*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on November 27, 2024. You can read it here.

November 28, 2024

By Joe McFarland

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

It is shaping up to be an experience the Regina Dusters won’t soon forget.

Created in 2020 to help give kids the chance to play baseball for a while longer, the Dusters have traveled to Las Vegas and Arizona for winter tournaments in the past.

But nothing will compare to what they have planned when they board the plane for Cuba in February 2025.

It’s an idea they have been tossing around for a few months, and once they received confirmation and commitments from the team, they started pushing ahead with the logistics.

“Yes, we will be playing baseball, but it’s way bigger than ball itself,” Dusters coordinator Trevor Weir told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “This is going to give these boys a look at what real Cuba looks like and show them how fortunate we are to live where we do and train in the facilities we have.”

It’s the latest in a series of memorable opportunities for a group of young athletes who are determined to enjoy the game of baseball and give back to the global game.

SPARKING AN INTERNATIONAL INTEREST

Many of the players who make up the current Dusters’ roster aren’t that far removed from their first major international competition.

They were part of the historic North Regina Little League squad that won the Little League Canada Championship in their hometown in 2023.

An exciting 4-3 win over Little Mountain Little League cemented the program’s second Little League World Series berth in Williamsport, with the first coming in 2002.

They went 1-2 in the tournament with a win over the Czech Republic and losses to Mexico and Chinese-Taipei, picking up the province’s first win on the international stage.

More than that, Weir says they were able to meet kids from numerous other countries, which opened their eyes to doing something different.

“Every winter, we try to do a destination tournament,” he said. “They are great, but we thought about looking outside the box and trying something new.”

After reaching out to a few of the teams, the Dusters landed on Cuba as their landing spot.

GAINING GRATITUDE

From a baseball standpoint, Weir says it will be an eye-opening experience for his players to see what their counterparts in less-fortunate situations go through to develop their craft.

It will also be an opportunity to make some new friends as they play several teams in different communities.

“Hopefully, our boys can keep in contact with some of them for years to come and follow along with their journeys through baseball,” he said.

But it’s more than the game they love.

Weir says they will be touring schools and neighbourhoods, getting an idea of life outside of Canada.

They will also be bringing donated baseball gear and supplies to help Cuban families in need.

“Our families have been amazing, rallying behind our team and supporting us to make this opportunity come together,” Weir said.

“I can’t say enough about the support the community has given us, as we wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”

He says they are actively gathering donations of daily necessities like shampoo, soap, toothpaste and deodorant as well as school supplies, while the players will be donating gloves, bats, helmets and other items they have grown out of.

BIGGER THAN BASEBALL

The team’s motto is “Be the Culture,” aimed at setting a high expectation of attitude, character and sportsmanship.

Weir is excited for the journey to Cuba, as he hopes the players gain a new appreciation for the game and for life in general.

“I can’t wait to see how our boys react to meeting some of the Cuban players and getting to know them,” he said. “Most importantly, this is about the life experience it will bring to our team – it’s bigger than baseball.”

This first trip could also open the door to making it an annual event and expanding it to other countries, and even lighting the curiosity of other Saskatchewan programs to do similar things.

“Down the road, I would love to see these guys take their kids’ teams down and do the same,” Weir said. “They will be able to pay it forward and show other players from Saskatchewan that we can help kids across the world through baseball.”

You can get in touch with the Dusters and follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook.