Meadow Lake’s Reid Beck winds up for the next big inning in the U.S.

“Over the last eight years, 65 per cent of their pitchers there have gone on to Division One scholarships after,” said Regan Beck, Reid’s father and longtime coach.

The school is part of the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association), the governing body for two-year college athletics in the U.S. and the second-largest national intercollegiate sports organization after the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).

(18UAAA.SunDevils.SPBL/Facebook)

Regan has coached Reid and his age group since they were kids. Together, they helped build the Zone 7 Sun Devils — an 18U AAA team in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (SPBL), created after Lloydminster withdrew from the league.

“Three years ago, we started this AAA program to fill a little bit of a gap that existed after Lloydminster pulled out from the SBPL with the Alberta side,” Regan said.

“Reid was a big part of it, and I’m glad we had a chance to build it.”

The young pitcher said his love for baseball really took hold during his early seasons with the area team.

“I really enjoyed it and realized I really like baseball,” Reid said. “So that’s why I want to do it.”

His performance has backed that up. He tied for the strikeout lead this season in the SPBL with 80, something he takes quiet pride in.

“I led the league in strikeouts this year, which I thought was pretty good,” he said.

Still, a few moments do stand out. Regan remembers when Reid pitched a shutout against the Saskatoon Diamondbacks — one of the province’s top SPBL teams — and a recent game where he helped Unity beat the Regina Trappers, a team undefeated at provincials for four years.

“He pitches very well,” Regan said. “He really has got control of his command now.”

But perhaps what makes Reid’s story most compelling is how much of it he wrote himself. His dad saw the shift a few years ago — from a kid who practiced when asked, to a young man who trained because he wanted it.

“Just noticed that he was … out working on his own without anyone telling him what to do,” Regan said.

“The desire has been his, and you can’t fake that.”

That drive helped connect Reid with the Berries Academy in Saskatoon, where he trained last winter, and eventually led to an offer from Cloud County.

“My coach gave them my number and they reached out and then we just went from there,” Reid said.

The move is exciting — but emotional, too.

“It’s bittersweet because I have a lot of friends on that team (Zone 7 Sun Devils) and it sucks not playing with them anymore,” Reid said. “But yeah, I’m excited for what’s coming next.”

His dad feels the same.

“It means a whole lot more, being it’s your own son,” Regan said. “You love to see these guys make a decision on what they want to do, really, work hard to get there. And it’s exciting to see them make the achievement.”

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Meadow Lake’s Reid Beck winds up for the next big inning in the U.S.

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