Meet Joe VanDalen — the Hagersville ballplayer chasing Team Ontario

Powered by Walker Mortgages, your hometown mortgage coach.

Meet Joe VanDalen. He is 16, from Hagersville, and he plays centre field, suiting up for Wilmot Thunder T1 and the Haldimand Bulls men's team. Joe grew up around the diamond watching his dad play, and that early exposure turned into 12 years in the sport and counting. Now he is chasing something bigger: a spot on Team Ontario. Here is his story in his own words.

His Story

Joe has been playing for about 12 years, and around five years ago he made the jump to rep ball with the Haldimand Bulls. This past season he added the Wilmot Thunder T1 roster to his summer too, splitting time between both teams. It runs in the family. His parents are big fastball fans, and his dad played growing up, so Joe always knew he wanted to follow that path himself.

His proudest moment came in a semifinal against Napanee. Bases loaded, two outs, bottom of the seventh, his team down by one. Joe stepped up and ripped an RBI double that scored two runs and sent his team through to the championship game. That is the kind of at bat a kid remembers for the rest of his life.

Joe says his dad has shaped him more than anyone. His dad taught him how to catch and throw, how to swing a bat, and still makes time to take him to the batting cages whenever he is in a slump. Joe knows his dad will always be straight with him, and he knows his dad will always be cheering him on from the fence.

Story continues below ad

What's Next

On the field, Joe's goal is straightforward: make it onto a Team Ontario roster. He is not chasing anything flashy to get there, just the consistent, day-in-day-out work at the plate and in the field that gets a player noticed.

Off the field, Joe has not locked in his exact plan yet. He knows he wants a career in the trades, and he is content to let the rest take shape the same way his ball career has, one season at a time.

Who He's Thanking

Joe wants to thank his mom and dad first, for everything they do to keep him in the game. He is also grateful for every coach who has pushed him to be the best player he can be over the years. No fancy speech needed. Just real gratitude for the people who show up.