Rep division.  Since then, it has seen thousands of kids move through its divisions, while the divisions have evolved into several multi-levels of competition. 

Through the years, Richmond Hill Phoenix has been an instrumental part of the movement of baseball in Ontario.  It was one of the first to provide Select baseball for House League players, a move up from the “All Star” groups that seemed to form and disband with disruptive regularity.  It hosted the first Select Ontario Baseball Association Championships, where over 100 teams in five (5) major and minor divisions attended.  This year we are again hosting the Select Ontario Baseball Championships on Labour Day week end, with Rookie Ball, Mosquito, Pee Wee and Bantam Divisions playing in a tournament of champions.

The last few years have seen the growth of the “Intact” House League tournaments and provincial championships.  This is a great new initiative geared towards House League teams across Ontario, and Richmond Hill Phoenix has been an instrumental part of this growing phenomenon.  It allows House League teams to participate in tournaments across the province and then vie for their “gold ring” in an end of season tournament which brings the best of the province together.
 

We have also witnessed the ever increasing involvement of the Blue Jays and the Rogers groups of companies in amateur baseball.  Both with resources and money that they are willing to share.   Every spring the Blue Jays Clinic comes to Richmond Hill, with Blue Jays trainers and staff on hand to provide budding baseball players from 7 to 17 with a comprehensive tune-up clinic.  And every year the Roger’s Companies sponsor several divisions across the province, providing much needed revenues to further the sport.

As baseball for minor players has evolved, so has the club.  We knew that coaching was key to better ball on the diamonds, and we began a coaching initiative to provide coaches with better quality training.  We joined with Baseball Ontario and the national coaching program to offer multi level training.  

We also realized that times were changing and that organizations required better risk management tools.  We were one of the first clubs involved in the Volunteer Clearance program with York Region Police.  We undertook that initiative further to ensure that Umpires and Coaches were also protected.  We developed and provided additional training and made sure they were covered with as comprehensive an insurance program as we could afford.  We have also made sure that any child who wanted to play baseball or any sport in Richmond Hill, would not be denied that opportunity because of financial restrictions.  

To date Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball has become one of the leading baseball clubs in York Region and a model for many across the province.  Not because we win provincial championship after provincial championship, but because we have pioneered the meaning of an ethical organization.  In this organization we believe that the player is the most important resource we have, regardless of skill level or talent.  We believe that all children have the right to their dignity, their respect and their time on a diamond when they come to play with Phoenix.

It is important that each player learn to build on the skills they have, develop new life long friendships, understand what teamwork is about and hopefully find a love for a grand old game.

We want every child who plays in the Richmond Hill Phoenix baseball organization to know that even when their game is lost, they are still winners.