An Okotoks family thought they were just helping out the community when they volunteered to take in a stray Dawg two years ago.
Turns out, they wound up with some close friends throughout the United States and just like a loyal Dawg, one of them is coming home.
Connie and Jamie Greenshields agreed to take in a couple of Okotoks College Dawgs during the Western Major Baseball League two years ago.
It sure beat going to a ball game late at Seaman Stadium to catch a Dawgs’ game.
“We used to sneak out at 8:30 p.m. to watch the end of the games and I told Jamie: ‘Hey, we got all this room in our basement why don’t we just take in couple of players and we will get season tickets,” said Connie, who is the best player in the family, having played a high-level of softball in her native province of Ontario.
The Greenshields’ first two billets were brothers Garrett and Brett DeRooy from Washington State University (WSU).
“We didn’t know what to expect and I sort of became the mom of all the Dawgs along Crystal Ridge Drive,” Connie said. “I would give the players rides to the stadiums and we became good friends.”
In fact, Garrett returned to Okotoks last summer, but not to play baseball. He is studying engineering at WSU and returned to Okotoks to job-shadow Jamie, an engineer with the Town of Okotoks.
Meanwhile, Brett didn’t play with the Dawgs last year, but plans to come back this season, barring getting selected in the Major League Baseball draft.
His pitching prowess helped get the Greenshields a minibike for the younger Greenshields, Matt, 11 and Liana, 9.
DeRooy toppled over a bunch of milk bottles with a pitch at a Stampede booth and instead of winning a stuffed teddy bear, he won a minibike.
“We had a lot of fun putting that together with the kids,” Jamie said with a laugh. “We finally got it running.”
The DeRooys and the Greenshields children have turned out to be a better combination than a hot dog and a Sunday ball game.
“They are positive mentors for our children, they are pretty savvy,” Jamie said. “It’s just like having big brothers. When the billets leave, there are literally tears being shed. They become a part of your family within a week or so.”
Connie agreed with her husband that billeting players has been a benefit.
“I think the Dawgs are really good role models,” Connie said. “Every day they had to get up and go to the stadium regardless of how late they were playing the night before. It was good for our kids to see that they need responsibility when they grow up.”
The Greenshields billeted Bryce Baugh and Kendall Boone last year. Boone had to return to Texas midseason, whereas Baugh was more than a Dawg, he was also an Outlaw fan.
Young Matt Greenshield was deep into his season with the championships Okotoks Mosquito Outlaws.
“On their rare off nights, a lot of the Dawgs would come and watch Matt’s practices or games,” Jamie said.
When the Outlaws played in the Mosquitoes provincial last year in Okotoks, there was a Dawg pen of fans to cheer them on.
“Bryce made it perfectly clear to us that he wanted the schedule of all of Matt’s games for provincials so they (the Dawgs) could came down to watch,” Jamie said.
With the Dawgs playing half their games on the road, the players are gone for much of the time. However, they still make a substantial dent on the pantry. Although they do eat like college kids — lots — the Dawgs pick up the food tab.
“There is a lot of food provided by the Dawgs,” Connie said. “The players are resourceful guys… and they are neat. They are respectful of the fact they are coming into our home.”
The Dawgs are looking for billets for the upcoming Western Major Baseball League season which runs from June 1 to approximately late August as it is a good bet the Dawgs will have a long playoff run.
Anyone interested in billeting a Dawg may call Jim Amy at 403-262-3294.
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