Miniota’s, Keenan Lewis, enjoyed his first – and what appears to be his last season – playing for the University of Winnipeg baseball team.
“One of my favourite things about it would have to be the quality of baseball,” the son of Marcie and Trevor Lewis wrote in an email interview. “Watching some of the players we play against is motivating knowing that we are skilled enough to stick with these guys.”
“Another favourite, has to be the fact that I get to play with guys all over the country. We have players from B.C to New Brunswick.”
Unfortunately, Lewis and his teammate were some of the casualties of the university’s $3.7 million cost cutting effort. Three other teams were also cut for next season. The news stunned the baseball squad as they paid fees and conducted fundraisers, to be what they thought was a self-sustaining program that benefitted the university in many ways, including attracting tuition-paying student-athletes from across the country.
“This program was self-funded and myself, my coaches, and teammates put so much time and effort into becoming a great team and a great program for kids to look up to in Canada. … We were one win away from the conference tournament this year, something no other Wesmen team has done,” Lewis wrote. “In the process of giving our all and trying to make something U of W and the city of Winnipeg could be proud about, we created a family. For all of us, this was just taken away from us in what seemed like a split second. I still have much respect for the program we had and hope that the university can see the opportunities we bring to the table.”
Lewis enjoyed being a U of W student-athlete. The kinesiology student felt his area of study could help him not only stay involved in sports but also help those trying to succeed in athletics.
On the diamond, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Lewis, was a third baseman and pitcher for the Wesmen. He batted in three runs in 13 games. When Wesmen head coach Morgan de Pena was asked what impressed him most about Lewis, he replied in an email:
“His willingness to learn,A his commitment to the team, and the power potential in his bat and arm. A university baseball program is a major jump from a club team and he was adapting well.”
De Pena, who was an unpaid volunteer coach, said that Lewis became more of a student of the game, recognizing situations and how they should be handled.
“An arm injury limited is playing and pitching time, but it did not diminish his enthusiasm and participation in all team events and activities,” de Pena said. “He was a great teammate and worked hard at practices.”
Lewis, who is suiting up alongside his dad this summer with the Oak River Dodgers senior team, praised his family for their support of his baseball career over the years.
“My parents (Trevor and Marcie Lewis) and grandparents (Linda Lewis, Ken and Bonnie Robbins) have gone out of their way to come support me since I was four years old,” Lewis wrote. “My brothers (Connor and Aiden) always come and ask for advice and give me that motivation by knowing someone is looking up to me. I could not ask for a more supportive family when it comes to baseball or anything else actually. I wouldn't trade them for anything.”
