Bussing
The 2024 Baseball Canada Cup that was held in Fort McMurray Aug. 7-11, featured Coronation’s own Braxton Bussing, 16, who played as a pitcher for Team Alberta U18.
Bussing attended tryouts in Edmonton in March where the roster of hopeful players was cut down to 40 players. In July, those selected from southern and central Alberta went to Sylvan Lake to play against the Sylvan Lake Gulls at Gulls Stadium.
Bussing pitched an inning against the Gulls, a team in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL). A few days later, he received an email confirming his spot on the final roster for Team Alberta.
As a left-handed pitcher, Bussing was one of only two lefties chosen from across Alberta.
The Canada Cup tournament features teams from each province.
In the round robin, Team Alberta recorded three wins and one loss, finishing fourth in that phase and sixth overall. The team lost in the quarter-finals to the White Rock Tritons of B.C., who went on to win the Canada Cup.
Bussing started playing baseball at the age of five.
“I always had coaches that made baseball fun,” he said, reflecting on his early years in the sport.
Growing up, he played on talented teams in Coronation, which he described as a great place for baseball.
In Grades 10 and 11, Bussing decided to devote more time to baseball and attended Neutral Hills Academy, which helped him further develop his skills.
“It made me realize that I enjoyed devoting so much time to the sport,” he said.
“It was an honour to play alongside and against some of the best players across Canada while representing Alberta,” Bussing said, adding that the experience was not just about baseball, but also about building connections with coaches and other players. “It was a great experience.”
Bussing plans to attend the Badlands Baseball Academy in Oyen, Alta. in September and is currently considering schools in the United States for his post-secondary education while continuing to play baseball.
Cheryl Bowman
Multimedia reporter
ECA Review
