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CHARLOTTETOWN - Baseball Canada is thrilled to honour its 2026 national award winners who were honoured at the Baseball Canada Fall Convention hosted by Baseball PEI.

Baseball Canada Volunteer of the Year Award - BOB DOYLE (Sherwood, Prince Edward Island)

For more than a decade, Bob Doyle has been a driving force behind minor baseball on Prince Edward Island.

As President of Sherwood-Parkdale Minor Baseball, Bob has helped build a thriving association, creating opportunities for young players while supporting the coaches, umpires and volunteers who make the game possible.

His contributions extend well beyond his home association. As a Director with Baseball PEI and Commissioner of the province's 46-team 9U league, Bob dedicates countless hours to scheduling, league operations and supporting baseball across the Island. He also contributes to provincial rules and discipline committees and has coached at both the community and high-performance levels.

Those who know Bob describe him as the lifeblood of Sherwood-Parkdale Minor Baseball. Whether welcoming new volunteers, mentoring coaches, solving problems or simply doing whatever needs to be done, Bob leads with integrity, fairness and an unwavering commitment to the game.

His impact is measured not only in championships and successful programs, but in the people he's supported and the stronger baseball community he's helped build.

Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award - BLAINE FORTIN (Lundar, Manitoba)

In 2026, Blaine guided Team Manitoba's 16U girls through a challenging season marked by significant injuries, ultimately leading the team to a bronze medal at the National Championships in Moncton - Manitoba's first medal at the event since 2017.

Known for his compassion and genuine care for his athletes, he places equal importance on their well-being, confidence and personal development.

Whether supporting an injured player through a difficult recovery, introducing mental performance training or mentoring the next generation of women coaches, Blaine consistently goes above and beyond.

His positivity, patience and commitment have made a lasting impact on athletes, families and coaches throughout the Team Manitoba community.

2026 Baseball Canada Lifelong Coaching Award - ORV FRANCHUK (St. Albert, Alberta)

With a coaching career spanning decades, Orv has worked with several Major League organizations, including the Boston Red Sox, where he earned a World Series ring as part of their historic 2004 championship season.

He has represented Canada internationally on multiple occasions and guided the Edmonton Capitals to a professional championship in 2011.

But perhaps Orv's greatest contribution to baseball is what he continues to give back.

Despite his remarkable accomplishments, Orv can still be found on local baseball diamonds in Alberta, sharing his knowledge with young athletes and mentoring developing coaches.

In St. Albert, he remains an invaluable resource for players and coaches alike, generously sharing decades of professional experience.

And in 2026, Orv served as an assistant coach with Team Alberta at the Baseball Canada Cup, helping the province capture a bronze medal.

What makes Orv special is that, after achieving success at the highest levels of baseball, he has never stopped teaching, mentoring or learning.

His legacy isn't simply the championships he's won. It's the knowledge he's passed along and the countless people he's helped become better at the game.

Dick Willis Memorial Award for Umpire of the Year - ADAM DE CAIRE (Mississauga, ON)

In 2026, Adam De Caire demonstrated excellence at every level of the game.

As Umpire-in-Chief of the Central Ontario Baseball Association, Adam provided leadership across 10 associations while overseeing Level 3 umpire education for approximately 900 Ontario officials.

His commitment to mentorship helped five officials earn invitations to Baseball Canada's National Umpire Program, while his #NoUmpireNoGame campaign promoted greater respect for officials.

In April 2026, he represented Canada internationally in Puerto Rico for a WBSC Americas women’s baseball qualifying series, and in August earned the home plate assignment for the gold medal game at Baseball Canada's Men's Championship.

Through his dedication to education, mentorship and officiating excellence, Adam continues to strengthen umpiring across Canada.

2026 Baseball Canada Lifelong Umpiring Award - RON SHEWCHUCK (Minnedosa, Manitoba) & ED QUINLAN (Brighton, Ontario)

For more than four decades, Ron Shewchuk has dedicated himself to the game of baseball, building an extraordinary career as an umpire, instructor, supervisor and mentor.

From professional baseball to the international stage, Ron has officiated more than 900 professional games, worked the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the 2015 Pan American Games and numerous World Championships.

Closer to home, he's attended more than 50 Baseball Canada National Championships as an umpire or supervisor, working 13 gold medal games along the way.

And in 2026, Ron showed no signs of slowing down.

He served as crew chief at both the inaugural Road to Okotoks tournament and the Men's National Championship in Miramichi, earning championship game assignments at both events. He also continued officiating in the Western Canadian Baseball League, while mentoring and developing the next generation of Canadian umpires.

Beyond the field, Ron has played a leading role in Baseball Canada's national umpire development programs, sharing his knowledge and experience with officials across the country.

A member of the Baseball Manitoba Hall of Fame, Ron is respected not only for his accomplishments, but for the countless relationships he's built along the way.

For more than 30 years, Ed Quinlan has been a driving force in the development of umpiring across Canada.

Beginning his umpiring career in Scarborough in the early 1990s, Ed quickly established himself as an outstanding official, working four National Championships, including two Canada Games, before earning an international assignment at the 2003 World Youth Championship.

But Ed's greatest legacy would come through his dedication to developing others.

As Ontario's Supervisor of Umpires from 2001 to 2015, Ed made the selfless decision to step away from national and international assignments to focus on mentorship and creating opportunities for the next generation.

He served on Baseball Canada's Umpires Committee for more than two decades, helping transform the national supervision and evaluation program into a competency-based system that continues to guide umpire development today.

His leadership extended well beyond Ontario, building partnerships and sharing training resources with provinces across the country.

Ed also served as President of the Ontario Baseball Association from 2019 to 2026, while remaining a passionate advocate for Canadian umpiring.

Respected for his knowledge, dedication and willingness to challenge others to improve, Ed has helped shape the standard of umpire education and evaluation in Canada.

Province of the Year Award - NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR and SASKATCHEWAN

Saskatchewan is now an 11-time winner of the Province of the Year award while Newfoundland and Labrador are first-time recipients! Both provinces achieved high marks in the membership category while Saskatchewan led all provinces in program delivery with Newfoundland and Labrador leading in coach development. Additional highlights included both provinces placing players on Baseball Canada national Teams.