Winning a championship is hard. Repeating the feat is even more difficult. Going back-to-back-to-back is darn near impossible.
Unless, of course, you happen to be the Okotoks Dawgs.
The Dawgs sent a playoff-record crowd of more than 6,300 home happy last Saturday night when they edged the Moose Jaw Miller Express 6-5 on walk-off solo home run by Okotoks’ own Connor Crowson to claim their third straight Western Canadian Baseball League title.
As much as the Dawgs make winning seem routine, in the most exciting of ways, it certainly doesn’t happen by accident.
First and foremost, it’s a testament to the guys who put on the jerseys, who showed a tremendous amount of resilience this post-season to win three straight series that all went the distance. Whatever circumstances they encountered, they found a way to get the job done, everyone doing their part to ensure success.
But those swinging the bats and throwing the balls aren’t the only ones that deserve credit for three consecutive league championships. The coaching staff, the front office and everyone else who plays a part in running a first-class organization also have their fingerprints on the Harry Hallis Trophy.
As the WCBL’s flagship franchise, the Dawgs have set the bar extremely high, yet they somehow manage to clear it with each successive year, much to the delight of the faithful who routinely fill Seaman Stadium. Players know that being a Dawg comes with lofty expectations, but they embrace that challenge, spurring each other on to greater heights.
The organization has created an enviable culture, not just of winning, but of doing things the right way, which was evident last Saturday night when a hometown boy who grew up watching the team became a legend with one swing of the bat.
Dawg Nation is already looking forward to next season. Is a four-peat too much to ask?
