Let the Games Begin

The Draft Board

After two weekends of tryouts, including one in near freezing weather, the time had finally come for us to pick a team.

Brian and I had each created a spreadsheet ranking the nearly 200 5 and 6 year olds we saw try out.  Then we had merged our rankings to create our draft number for each kid we saw.

The game was afoot.

A Lot of Information

Last weekend, the League held a coach’s seminar.  It was run by a college baseball coach and a former Major Leaguer.

Threre was a LOT of good information to be had if you listened.  The trick will be deciding what we can use to motivate/teach 5 and 6 year olds.

Should be interesting.

Tryouts

Last weekend was the first weekend of tryouts.

There are 280 5 and 6 year olds signed up to play in our league.  That’s 22 teams.

I have to tell you, somewhere after the third hour, they tend to run together.  They all have similar skill sets.  Some are better at hitting.  Some do a good job of stopping the ball.  A few can even throw the ball pretty well.

The trick is taking our completely arbitrary ranking system and finding some hidden gems.

About a Banner…

Our Little League has huge opening day ceremonies.  Its the first time the kids get to wear their uniforms.  They play an exhibition game.  Fundraiser winners are announced.

And one of the first things you have to get lined up is the team banner.

This is no small thing.

The banner hangs outside your dugout at every game.  It comes to represent your team.

Last year the banners were a lot alike.  There was a lot of airbrushing of team mascots and kids’ names.  They were nice, if uninspiring.

So, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the Blue Jays’ banner this week.

My initial thought was to get a Canadian flag and mark it up.  My wife pointed out, rightfully, that could be considered inappropriate.

I bounced it off my buddy Stephe and within minutes he had provided me with a pair of mockups.  I’m almost certain I’m using one of them.

Want to see them?

Keep reading.

If I Could Be Serious For a Minute

Oh Canada!

Me being me, when I found out my team was the Blue Jays, I immediately started thinking of ways to incorporate Canada into our team.

My first idea still makes me laugh.

I thought I should petition the Little League to play the Canadian National Anthem before each of our games.

Just imagine it, the coaches lead our little band of t-ballers out to the foul line.  “Oh Canada” begins to play and my team assumes the classic Lance Storm position down the line.

Sure, it would get old after a while, but that first time?  It would be awesome, eh!

The Greatest Moment in Blue Jays History…So Far

Joe Carter’s World Series Winning Walk Off Home Run from 1993.

Somewhere Mitch Williams is still crying.

The Boys React

I was curious as to how the boys would react to the news of being Blue Jays this season.  Let’s be honest, the Blue Jays just don’t carry the cache of say the Yankees or the Red Sox.

I hate the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Last spring they were the Rangers.  They like the Astros.

They really wanted to be the Indians (my fault), but would have settled for the Pirates.  They are 6 year old boys after all.

With all that in mind, I really wasn’t sure how they’d react.

So, when I asked them if they were excited about being the Blue Jays I got a couple of affirmative nods.  Then Jack said:

This is how it begins.

I love baseball.

Its my favorite of the major sports.

That probably has something to do with the fact that it was the only one I played with any skill as a kid.

I have two sons.

I want them to at least like baseball so we can have the game in common.

Not so different than generations before.

And like countless dads before me, I’ve become a Little League coach.