Paul McLean drops by the Echo Essential Podcast studio to talk about the resurgence of minor baseball in North Bay. The owner of Source for Sports describes how the newest iteration of the diamond sport offers a Panther 'travel' team system with a 'local' league foundation.

McLean, with his boy's 9U team fresh off a provincial championship tournament experience in Sault Ste. Marie on Labour Day weekend, also shares how he and other volunteers are also bringing new energy into 'Hockey for Beginners,' including this weekend's involvement with the OHL North Bay Battalion's preseason fan frenzy activities.

During the pre-interview banter, co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale remember their very-limited sports experience as children and their involvement as parents.