Colton native named MILB Groundskeeper of the Year

COLTON - A Colton native has been named the 2023 Northwest League Groundskeeper of the Year for his work with the Vancouver Canadians.

Levi Weber works as the heads grounds keeper for the minor league baseball team in Vancouver, B.C.

"Overall, this is what I've always been striving for," Weber said of the award. "Working so hard for something for so many hours and putting everything you have into it, and being voted on is truly a great honor."

Currently the only minor league baseball team in Canada, the Canadians are affiliated with Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays.

Weber graduated from Washington State University with a double major in turfgrass management and vegetable management. He also had two minors, horticulture and agricultural systems.

"Studying at WSU was a little bit of a challenge for me, mostly because it was so much bigger then where I grew up," Weber said. "However, my turf classes were very small and niche, and that allowed me to dive deeper to my studies. I also worked for the WSU baseball team as an equipment manager all through school."

Working with WSU gave him the opportunity to travel to different Division I baseball complexes and analyze aspects of the field and understand baseball grounds keeping better.

"Growing up in Colton was a very unique experience that most people will never understand," Weber said.

He also said that although the town is small, at around 500 people, it is special because you grow up to learn the importance of things like sports, farming and school.

Weber always knew he was going to be a groundskeeper.

"From before I graduated high school, I knew that being a grounds keeper would be my future," he said. "To me, it felt so natural, not that everything came easy, but that I could quickly pick up what needed to be done and why.

"It's really about precision, but also has an element of creativity with all the cool and intricate patterns we mow the field in.

"Details matter, especially the small things that really no one in the stands ever sees and notices."

Weber previously worked with the Spokane Indians baseball team, as well as in Arizona with the Dodgers spring training teams.

Those jobs helped drastically change his way of groundskeeping.

"Working in Spokane was a very educational and fun opportunity, one of my now good friends and mentors Tony Lee helped me out so much... ," he said. "After my first and only season with Spokane, I worked with the Dodgers spring training crew to gain more knowledge and experience.

"I fully anticipated working with Spokane again; however, COVID-19 hit and I was unable to return to the stadium as the heads groundskeeper.

"Once this happened I actually accepted a full-time position down with the Dodgers spring training team, where I grew tremendously," Weber said.

When Weber was working with the Dodgers spring training crew, his job would soon become more challenging.

Spring training facilities in Arizona typically have multiple fields and facilities per team. Weber maintained seven different fields.

"In less than a year, I was promoted to field manager, where I led the team to focus on key tasks for practices, games, rebuilds, and baseball activities year round," he said. "It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my career, so far. I have modeled my leadership style and management techniques from the things I experienced there," Weber said.

When Weber saw the previous Vancouver Canadians groundskeeper took another job, he quickly applied, with a little help from someone close to his heart.

"My now wife is actually from Vancouver and was living up here," he said. "And because of COVID border restrictions, we weren't able to be together as much as we liked.

"So, we talked about the job and applied. Within a day the president, Andy Dunn, contacted me and a few days and conversations later, I was on a flight to see the field and obtain my work visa and then move up to Vancouver in February 2022."

Weber said living in Canada has been harder than anticipated.

However, the Canadians fans and stadium atmosphere are second-to-none.

And he's thankful for the help he received to get where he is today.