Familiar face to coach Fish

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Ayob Ayob

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winnipeg free press archives Jamie Vermilyea is back as Goldeyes pitching coach after retiring as a pitcher.

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Daniel Leclaire

The defending American Association champion Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team has hired former pitcher Jamie Vermilyea as the new pitching coach.

Vermilyea, 30, retired as a player after the 2011 season and spent last season as manager of the Maui Na Koa Ikaika (Maui Strong Warriors) of the independent North American League. He led the team to a 36-30 record and a berth in the playoffs.

Vermilyea was the Goldeyes' closer in 2011 when he posted a 3-3 record with a 1.81 ERA and 15 saves in 45 appearances.

Goldeyes manager Rick Forney said in a statement he is "thrilled to have Jamie back."

"I wanted to find somebody that I was familiar with and that was familiar with the organization as well. Jamie was the first person that came to mind," he said. "He's not that far removed from pitching, which I think helps, because he's going to be able to relate to everybody.."

Vermilyea replaces Bill Pulsipher, also a former Goldeyes pitcher, who was Winnipeg's pitching coach for most of the 2012 season but left in late August for personal reasons.

"Being more specific towards being a pitching coach is going to help me out," Vermilyea said in a release. "I can implement what I would like to have happen with the pitching staff."

Vermilyea was a ninth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003 and spent seven seasons in the Toronto organization.

He had two MLB appearances as a September call-up with the Blue Jays in 2007. His minor-league career included parts of four seasons at triple-A.

His 45 appearances in 2011 are tied for second-most all-time by a Goldeyes pitcher in a season, behind Brian Beuning's 51 appearances in 2008.

-- Forward Kylee Schettler of the Eastman Selects exploded for five points in her team's six goals in a game last week to earn the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League's Selkirk Keystone Source For Sports-Reebok player of the week award.

Schettler, the Selects' alternate captain, recorded a goal and four assists in Eastman's 6-3 victory over the Yellowhead Chiefs. After 15 games, she leads Eastman in scoring with 15 points.

-- Goaltender Lauren LaFleche of the Louis Riel Voyageurs and forward Rochelle Ryder of the Lord Selkirk Royals are this week's players of the week in the Winnipeg Women's High School Hockey League.

In the Winnipeg Free Press Division B, Ryder was selected after she scored four goals in a 7-5 victory over the Lorette Scorpions. LaFleche, chosen in the CTV Division A, earned a shutout blocking 31 shots in a 4-0 win over the Dakota Lancers while handing the Lancers their first loss this season.

-- Adam Blight of the Central Plains Capitals was named Chicken Chef West Division player of the week in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League after he notched a goal and four assists in three games last week. Blight, a native of Portage la Prairie, leads the Capitals with 17 assists.

-- Basketball players Stephanie Kleysen and Steven Wesley have been chosen the University of Winnipeg Wesmen Pizza Hotline players of the week after leading the Wesmen teams to victory in last week's Duckworth Challenge.

Kleysen, a third-year forward with the women's team, recorded a double-double in Winnipeg's 68-60 overtime win over the University of Manitoba Bisons. Kleysen had a game-high 18 rebounds and scored 14 points. Wesley was named player of the game in the men's team's 74-71 win over the U of M after the 6-6 forward also put up a double-double. He recorded game highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds.

-- The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association has selected Ayob Ayob of the Kildonan East Reivers varsity boys basketball team and Daniel Leclaire of the College Gabrielle-Roy Les Roys varsity boys volleyball team in Ile des Chenes as the athletes of the week.

Ayob, a 6-6 post who is in Grade 12, was named Home Run Sports Urban High School athlete of the week after leading his team to the Kildonan East tournament title and was named MVP at the Sisler tournament.

The 6-2 Leclaire, a Grade 12 middle player, helped lead his team to the provincial AAA volleyball championship and was named to the championship all-star team.

-- Myles Nykoluk of the Steinbach Pistons has been named the Recycle Everywhere-MJHL player of the week. The 20-year-old forward recorded five points (two goals, three assists) for the Pistons in three games last week.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 12, 2012 D4