January 6, 2024

By Melissa Verge

Canadian Baseball Network

Practice time was as precious as the warm days of summer for a kid growing up in one of the coldest cities in Canada with a big league dream.

The frigid climate in Winnipeg meant it was only a matter of time before the fields Dong Lien grew up playing ball on were hidden with snow.

He couldn’t change the weather, but he could change the frequency and effort he put into the time he did have.

The less-than-ideal weather conditions didn’t deter Lien, who had a talent for the sport.

“I guess I was fairly quick, I could throw the ball well and I could also hit the ball at that young age,” Lien said. “So, I really latched onto it, it became a passion.”

As a teenager, a visit to Candlestick Park in San Francisco with his family brought the life of a professional baseball player he wanted a part of even closer. Watching the players on the field reiterated what Lien already knew. He didn’t want to be in the stands his entire life, he wanted to be on that same playing field.

From his stadium seat, the grass looks so pristine to him that he could sleep on it.

“Just give me a chance,” he said. “I would sleep overnight. I just wanted to touch that grass.”

Years since that moment, he can look back and say, touch the grass in an big-league outfield he did. In fact, he went on to touch many of them as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Although Lien’s playing days ended after high school, he still knew he wanted to find a way to stay involved in the sport in a big way.

So, he put all his energy into making that a reality, and finding a career path he enjoyed that could help make that happen. He graduated from the University of Manitoba and went on to become a strength and conditioning coach for the Phillies, helping elite players stay healthy and reach their maximum potential.

It was a job he didn’t take for granted, Lien said. When he had a spare moment on the field, some games, at some stadiums, he’d look up at the bright stadium lights and just take it all in.

“Seeing the crowd kind of fill in the seats and all that stuff, and you realize that you're no longer on the spectator side of it and you're just right out there on the field with the rest of the team, it’s special.”

For the past couple of years he’s been back on home soil, switching his focus from the top to the grassroots level - helping improve the next generation of Canadian talent in British Columbia.

“The decision to leave was to have more time with my family (his wife and daughter),” he said. “The demands of the game are greater than most realize, along with the sacrifices made away from family.

“The time was right to begin a new chapter, focussing on family and youth development in BC and maybe Canada as well.”

Lien works with a number of different teams in the province, including the North Shore Twins and Langley Blaze. He’s helped build out training programs for the athletes, and this year they’ve added ways of assessing their physical ability. That includes spring ability or their vertical or horizontal jumping, he said, and how strong their shoulders are to manage the workload, using more evaluation methods to assess their current status.

“So that means if you're going to ask your shoulder and elbow to throw X number of pitches per game or this many outings per summer, can your shoulder and elbow, is it strong enough to last without getting hurt?” he said.

With his extensive experience and knowledge, he’s a key member of their staff, said Langley Blaze owner Doug Mathieson.

“Dong's credentials are unmatched,” Mathieson said. “He’s meticulous in setting out individual plans for the players and always being there to follow up on questions and updates.”

The Blaze 2024 roster that Lien is working with has a number of players to look out for, including Junior National Team (JNT) player Sean Duncan, a 6-foot-3 left-hander, considered one of the top arms in Canada now and for the 2026 draft, and another JNT player, RHP Owen Fernandes, who’s made extensive strides this offseason, Mathieson said. Two-way player Reid Clague is another important piece to look out for, a 2025 grad and JNT player with a strong bat who touches 92 mph on the mound.

Working with the Blaze was a full circle moment for Lien. He first met Mathieson in 2005 while working as a trainer with the Clearwater Threshers, the Single-A affiliate of the Phillies. There was a Canadian kid on the team while he was working there - Scott, Mathieson’s son. The two bonded over baseball and their shared Canadian connection on the club together, and even discussed the Langley Blaze. They kept in touch, and when Lien was considering moving to the area, Scott said he’d be a great fit baseball wise. Last year when Lien was looking for opportunities, he connected with Mathieson, and began working with the Blaze.

It’s been a great match, Mathieson said.

“He’s very well-liked by the players, and they buy into his instructions,” he said.

It’s a win for everyone, including Lien. Now, he gets to focus on what he’s most passionate about - helping develop young Canadian athletes and giving them the best chance to achieve their dreams.

“You're proud as any coach to be impactful in these kids' lives,” Lien said. “And give them advice and they're able to apply it and they found a way to get to the next level.”