Cole Laviolette is back at home and in control again.
The Prince George IDL Midget Knights catcher was in danger of missing the 2012 B.C. Minor Midget double-A tournament, hosted at Citizen and Rotary Fields on the weekend, after suffering a right-arm injury, in February, while playing sports during gym class at Kelly Road secondary school. At first, Laviolette continued to participate in class and do his normal activities, but the arm pain, mainly in his elbow, wasn't going away.
The 17 year old said he was worried when baseball season arrived and the pain in his throwing arm wouldn't subside.
"I really wanted to play this year," said Laviolette. "There was not a chance I wanted to miss this, hosting provincials is huge."
A trip to a physiotherapist was the next step for Laviolette to get his arm in working shape so he could make the throws to second base. The therapist diagnosed the problem as golfer's elbow. When the pain was still apparent a few weeks later Laviolette returned to the doctor.
"I went to the sports doctor and she recommended somebody else so I went to him," said Laviolette. "He really started working on my shoulder, doing some stuff and it really just seemed to help a lot."
Laviolette said the second doctor's diagnosis was that the nerves in his arm were damaged likely due to overuse.
"It was a little bit weird doing therapy on my shoulder to fix my elbow," he said.
But, despite the sometimes tedious exercises, Laviolette said he pushed himself to do them, in addition to heating and icing his arm and going for runs, each day, with the provincial championship as a motivator.
"It took determination to do all the stretches every day," he said. "But I've got to do this if I want my arm to get better."
The exercises worked. Laviolette was back home behind the plate calling the game for the Knights when the tournament began Thursday.
"I like to get dirty a lot and I like to be playing," said Laviolette.
He missed five of the Knights games during the season due to rehab and served mainly as a designated or extra hitter in the first few weeks.
Knights coach Tim Knoop said keeping his senior catcher out of the dirt during rehab was difficult.
"He was frustrated because he wanted to go and we wouldn't let him and I think it's paying off now," said Knoop. "When his arm is healthy he brings a lot to the [game]. He's thrown out quite a few people in this tournament already."
The Knights posted a 3-1 record during the round robin to win Pool B. Prince George had locked up first place prior to their final game with the Victoria Wolves, a 9-5 loss, so the coaching staff decided to rest Laviolette so he would be fresh for the playoffs.
Laviolette has played catcher since he was eight when his dad introduced him to the position but, Knoop said he could pitch, and would've this year if it weren't for the injury, if he wanted to.
"I was pretty impressed with him last year as a younger guy and he could compete in this division as a pitcher easily," said Knoop, adding it's not bad having Laviolette don a catcher's mask.
"You've got to have a certain attitude that the ball's not going to get by you and they're not going to score any runs," added the coach. "He controls the field. He's matured quite nicely and he's doing a very good job of that this year. He deserves all the success that he's having right now."
Laviolette was one of about 100 players invited to tryout for Team B.C.'s under-17 team in July to play in the Canada Cup in London, Ont., in August.
"It's kind of harsh because it was the first week back when I was starting to throw a little bit more and then you see all the other guys who are throwing all year long and they are far ahead of me already," said Laviolette. "I did what I could."
He was among the first cuts Team B.C. made but it hasn't quelled his thirst for higher-calibre baseball. Laviolette said he's already looking ahead to his future after high school, checking out the baseball programs at Douglas College, the University of Victoria and a few U.S. colleges.
