varsity news

Durham Lords Media Release
Thursday, August 5, 2010

Coach Dempster represents Great Britain at the 2010 European Baseball Championship
Pictured: Coach Dempster with former MLB all-star and Italy assistant coach Mike Piazza

ENGLAND – Durham College was represented at the 2010 European Baseball Championship as the Lords longtime head coach Sam Dempster was a member of the Great Britain national team as an assistant coach.

Great Britain finished the championship with a 2-3 round robin record, picking up wins over Croatia and Spain. The team lost their final round robin game against Greece by a score of 4-3, just missing out on qualifying for the medal round. The Czech Republic defeated Great Britain in the playoffs to finish eighth overall.

Dempster joined the National team through the Major League Baseball (MLB) envoy program. As part of the program, he is trying help the game grow globally, taking his expertise to several countries across Europe.

In preparation for the European championship, Dempster's weekly routine involved conducting practices for the team. With all of the players spread out throughout the country, Dempster traveled to different locations working with smaller groups of players. Only on Sunday's was the entire team was together for a full practice. Although his main focus this year had been with the national program, he traveled to Germany and the Netherlands to assist with other Envoys.

The European Championship took place in Stuttgart, Germany from July 23 to August 1, as Italy swept the Netherlands 2-0 in the championship series.

Introduced in Holland in 1991, the MLB Envoy Program is designed to support growing baseball programs by providing instruction and assistance with coach education, player development and organizational development. During their assignments, Envoy coaches are put to work with teams of all ages and abilities at local baseball clubs, teaching players and coaches, and working with administrators and officials. Envoys are typically tasked with numerous duties that can include developing a youth league, building a field, working out a National team or even umpiring a game. In short, MLB Envoys do whatever is needed to build up the local baseball programs they have been assigned to.

The Envoy Program has sent coaches on more than 700 assignments to more than 60 countries around the world and has worked with more than half a million players, coaches and officials.

Dempster's role with MLB earned him international recognition in January 2007, when he was awarded the Julio Puente Envoy International Coach Award by Major League Baseball. The prestigious award is presented by MLB for unselfish, dedicated and passionate work in growing the game of baseball worldwide. He also acts as a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers. Most recently, Dempster was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame.

Coming off their fifth consecutive appearance at the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA) National Championship, the Lords have high hopes heading into the 2010 season which opens up on Saturday, September 11 with a home doubleheader against St. Clair College. First pitch is at 1 p.m. at Kinsmen Memorial Stadium.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College & UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca