Take me out to the diamond Colin Solbak has been going to bat for local little league for the last 30 years.For all his extensive contributions the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame will be inducting Solbak on Sept. 18.Starting out as a coach back in Fort McMurray Little League in 1986, Solbak is now a director for the Wood Buffalo Baseball Association, an organization that assists local baseball leagues with their operations.Colin Solbak said that his love of baseball started at a young age.
“It grows on you. It starts when you play the game growing up and then your kids get into it and you take an interest. It becomes a passion, and is tough to leave,” Solbak said.
Bob Campbell, a director with the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, said that Solbak has been a major force in local baseball.
“Colin has been an organizer, coach and president in Little League for close to 30 years now. He was also instrumental in the construction of (Ron Morgan) Little League Park,” Campbell said.
The Ron Morgan park was designed to prepare for the 1997 Canadian senior division championships. The 1997 championship was one of many major events that Solbak has helped organize in the city.
“The biggest success… I’m thinking the hosting of the 2007 Big League championships was a pretty big success,” Solbak said.
Solbak also negotiated the acquisition of more than 90 acres of land south of Fort McMurray, which will help with the long-term development of little league baseball locally.
Campbell said that Solbak continues to work to improve the level of play of local little league teams.
“He is very involved with teams, always working to let folks in Fort McMurray take advantage of the latest training techniques. He is truly a unique volunteer,” Campbell said.
Some of Solbak’s other contributions to local sports include his involvement in the organization and development of the Fort McMurray Golf Club. He was previously a director for the Fort McMurray Recreational Facilities Society, and he has recently been helping in the development of the new Rotary golf course in Fort McMurray.
Solbak was recently honoured for his contribution to local baseball in May, when he along with fellow former Little League president Dave Hodson had one of the Westwood YMCA fields named in his honour. |
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