ThisWeek Community Newspapers New Albany
Page B2
July 7, 2011
Baseball
Many factors cause dip in area Legion teams played in a Columbus Cobras tournament against a pitcher from Xavier and a player from Ohio State.� Weber, the Pickerington Post 283 coach, said many of the kids who choose travel ball believe they get to play on a bigger stage with more college scouts and recruiters in attendance. “They want to go to showcases where they think they can be seen,� Weber said. “One way to do that is through travel baseball. It’s all about what you want and what your post allows. In our case, we’re able to do both. We have played in those same tournaments with travel teams.� Yahn also pointed out a schedule difference. “In Legion, you’d play one league game every other night or something, but in these tournaments we play three to five games a weekend and less during the week,� Yahn said. “We can do more lifting for football, go to more camps and do other high school things during the week.�
By BRAD EMERINE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
How long does it take a trend to become the norm? In the past few years, central Ohio baseball players have started taking their talents to travel squads at the expense of American Legion teams. The players, high school coaches and Legion coaches debate the reasons for the change, but it doesn’t appear to be something that can be easily resolved. “The number of teams has decreased, but I wouldn’t say the talent has necessarily decreased that much,� said Michael Higgins, baseball chairman in Legion District 12. “I think we peaked a few years back when we had a dozen or more teams in District 12. Now we have six teams in the Senior Division and we have four teams in the Junior Division, which is in its second season of being officially recognized by American Legion. “When we had 12 (Senior Division) teams, people around the state were amazed. I think the increase to 12 teams was the abnormality, not the decrease in posts we’re now experiencing.�
OBLIGATIONS TO PLAYERS
ECONOMIC WOES Higgins said one of the big reasons for fewer posts offering baseball is the weak economy. “The economy has definitely played a role because many of the posts can’t afford to play in tournaments every weekend in addition to the league play during the week,� Higgins said. “I also think the increasing number of participants in sports such as soccer and lacrosse has taken away some of our kids.� About a dozen years ago, Newark Post 85 ran into a similar problem and decided to only fund a few of its team’s tournaments. The area’s baseball gurus got together and formed the Licking County Athletics. After a few separate years, the team and Post 85 reunited and added a few other sponsors. The Athletics played a Legion schedule, a Babe Ruth schedule and also played in select elite tournaments. Pickerington Post 283 is in the same position, playing a schedule similar to what the Athletics played in the past. “Our post is the reason we still have a true Legion team,� coach Chris Weber said. “They support us financially way beyond what 90 percent of other posts in Ohio do. They believe in Legion baseball and baseball has brought good publicity to our post.� Because of Post 283’s financial support, the team plays other travel squads and competes in a number of elite tournaments. “We’re in a special situation where
By Paul Vernon/ThisWeek
Brian Hanks of Worthington Post 239 throws to first base to record an out during a game against Westerville Post 171C on June 15. Post 239 is among several area Legion squads affected by the increasing popularity of travel teams.
our post supports us well financially,� dleton then decided to form a travel Weber said. “Some posts just don’t team, Team Columbus. have the money to send the team all “There are multiple reasons for over the state and the Midwest.� choosing not to play Legion this year,� Middleton said. “It has become a form PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES of high school-only ball and the play While the bad economy can be is so inconsistent. We would beat up blamed for many things, there is more on somebody one day and then get to this issue. beaten up the next day. The level of There is a philosophical difference play was so drastic and inconsistent between Legion baseball and high that, in this sport, you can get bored school baseball coaches. with it rather quickly. “The reason for the decline (in Le“In Columbus, it’s been about keepgion baseball), in my opinion, is that ing the younger guys together from the there are too many baseball teams in same high school. In Upper Arlington, central Ohio at this age,� Worthington we kept the freshmen together and just Post 239 coach Jim Townsend said. “I played U-15 travel ball. But the older think the talent is diluted and the re- they get, you want them competing and sult seems to be that Legion is not as being successful playing with and competitive as it once was. against strong competition.� “I think the high school coaches With the high school season being chose the easy way out and turned posts short in Ohio, it is difficult to put the into an extension of the spring season. blame solely on high school coaches, They want their kids playing together Middleton said. and that has ruined Legion baseball in “It’s all about how much improvecentral Ohio. Outside of central Ohio, ment you can make in the offseason,� Legion remains very competitive.� he said. “Truthfully, the high school Post 239 went 2-2 in the state tour- season is so short, and when you have nament last season. But Thomas Wor- two straight weeks of rainouts, you rethington coach Stephen Gussler, Wor- ally accomplish very little. You really thington Kilbourne coach Jeff Boul- need to make your jump in improveware, Watterson coach Scott Manahan ment during the summer. and Upper Arlington coach Matt Mid“(The Team Columbus) schedule is
such that we’re playing select teams and we’re playing the true Legion teams in these tournaments. That’s what we want.�
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS
The Licking County Athletics, who lost their Babe Ruth affiliation at the conclusion of last season, also chose not to return to Legion this season and are now a travel team. “We went with a younger team with no 19-year-olds or college players this season,� coach Adam Arcuri said. “We think we have a lot of boys who plan to play in college and we wanted them to play against elite and select teams who also have older players. It’s a gauge as to where they are and where they need to be if they want to continue to play the game.� Derek Yahn, a Heath senior who plays for the Athletics, said the team is enjoying the challenge. “This allows us to travel out of town more often and we’re hanging out and becoming friends and I think that’s showing on the diamond,� Yahn said. “We’re a younger team competing against Legion teams with college players and in tournaments against older players, too. I think it will help pre- bemerine@thisweeknews.com pare us for college baseball better. We www.ThisWeekSPORTS.com
Area schools seek to fill coaching vacancies The following area schools are seeking coaches: Dublin Scioto — Girls lacrosse. Contact athletics director Kip Witchey at (614) 7172468. Hilliard Davidson — Softball pitching coach, assistant junior varsity softball. Send
letter of interest and rÊsumÊ to head coach Angelo Forte at angelo_forte@hboe.org. Olentangy Liberty — Assistant girls basketball, junior varsity girls tennis, junior varsity volleyball. Send letter of interest and rÊsumÊ by July 31 to Tom Gerhardt, athletics director, Liberty High School, 3584 Home
Another big difference between most travel teams and Legion teams is the size of the roster. “Travel teams generally use 11 or 12 players all summer,� Weber said. “At Post 283, we have great players competing every day for the chance to get into the lineup. Legion rosters can be deeper and more competitive because the players have to earn their way into the lineup. And that’s the way it will be for the kids who go on to play in college.� That means a player who is slumping or not performing well can be substituted without consternation. “At Post 283, the best players play,� Weber said. “It doesn’t matter how much money their parents pay or what their parents do for a living. I’m not saying all travel teams are like that, but it doesn’t matter here.� In travel ball, there is more opportunity for coaches to be loyal to players and maybe even some favoritism when it comes to positions played based on how much money is invested by a player’s parents, or the money donated by a parent’s employer. “Let’s face it. There are probably some real good players in central Ohio who don’t play travel ball because his parents can’t afford it,� Weber said. For all their differences, Legion and travel baseball have one thing in common — trying to improve players. Nuances and financial times may change, and that leaves the door open for Legion to eventually return to some of its better years in central Ohio.
Road, Powell 43065, or email tom_gerhardt@olentangy.k12.oh.us. Worthington Kilbourne — Girls tennis. Send rÊsumÊ to Jeff Todd, athletics director, Worthington Kilbourne High School, 1499 Hard Road, Worthington 43235, or email jtodd@worthington.k12.oh.us.
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