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HarbourCats coach joins Big Brother

Before starting his first season coaching the Victoria HarbourCats, Graig Merritt is participating on Big Brother Canada

Victoria HarbourCats fans are getting the chance to get to know the team's new coach Graig Merritt from under a microscope.

Before starting his first season with the HarbourCats, Merritt is busy starring on Big Brother Canada, which premiered on March 23.

“This will be a great chance for the people of Victoria to get to know the man who will be leading our team on the field as the HarbourCats begin their third season in the West Coast League,” said HarbourCats general manager Jim Swanson.

Swanson has known Merritt for eight years and has competed on two national teams at the Baseball Canada senior championship with him.

“Graig has a lot of personality for sure, and I'm sure he'll be one of the interesting characters on the show,” he said “Graig's the kind of guy that brings out passion in a lot of people.”

Merritt, 36, is currently in the Big Brother House, believed to be somewhere near Toronto. While on the show, he not allowed to be in contact with anyone.

Swanson expects Merritt to do well on the show, calling him a strategist.

“He's already made the play that he's only 30 years old, not 36, and that he works at Costco rather than making himself a target by what he does,” said Swnason. “He's very intelligent, and the longer his intelligence can keep him from giving into the psychology experiment on a show like Big Brother, I think the farther he'll have a chance to go.”

Being on the show will not interfere too much with Merritt's HarbourCat duties. He is expected to be finished with Big Brother in time for the start of the season.

“I have full trust and confidence in our coaching staff, and I'll jump in myself to fill any gaps so we can get the season off on the right foot,” said Swanson.

Tickets are now available for the HarbourCats' 2015 season at harbourcats.com/tickets. The first exhibition game is May 31.

Big Brother Canada 3 is scheduled to air three times a week: Mondays at 8 p.m., Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. on Global TV.