When Little League removed the 'Big League' division in 2017 a huge void for 16-19 year olds wanting to continue playing baseball was created. To continue playing at the same level to what players were accustomed to in Little League was virtually nonexistent. Arguably the only options were Babe Ruth and other programs that demanded a high level of commitment, longer seasons and a significant fee to play. Recognizing a need for these players to play somewhere, a handful of baseball minded individuals emerged and without much time or resources managed to throw together a 'league' with 5 U18 teams and one Junior AAA team. This was the beginning of The Calgary North Baseball League.
In 2018 with the support of some of these same individuals along with others who desired to see a league evolve for this age group, the CNBL was officially formed with a board of directors, online registration and the support of Baseball Alberta. The 2018 season was an overwhelmingly huge success. The league expanded to 6 Calgary teams and 7 rural teams. A full regular season and playoffs were completed despite a shortage of diamond availability.
We were extremely proud to get a season of baseball in 2021. With Covid restrictions delaying a normal start to our season we waited anxiously for the green light. Although a late start by conventional standards we completed a regular season and playoffs in both the U19 and U21 divisions. Last season was a return to near normal for 2022, with 12 teams under the CNBL umbrella, 7 in U18 and 5 in U22. We also added New Brighton Athletic Park as a home diamond.
We are very excited for the upcoming 2024 season and look forward to seeing you on the ball diamond!
