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There was a time when everyone who followed baseball in Canada knew the name Jason Dickson.  The right-handed pitcher from Chatham, N.B. was pursuing his Major League career with the Anaheim Angels during the late 90s, climaxed by his selection to the 1997 All-Star Game.  Today, his name is a small reference to the game when it comes to his playing career.  His continuing contributions to baseball however are more than just a footnote.

Dickson went back to his roots once his playing days were over and is now the Executive Director with Baseball New Brunswick.  He is also a coach for the New Brunswick Selects Team and was recently named as a coach for the Junior National Team.

“I’ve always wanted to do something to give back to the kids and the community,” says Dickson on his role as coach.  “Being a former professional athlete, I feel I have a better understanding of the profession, so it was an easy fit to start coaching.”

His role with Baseball N.B. is much more than that of a coach.  As Executive Director, the former Major Leaguer is in charge of coordinating and overseeing the sport’s programs and volunteers as well as contribute in the decision making with the board of directors.  Most importantly, he wants to be seen as more than just a figurehead.

“Baseball New Brunswick is also a business,” says Dickson.  “I want to prove to people that I have some business savvy in me when it comes to marketing and making decisions, or at least provide information to the board (of directors) to help them make decisions.”

Dickson's playing career started to take off when he was a member of the Junior National Team in 1991 at the World Junior Baseball Championship.  He was a member of the only national team to ever win a gold medal at an international competition in baseball for Canada.  Not bad for someone who almost did not make the team.

“I was the last guy to get picked for the team,” remembers Dickson.

He was not only a witness either; he was a key part of the team.  In a round-robin game against the United States, Dickson came in relief in the second inning with the Americans ahead 4-0.  The then 18-year-old would go on to shut down the Americans for 5 2/3 innings, giving up only one run, allowing his teammates to come from behind and put together a 10-6 comeback win.

“That was special,” says Dickson.  “I’m glad they had the confidence in me to put me in a situation like that.”

His career continued to rise as he would be drafted in the sixth round by the California Angels in the 1994 draft.  On August 21, 1996, Dickson would make his Major League debut against the New York Yankees and went on to throw 6 1/3 innings allowing one run on 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout in earning his first Major League win.

1997 was the season Dickson really made a name for himself in the Major Leagues.  The young right-hander would post a 13-9 record with a 4.29 ERA, allowing 56 walks and striking out 115 in 33 games (31 starts) and a selection to the All-Star Game.

Injuries however in the following years would put the brakes on his Major League playing career.  After a few seasons in the minors with the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Kansas City Royals organizations, Dickson had a bit of a career rejuvenation when he was a member of the 2004 Canadian Olympic Team in Athens.

In a pre-Olympic game, he pitched five scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over the Netherlands.  Then in Athens, he threw six solid innings in a 9-3 win over Italy and was once again solid in a 5-2 defeat to Cuba, taking the loss.

After the 2004 season, the New Brunswick native retired as an active professional player and started to steer towards coaching.  It has only been a couple of years that he has been a full-time coach, but it has been a little longer since he has been teaching younger players.

“For me, I’ve really started coaching I guess in my last two, or three years as a player,” says Dickson.

“I always try to be honest with the kids and I don’t sugar coat things,” adds Dickson of his coaching methods.

His quick rise as a coach is comparable to that of his playing career as only three years removed from active duty; he is now one of the coaches for the Junior National Team and wants to take full advantage.

“I’m really excited,” says Dickson.  “Anybody who has ever put on that Team Canada jersey, whether as a player or a coach, you get that feeling of pride.”

The passion for baseball will always be in Jason Dickson's spirit.  The game is his life.  He has always composed himself with dignity and respect and he wants to share those experiences with the kids and help them prepare for what is to come.

“You want to teach these kids to become better baseball players,” says Dickson, “but you also want to teach them about lessons in life and to be better people and move forward no matter what they choose to do in the future.”