community

Welcome to the heart of Coquitlam Little League – our community. Baseball is more than a game; it’s a way to bring people together, celebrate local support, and create lasting memories. Here, you’ll find our incredible sponsors, bursary opportunities for young players, and tributes to community members who remain forever in our hearts. Explore the sections below to see what makes Coquitlam Little League so special.

BURSARIES

IN MEMORIAM

OUR SPONSORS

We are proud to offer a range of bursaries to support our players in pursuing post-secondary education. These bursaries honour the dedication and passion of our young athletes and include awards established in memoriam, celebrating the lasting legacies of individuals who have made a meaningful impact on our community.

bursaries

Coquitlam Little League is proud to announce the formation of an annual bursary to honour the memory of Ryan Robertson. Ryan Robertson was a long time Coquitlam Little League player and was taken from his friends, family and this community too soon. Ryan was an amazing friend, brother, son, partner, accountant, realtor, accomplished baseball player and proud Yankee fan.
To honour and celebrate Ryan, his friends and family held a memorial Slo-Pitch tournament. This tournament raised $2,685 and was the inspiration for the Ryan Robertson Memorial Bursary. After becoming aware of this effort, two local businesses, Reliable Tube Inc. and Quality Pole Inc., matched the amount raised to recognise Ryan as an amazing person with a genuine passion for baseball and life. This also inspired the Third Clan and they have contributed $3,333 with the expectation that these funds are spent ”furthering our local youth's love for the game that Ryan held dear to his heart”.
The bursary starts at $11,388 and will be distributed in $2,000 increments annually by the Coquitlam Little League Executive Committee. If you would like to contribute to this bursary, or submit an application, please reach out to bursary@coquitlamlittleleague.ca
The Board of Directors of Coquitlam Little League are profoundly grateful to the Robertson Family, Reliable Tube Inc., Quality Pole Inc., and the Third Clan for this amazing gift to the youth in our community.
In 2018, Coquitlam Little League lost a coach and friend in Dave Sturam. To honor the commitment that he made to Coquitlam Little League, the 2018/19 Board of Directors official named one of their two annual bursaries as the Dave Sturam Memorial Bursary.
Since 1955, Coquitlam Little League has supported youth on and off the field by providing opportunities to build communication, teamwork, goal setting and other life skills that contribute to healthy development.
To support players in their post-secondary efforts, Coquitlam Little League offers two (2) bursaries annually of $500 and two annual bursaries of $2000 from the Ryan Robertson memorial fund.
Applications can be submitted by players who meet the following criteria:
- Must have played at least their 16 year old with Coquitlam Little League.
- Must have played with Coquitlam Little League for a minimum total of five (5) years.
- Must be applying within two (2) years of their final year with Coquitlam Little League.
To apply for a bursary, applicants must submit a maximum 500 word letter that outlines their plans for post-secondary education and experiences with Coquitlam Little League that they will bring with them to their educational and professional careers.
Applications must be submitted by June 1st. Applications can be sent by email or mail. Applications can be emailed to: president@coquitlamlittleleague.ca
Contact information can be found on the Coquitlam Little League website.
Bursary winners will be awarded at Coquitlam Little League's annual 'Founders Day' closing ceremonies.
Bursary winners must submit a registration receipt for post-secondary education (trade school, college, university etc) for reimbursement of up to $500. A photo and quote from the winning applications will be posted on the bursary page of the Coquitlam Little League website.

APPLY TO A BURSARY

in loving memory of a good friend

Jason Symington

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Jason Symington after a brief but fierce battle with cancer. Jason has been a coach, umpire, announcer, dad, fan, and all around volunteer with CLL for many years. Those of us who knew him will miss him dearly. On a personal level, I'll miss just seeing him around the park and hanging out chatting about his next big restaurant adventure. His wife Laurie, and children Molly and Will, are part of our CLL family.

-Dan

I met Jason many years ago down at Mackin Park. We got to coach our boys together one season and that is when I really got to know Jay. Ever since then I have been proud to call Jason my friend.

Jason touched many of us both on and off the field.

He made us all smile when he used that great voice when announcing at games.

For those who didn’t know him he kept to himself when he enjoyed a game from the stands but you put him in the booth with a microphone in his hand he transformed in to this larger than life radio personality. It was wonderful to listen to and enjoy.

On behalf of all of us here at Coquitlam Little League we want to say thank you for all you did for the kids and the league

You will be truly missed my friend

We love you

May you rest in peace

-Russ Hunter

In Memory of a Passionate CLL Volunteer, Parent, and Fan

daryl carney

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of one of our CLL brothers, Daryl Carney.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his boys, Quinn and Piero, their mom Alice, and to their family. Daryl's passion for the game of baseball, and his love and pride in his family were no secret to all who knew him. Daryl gave his time as a coach and an umpire, and we will miss his excitement and his knowledge around the park. Daryl was a loving father and a dedicated volunteer. Thank you, Piero and Quinn, for sharing him with us. The CLL family is here for you.

Daryl was his kids' biggest fan, and that carried over to every other player on their teams as well, and he had the trip of a lifetime last summer with Piero and our CLL Major A's as they represented Canada at the LLWS in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Daryl and I had a few conversations over the years, and one of my favourites was during that run, when he came down from the bleachers at Provincials to ask me what I thought of the umpire's strike zone - when I told him it looked fine to me, he smiled and said "Ok, thanks, and thanks for being here" and went back to his seat. That was a quintessential DC moment, fired up, excited, and we'll miss those, as we'll miss him.

We've all had a tough time accepting the loss of our season, but this really hurts, and the boys will need their friends, their CLL family, especially now, when we don't have the release of going to the park for a game.

"There's no crying in baseball,
we've heard it time and again,
but what else can you do when you lose
a dad, a coach, a friend?
We'll shed a tear, and wait till we hear
Daryl yell "Play Ball!" again.

-Dan Malicki

fondly remembered

dave sturam

Dave Sturam passed away last week at the age of 43. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Christine, and their children, Kaden and Sophia, and to the rest of the family. Dave's love for, and pride in, his family was profound. He was a loving father and husband, and a good friend. Thank you Christine, and Kaden, and Sophia, for sharing him with us. The CLL family is here for all of you.

Dave has been a coach in CLL for years, starting in Blastball with Kaden, and he coached Kaden in Majors during house and in post-season, and Sophia in Mini-Minor. Dave was excited about Kaden moving up to Blue Mountain and "real baseball, with leadoffs, and pickoffs", but he got just as much pleasure watching Sophia and her teammates figure out which hand the glove goes on. Dave coached on a number of post season teams over the years, always representing CLL with class, and teaching kids to play the game the right way. His passion for the game was obvious to anyone who knew him, and while he was as competitive as they come, Dave kept the kids focused on the fun side of the game. He spoke passionately about keeping it fun, and developing all the kids, not just the good ones, and took immense pride in seeing them succeed. We'll miss his antics at the annual coaches game, and the great conversations in the cage and the parking lot afterwards.

They say there's no crying in baseball, but that isn't always true. We've all seen kids cry after a strikeout, or an error in the fiield, or a loss. we've all shed tears of pride and joy watching our kids play. And today the tears will be for our buddy. And while he won't be with us on the field and in the dugout this season. I like to think he'll be sitting up in the bleachers, popping a cold one, and watching it all with that warm smile.

So we'll cry our tears, and dry them, and pick up our gloves and bats.

Moms and dads will prep the field, and kids will look for their hats.

Coaches will set their lineups, and kids will wait for the call,

and Dave will be there grinning, when the umpire yells "PLAY BALL".

-Dan Malicki

a True Little Leaguer

Ray Veltin

Ray Veltin was a true Little Leaguer. He represented Character, Courage and Loyalty every time we showed up to the park. A long time volunteer, past President of CLL and Lifetime Member, Ray was always quick to offer help whenever he was at the park. Whether it was raking the field for the next group of kids because ‘they deserve to play on the best diamond possible’ or running after a foul ball so he could give it to a kid to be exchanged for a carry bag, Ray represented what is great about the Little League community.

We will miss Ray and his warm presence and willingness to help. The League is better because of him.