(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com) 

BY TRUMAN BARTMAN. THEMAVERICKS.CA

The word “beautiful” is often attached to the province of British Columbia when describing its landscape. For those who are fortunate enough to grow up surrounded by its beauty, they never want to leave. Graham Stack of the Medicine Hat Mavericks knows exactly what that feeling is like. 

The 20-year-old pitcher grew up in Port Coquitlam, where he spent many of his days playing baseball. With a love for the game being passed down from his father, Stack’s career on the mound began.

“My dad first started playing baseball before me, and that’s how I got into it. I played minor baseball throughout my childhood back home.” 

As Stack grew older and eventually found himself in a position to play collegiate baseball, the decision to stay close to home wasn’t a difficult one. The University of the Fraser Valley sits just 50 minutes away from Stack’s hometown, and after a coach from the team reached out to him, he didn’t think twice about committing. Stack considers himself fortunate, not only for the opportunity to play ball near home but also to have grown up in such a stunning province.

“I’m pretty lucky; I grew up right by the ocean. It’s like an hour’s drive, no matter where you are in BC. There’s lots to do; you can chill at the beach, or you can go swimming in the ocean. The neat thing about the ocean is that there are a lot of mountains nearby, so you can always go on beautiful hikes throughout the day. My parents would always take me and my brother out to do a few hikes on weekends.” 

If there is one downside to living in BC, it’s that when it rains, it pours, which for any baseball player is a nightmare. Stack says his minor baseball career was scattered with stoppages, making it hard to even complete games.

“When you’re playing baseball on the West Coast, the biggest thing is you get a lot of rainouts. If your games are scheduled for a Friday or a Saturday, those games might get cancelled for two or three weeks. We’d usually be stuck indoors hitting balls during that time. That’s the tough part about playing on the West Coast.”

Stack recalls playing in a big tournament as a kid and suddenly having to halt play. He and the rest of his teammates didn’t let the bad weather wreck their day. Instead, they used the opportunity as a positive, creating their entertainment despite the wet conditions.

“During my provincials, when I was 13, we were getting ready to play the game, we were all warmed up, and then a thunderstorm just came in out of nowhere. Next to the ballpark, there was this huge hill that everybody was sliding down because it was so rainy. It was pretty much like a Slip ‘n Slide.”

Adjusting to the challenges that his surroundings have presented has not only benefited Stack away from the mound but also on it. As a pitcher, every new matchup that Stack encounters comes with a new set of challenges.

The same can be said for living in a new place and adjusting to a new lifestyle. It’s still early for Stack, and he understands that missing home is just a part of the process, especially when it comes to getting used to the temperature change.

“The biggest difference is the weather. In my hometown, it’s never this hot; it’s been a rough few days getting used to the weather. But I would say what I’m missing the most is the mountains. When I walk outside onto the front porch of my billet’s house, I can see forever. I’m not seeing these nice, green, luscious mountains, and it’s a bit different for me.” 

Now that he’s a Medicine Hat Maverick, Stack has to adapt to living in a new province and a new community. Although he loves Port Coquitlam and appreciates all the beauty that comes with living in British Columbia, he is ready to take on the newness of living on the prairies and battling the summer heat. In Medicine Hat and the WCBL,  Graham won’t have to contend with frequent rainouts or having too many days off between games.