2020 was the year that wasn't for the Okotoks Dawgs.

They had their season pulled out from under them because of COVID, but Dawgs Managing Director, John Ircandia says they still managed to find ways to keep baseball going.

"You know I was really proud of our guys down at the stadium, they sucked it up and did the best they could to help the academy players progress. We established, probably the first anywhere, virtual training program. And then we appealed to our season ticket holders to stick with is. By a large, large majority, 95 per cent plus, all stuck with us for the next year."

You have to find your silver linings where you can coming out of 2020.

For Ircandia, that means despite missing out on a summer of baseball, the Dawgs remain the team to beat.

"We're defending champions. So the opportunity to get that championship trophy at home, in front of our fans and defend it over the course of a season was really disappointing. And so we we're hopeful that this (2020) could be quite a breakout year, in terms of a back-to-back championship."

Ircandia says they held out hope right to the end they'd be able to salvage the season, but in the end had to give in to the inevitable.