Small town kids getting big opportunity down south

Two baseball players of out the Central Plains are seeing their dedication to the sport pay off. 

Tristen Chandler and Chad Melnic have been invited to participate in a spring training program in Arizona early next year. The 16-year-olds currently play with the Home Run Academy program out of Winnipeg. Chandler is in his first year making the commute from Portage.

"I started in the fall with them, and then they asked me to be on the U17 winter team. I accepted that offer."

Chandler got the opportunity earlier this year to compete down in North Dakota but he says this will definitely be the furthest he's travelled for baseball.

Oakville's Melnic, on the other hand, has been with Home Run Academy since he was twelve. The outfielder/pitcher describes the most important thing he has learned since he joined the squad.

"90 per cent of the game is all mental, and 10 per cent of it is physical," says Melnic. "If you're not in the game, mentally, that affects your physical ability to play the game as well."

Chad Melnic in the outfield.

While Home Run Academy likes to do a spring training session south of the border most years, Melnic says this will be his first opportunity to take part, as COVID-19 stopped the trip from happening since 2020. He adds it's going to be beneficial to start the season off this way.

"Just to get the experience and see what it's like to play ball down south. The calibre of play is a lot different from Canada to the U.S. So, it'll be nice to see."

Both Chandler and Melnic have been involved in a winter season with Home Run Academy, and Chandler notes it's quite the commitment.

"I play three days a week in Winnipeg at their training facility. There are a lot of new changes but it's been going very well. We play indoors in the winter, and then we go down south."

Tristen Chandler at the batting cages.

Chandler explains how he got his start in the sport of baseball.

"I've been playing since I was able to walk," Chandler shares. "My dad showed me baseball, and I just grew to love the game day-by-day."

Melnic says his dad also played a part in him getting into baseball.

"I've been playing baseball since Grade 6. It first started off just playing house league, and then I decided that I liked it and saw a decent amount of potential in myself," Melnic continues. "So, me, and my dad, invested into the Home Run Sports Baseball Academy, and we've been developing ever since then."

The two locals say that their main goal at this point is to get a scholarship to continue playing baseball into college. Melnic is just beginning to get accustomed to how all of it works.

"I'm just being introduced to all this stuff about colleges and scholarships. The academy really looks after us with that stuff. We don't really get into scholarships completely until we're in Grade 12 and in our last year with the academy but it starts to be introduced when we're in Grade 11."

Melnic notes the coaching staff at Home Run Academy has been extremely helpful in his journey thus far, and Chandler adds he's grateful that the team wants him to be a part of what should be an awesome experience.

Both players are very much looking forward to the opportunity to start their new season with a tough test in Arizona.