McGaw back for fifth season, Bell joins team

March 29, 2018, VICTORIA, B.C. — It seems that Tanner McGaw just can’t get enough of HarbourCats baseball.

The athletic therapist, a product of the highly-regarded Camosun College program, who also works for the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL, is returning for his fifth season with the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League, leading all training services for the 2018 season.

New to the HarbourCats this year is yoga instructor Natalie Bell, a certified instructor who works with a variety of athletes, including the boxers and jiu jitsu fighters of Peterec’s Martial Arts and the West Coast Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team.

McGaw will again work closely with Head Coach Brian McRae and his coaching staff in keeping players healthy, stretched out, and following the varied regimens they arrive with, designed by their college baseball programs.

“I’m pleased to be back, work with Brian again, and excited by how many players we have returning from last year,” said McGaw. “It’s a challenging role because all these guys come from different backgrounds, and with different summer goals for their training, and their competition results. At times, it’s more about managing their needs and communicating with them about what objectives they have, than it is about taping ankles or keeping shoulders loose. To know that many of these guys will advance to professional baseball makes it an exciting time, as busy as our season is.”

McGaw will be assisted by Brandy Craveiro, an intern from the Camosun College program, as well as professionals from Synergy Health in Victoria – on board once again as a valued HarbourCats partner – who will be providing additional health and wellness services to our players.

Bell has worked with military, police, martial artists, boxers, youth-at-risk and professional athletes in her vast experience instructing yoga. She will help players keep their bodies balanced and stretched for the grind that is the West Coast League — the team is scheduled to play 63 games over a 71-day span, not including any playoff games.

In addition to that, Natalie will lead our third-annual Yoga Day In The Park on Saturday, June 16, where fans can come and enjoy doing yoga on the field at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

“Natalie has had a keen interest in being involved with our program, and we’re excited to have her on board,” said Brad Norris-Jones, GM of the HarbourCats. “Putting all of this in place is important for us, taking care of the players the best we can.”

About The Victoria HarbourCats
The HarbourCats are Victoria’s entry in the West Coast League (WCL), a summer, collegiate, wood bat baseball league, featuring the top college-age players from across North America and the world. One of the elite teams in the league, the HarbourCats won a record 40 games in 2016 and followed that up in 2017 as the WCL’s North Division Playoff Champions, coming one game short of their first ever WCL Championship.  In 2018, their sixth season, the team will play a 54-game regular season schedule, with 27 of those games and eight additional non-league games, being played at historic Royal Athletic Park in Victoria. Opening night is June 1, 2018 with games scheduled through mid-August.   See www.harbourcats.com for more details.

2018 Tickets Now on Sale: Season Tickets, Multi-Game Ticket Packs, 10-Game Flex-Packs, Group and Single Game tickets are now on sale for the 2018 season. Visit the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or call 778-265-0327 to order. Single game tickets can also be purchased on-line at harbourcats.ticketrocket.co

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