Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Practice--Hitting wonderland
I assume that somewhere in the Hitting Wonderland, actual baseball is played. At the Basketball Station, we are not exactly aware of where that takes place.
Tuesday's practice got off to a promising start when Gabe ran up to Coach Andrew and said, in the quietest voice ever used by a member of the Proctor family, "The practice shirts are here." And it wasn't just practice shirts--GM Jenn/Clubhouse Manager Jenn had uniforms, pants, shirts and hats for everyone. The new all-black motif is certain to be very intimidating (as long as no one uses the word "motif" again).
Things turned bloody when Gabe noticed his loose tooth was bleeding. Adam and Coach Rob eyeballed it and advised him to put a napkin on it to stop the bleeding and then subtly moved as far away as possible. GM Jenn, showing that her versatility extends to oral surgery, proceeded to extract the tooth and still retain it for later use. Gabe's smile now looks a little different.
The rest of practice was devoted to a series of hitting stations, plus the basketball station, which consisted mostly of the tall kids practicing hanging on the rim while Adam and Asher showed off by getting major ups to scrape the bottom of the net. Also, Referee Sticks commandeered Coach Tom's whistle, which led to some very questionable calls.
At the post-practice team meeting, Coach Andrew provided another key piece of uniform advice, asking the Mudcats what one key part of the uniform they must remember at tomorrow night's season opener. Guesses ranged from uniforms to running shoes, but eventually the answer was determined to be hitting shoes (seriously, that's the first thing that comes up when you Google "hitting shoes").
Pregame, which hopefully will not take place underwater, begins tomorrow at 4:30, with the first pitch promptly at 5:30.
Tuesday's practice got off to a promising start when Gabe ran up to Coach Andrew and said, in the quietest voice ever used by a member of the Proctor family, "The practice shirts are here." And it wasn't just practice shirts--GM Jenn/Clubhouse Manager Jenn had uniforms, pants, shirts and hats for everyone. The new all-black motif is certain to be very intimidating (as long as no one uses the word "motif" again).
Things turned bloody when Gabe noticed his loose tooth was bleeding. Adam and Coach Rob eyeballed it and advised him to put a napkin on it to stop the bleeding and then subtly moved as far away as possible. GM Jenn, showing that her versatility extends to oral surgery, proceeded to extract the tooth and still retain it for later use. Gabe's smile now looks a little different.
The rest of practice was devoted to a series of hitting stations, plus the basketball station, which consisted mostly of the tall kids practicing hanging on the rim while Adam and Asher showed off by getting major ups to scrape the bottom of the net. Also, Referee Sticks commandeered Coach Tom's whistle, which led to some very questionable calls.
At the post-practice team meeting, Coach Andrew provided another key piece of uniform advice, asking the Mudcats what one key part of the uniform they must remember at tomorrow night's season opener. Guesses ranged from uniforms to running shoes, but eventually the answer was determined to be hitting shoes (seriously, that's the first thing that comes up when you Google "hitting shoes").
Pregame, which hopefully will not take place underwater, begins tomorrow at 4:30, with the first pitch promptly at 5:30.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Cancelled: Scrimmage
Our big travel scrimmage is a no go. The field took on too much water to be playable. Enjoy the off day with your Mudcat player!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Preseason Scrimmage
In a game very similar to the NFL exhibition season, but without the squabbling over $9 billion, the Mudcats and Bees met Tuesday night in a preseason scrimmage. All the trappings of a regular game were there--the uniforms, the helmets, Cole Bouquin on the PA for at least a cameo appearance, and two rarely-seen rules interpretations for the would-be umpires in the crowd (none of whom would ever yell at the hard-working officials).
The Mudcats started the 2011 scoring--unofficially, of course--in the top of the second, as Charley--who had a three-hit day--rapped a leadoff single. After a double from Hayes, Anthony and Christopher picked up an RBI apiece.
But the Bees, who earned some goodwill by delivering a hand-made and team-signed "Get Well Soon" sign to Drew before the game, responded with six runs in the bottom of the frame. The big inning was built on seven hits, but the Mudcat defense also allowed a couple extra bases that kept the scoring rolling. "I really want us to want the ball when we're in the outfield," Coach Andrew said. "Playing in the grass is just as important as playing in the dirt." Illustrating that point were Chris, Anthony and Zach, all of whom made solid catches in the outfield.
The Mudcats hit a lull in the middle of the game, allowing another big inning and going scoreless in the third and fourth. But a double from Chris and RBI single from Zach in the fifth seemed to ignite the offense, which exploded for seven runs in the sixth. In total, ten different Mudcats picked up base hits in the scrimmage and seven different Mudcats scored runs. In the big inning, the squad batted all the way around, stringing together ten hits in a row and sending Asher to the plate twice in the same frame for the first time in his career. In the postgame press conference, he mentioned he would not mind doing that every game.
"I don't know the score," Coach Andrew told the team, which he then proved by citing a score that seemed a little creative. "We haven't had our win/loss talk. I don't care if we win. I do care if we play to win. Sometimes we're going to do everything right and not win the game and that's not a problem. Sometimes we're going to do some things wrong and still get a 'W,' and that is a problem."
With a busy weekend on the horizon--two practices plus a non-conference scrimmage against North Wake that the teams are considering playing on an aircraft carrier--Coach Andrew issued the following goal for the future: "My goal is to not talk for an entire game," he said, which seemed like a bit of a lofty goal. And while that may not literally happen, the point was well-taken, as he wants the players to take more of a leadership role, especially defensively. If the Mudcats are able to play a whole game without Coach Andrew speaking, it would probably require an all-out Coaches vs. Kids game of wall-ball, in which the kids would likely have the advantage due to the fact that no one has any clue what the rules of that game might be.
Get ready for a very busy Mudcat weekend, as the team will practice at 5 p.m. Friday (at West Raleigh), noon on Saturday (at Kentwood), and scrimmages North Wake at 2 p.m. Sunday. Following the incredibly busy weekend, it is suggested that all kids take their parents to Barbados or some other suitable resort to recover.
The Mudcats started the 2011 scoring--unofficially, of course--in the top of the second, as Charley--who had a three-hit day--rapped a leadoff single. After a double from Hayes, Anthony and Christopher picked up an RBI apiece.
But the Bees, who earned some goodwill by delivering a hand-made and team-signed "Get Well Soon" sign to Drew before the game, responded with six runs in the bottom of the frame. The big inning was built on seven hits, but the Mudcat defense also allowed a couple extra bases that kept the scoring rolling. "I really want us to want the ball when we're in the outfield," Coach Andrew said. "Playing in the grass is just as important as playing in the dirt." Illustrating that point were Chris, Anthony and Zach, all of whom made solid catches in the outfield.
The Mudcats hit a lull in the middle of the game, allowing another big inning and going scoreless in the third and fourth. But a double from Chris and RBI single from Zach in the fifth seemed to ignite the offense, which exploded for seven runs in the sixth. In total, ten different Mudcats picked up base hits in the scrimmage and seven different Mudcats scored runs. In the big inning, the squad batted all the way around, stringing together ten hits in a row and sending Asher to the plate twice in the same frame for the first time in his career. In the postgame press conference, he mentioned he would not mind doing that every game.
"I don't know the score," Coach Andrew told the team, which he then proved by citing a score that seemed a little creative. "We haven't had our win/loss talk. I don't care if we win. I do care if we play to win. Sometimes we're going to do everything right and not win the game and that's not a problem. Sometimes we're going to do some things wrong and still get a 'W,' and that is a problem."
With a busy weekend on the horizon--two practices plus a non-conference scrimmage against North Wake that the teams are considering playing on an aircraft carrier--Coach Andrew issued the following goal for the future: "My goal is to not talk for an entire game," he said, which seemed like a bit of a lofty goal. And while that may not literally happen, the point was well-taken, as he wants the players to take more of a leadership role, especially defensively. If the Mudcats are able to play a whole game without Coach Andrew speaking, it would probably require an all-out Coaches vs. Kids game of wall-ball, in which the kids would likely have the advantage due to the fact that no one has any clue what the rules of that game might be.
Get ready for a very busy Mudcat weekend, as the team will practice at 5 p.m. Friday (at West Raleigh), noon on Saturday (at Kentwood), and scrimmages North Wake at 2 p.m. Sunday. Following the incredibly busy weekend, it is suggested that all kids take their parents to Barbados or some other suitable resort to recover.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Practice #9: Tough Times make Tough Teams
It was an unusually quiet day at the ball park. The Mudcats were down several players for previous commitments and injury. During warm ups one arm Sticks was spotted throwing with his team. After everyone was warmed up the coaches announced an accuracy throwing competition. Anthony won the first competition. Sticks won the second.
The coaches sent the team for one lap around the field. Stones took the lead and set the pace while Chris sandwiched everyone in. Once back, Coach Andrew reviewed the Mudcat Motto and gave the players their focus for the practice: Toughness. Coach reminded the boys there is no crying in baseball and Mudcats' are tough in mind and body.
The boys broke out into stations: base running, infield, and outfield. During the infield work, Coach Sean worked with the players on keeping their feet moving and moving to their left. At the base running, Coach Rob worked with the players on different base running situations. "Take a look," was heard a lot. Coach Tom and Coach Jim teamed up on the outfield station. The players worked hard and were tough.
After the station work was complete Coach Andrew had another challenge for the players. He wanted to know who thought Coach Sean could hit a home run. All the players cheered. Coach Andrew then challenged them, "If Coach Sean does not hit one then you all with have to run 30 laps as a team to end practice." Good thing Coach Sean cleared the center field fence and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Up next the famous scrimmage. The players divided into two teams. Any parent or sibling available was begged to join the field. Gavin was overheard informing his teammates that the all time 1st baseman was at least a 5th grader (for a kindergarten that is old). No one had the heart to tell him it was actually Noah's older brother, Drew, who plays in the American League at WR. Each player batted four times. It was noted in the stands that the hitting practices were paying off.
The coaches pulled the players in for a wrap up meeting. Coach Andrew announced the Mudcats' were a doughnut free team. Coach Sean was not very happy. However, Coach Andrew went on to clarify doughnuts on bats. He explained that doughnuts make the bats heavier and train the wrong muscles. Coach Andrew said, "If you are not old enough to lift weights then you are not old enough to use a dougnut." The coaches want the players to have quick bats so NO BASEBALL DOUGHNUTS. Coach Jim revealed his toughness winner for the practice, Sticks and Anthony. Sticks and Anthony were anointed team captains for the relay race. Many thought Sticks was going to be able to run but at the last minute Coach Andrew put him back on the DL allowing him to drop the glove. The team of Sticks, Smiley, JJ, Charley, Noah, and Brenner took the W.
Practice ended with a final, bring it in: MUDCATS.
The Mudcats are next in action on Tuesday at Nowell Field for a scrimmage against the Bees. We are hoping our statistician and writer comes out of hiding by then.
The boys broke out into stations: base running, infield, and outfield. During the infield work, Coach Sean worked with the players on keeping their feet moving and moving to their left. At the base running, Coach Rob worked with the players on different base running situations. "Take a look," was heard a lot. Coach Tom and Coach Jim teamed up on the outfield station. The players worked hard and were tough.
After the station work was complete Coach Andrew had another challenge for the players. He wanted to know who thought Coach Sean could hit a home run. All the players cheered. Coach Andrew then challenged them, "If Coach Sean does not hit one then you all with have to run 30 laps as a team to end practice." Good thing Coach Sean cleared the center field fence and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Up next the famous scrimmage. The players divided into two teams. Any parent or sibling available was begged to join the field. Gavin was overheard informing his teammates that the all time 1st baseman was at least a 5th grader (for a kindergarten that is old). No one had the heart to tell him it was actually Noah's older brother, Drew, who plays in the American League at WR. Each player batted four times. It was noted in the stands that the hitting practices were paying off.
The coaches pulled the players in for a wrap up meeting. Coach Andrew announced the Mudcats' were a doughnut free team. Coach Sean was not very happy. However, Coach Andrew went on to clarify doughnuts on bats. He explained that doughnuts make the bats heavier and train the wrong muscles. Coach Andrew said, "If you are not old enough to lift weights then you are not old enough to use a dougnut." The coaches want the players to have quick bats so NO BASEBALL DOUGHNUTS. Coach Jim revealed his toughness winner for the practice, Sticks and Anthony. Sticks and Anthony were anointed team captains for the relay race. Many thought Sticks was going to be able to run but at the last minute Coach Andrew put him back on the DL allowing him to drop the glove. The team of Sticks, Smiley, JJ, Charley, Noah, and Brenner took the W.
Practice ended with a final, bring it in: MUDCATS.
The Mudcats are next in action on Tuesday at Nowell Field for a scrimmage against the Bees. We are hoping our statistician and writer comes out of hiding by then.
Practice #8: Breakdown Hitting
The Mudcats met in three groups to work on hitting. While waiting the players watch a scrimmage between the Riverdogs and Bats. The players were able to move through the four stations (tee, hurricane, soft toss, and live pitching) two times.
The tee station was such hard work that several coaches had to tag team. Coach Jim started off but went MIA. It is rumored he left for a basketball game. We are all wondering what team he plays for. Coach Rob was eager to step in.
Coach Sean thought it was safe to attend practice. He did sport a Mudcat Red shirt with BEAST written on the front. This was the theme for his station, The Hurricane. He worked with each player to be more beastly while at the plate.
Coach Tom broke down soft toss. He even added a special nose blowing session to his station.
Coach Andrew kept the pitches going as Coach Mike made sure all went smooth.
Practice #7: Where are all the Coaches?
It was a great Thursday evening at The Hegeman Hitting Wonderland. The team was down several coaches, including Coach Sean. It is rumored he was afraid to show up since he has heard about the famous Mudcat birthday celebrations.
As always, the most popular station was basketball. Since the all time post player was missing, Noah's Mom was the referee. She learned a lot of new "Mudcat" basketball rules. It seemed like the boys had a great time.
Gabe was upset that Coach Tom was missing which meant no golf ball hitting stations. He tried his best to find a golf ball for each player but came up with only 6, including one pink.
As practice ended, the Mudcats sang "Happy Birthday" to Coach Sean even though he was missing and ate lots of yummy cookies.
Coach Tom pulled in after practice ended dressed like an Alexander Julian model and of course just in time for the famous cookies.Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Practice #6--Bad breaks
The Mudcats reassembled Tuesday night for a two-hour practice session at Kentwood Park, where the infield was crying out for Coach Mike's expert groundskeeping touch.
Practice began with a throwing contest, featuring the umpiring of Coach Sean. JJ claimed the first round of the contest and Anthony triumphed in the second round. Karl Hess would later contact Coach Sean and offer his compliments for his incredibly consistent, no matter what the age, strike zone.
The coaches then broke the squad into three stations: infield, outfield and Coach Tom's Kung Fu Dojo. In the infield, players worked on fielding the ball smoothly and making a quick transition with the ball to the chest area, then getting their feet beneath them before delivering a strike to first base--where hopefully the Mudcats have better plans than the guy manning first base tonight. In the outfield, I'm not exactly sure what was going on, but at one point I think I saw Coach Jim throwing a football. And in the Coach Tom station, strains of, "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy sir!" could be heard.
There was just enough light remaining after stations to hold a scrimmage. Unfortunately, the scrimmage also provided the lowlight of practice, as a fluke collision at first base knocked Drew to the ground. X-rays would later reveal two broken bones in his left wrist. Certainly, the thoughts of all his teammates are with him as he deals with the disappointment of an extended absence and the inconvenience and pain of a broken bone.
Coach Sean singled out JJ and Anthony for exhibiting confidence while being humble, which enabled them to serve as captains for the traditional concluding relay race. JJ's team, which included Smiley, Gavin, HD, Zach and Gabe, claimed a narrow victory. In honor of Asher's birthday, the entire team celebrated with cupcakes. Coach Tom and Coach Rob were last seen walking to the parking lot cradling an extra cupcake while muttering something about, "I need this cupcake for my other kid who couldn't come to practice." It was hard to figure out exactly what they were saying since for some reason it sounded like their mouths were full.
The Mudcats tentatively have a Thursday practice session, with exact time and location forthcoming.
Practice began with a throwing contest, featuring the umpiring of Coach Sean. JJ claimed the first round of the contest and Anthony triumphed in the second round. Karl Hess would later contact Coach Sean and offer his compliments for his incredibly consistent, no matter what the age, strike zone.
The coaches then broke the squad into three stations: infield, outfield and Coach Tom's Kung Fu Dojo. In the infield, players worked on fielding the ball smoothly and making a quick transition with the ball to the chest area, then getting their feet beneath them before delivering a strike to first base--where hopefully the Mudcats have better plans than the guy manning first base tonight. In the outfield, I'm not exactly sure what was going on, but at one point I think I saw Coach Jim throwing a football. And in the Coach Tom station, strains of, "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy sir!" could be heard.
There was just enough light remaining after stations to hold a scrimmage. Unfortunately, the scrimmage also provided the lowlight of practice, as a fluke collision at first base knocked Drew to the ground. X-rays would later reveal two broken bones in his left wrist. Certainly, the thoughts of all his teammates are with him as he deals with the disappointment of an extended absence and the inconvenience and pain of a broken bone.
Coach Sean singled out JJ and Anthony for exhibiting confidence while being humble, which enabled them to serve as captains for the traditional concluding relay race. JJ's team, which included Smiley, Gavin, HD, Zach and Gabe, claimed a narrow victory. In honor of Asher's birthday, the entire team celebrated with cupcakes. Coach Tom and Coach Rob were last seen walking to the parking lot cradling an extra cupcake while muttering something about, "I need this cupcake for my other kid who couldn't come to practice." It was hard to figure out exactly what they were saying since for some reason it sounded like their mouths were full.
The Mudcats tentatively have a Thursday practice session, with exact time and location forthcoming.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Practice #3--Yes, a real practice
The Mudcats convened for their first legitimate two-hour practice of the spring 2011 season on Tuesday evening. Practice began with work on throwing form, which culminated in a throwing competition that was won by JJ. The highlight, however, was Gabe declining to get down on one knee to perform the throwing drills. His reasoning? "I don't want my mom to have to wash my pants." He followed this theory for roughly 26 seconds.
After a brief review of the Mudcat Motto, the Mudcats split into four groups for stations:
1. Infield station with Coach Andrew. Players rotated between second base, shortstop, pitcher and occasionally first base. The fielding emphasis was using good form in getting in front of the ball and receiving it in the triangle, and then following the throw to first base. The highlight of this station was when GM Jenn promised a raise for the entire coaching staff, perhaps in the form of cupcakes.
2. Outfield station with Coach Jim. With Coach Rob still nursing his tennis elbow from last week, Coach Jim took over the tennis ball-smacking duties. It's a pretty simple philosophy: if the Mudcats can catch a tennis ball, squeezing it in their glove and covering it with their free hand, they can catch a baseball. You might have seen a close corollary to this principle in some of America's finest cinema.
3. Baserunning station with Coach Rob. With the aid of a giant plastic bat and some wiffle balls, Coach Rob taught some of the baserunning basics. Without Coach Mike there to whisper instructions in his low, peaceful tone, a substitute had to be found.
4. I don't know exactly what was going on with Coach Tom, but it looked like fun. There were bats being spun around and crab walking and all kinds of things straight out of the Mr. Miyagi handbook. I'm not sure why, but Coach Tom said next practice he is bringing a bunch ofchopsticks.
After stations, the Mudcats huddled quickly at the pitcher's mound. Coach Jim identified Brenner and Anthony as exhibiting great focus. That turned them into captains to pick sides for a quick relay race, which was won by Brenner's squad (Gabe, Smiley, JJ, Zach, Chris and HD).
Coach Andrew capped practice with a few key questions for the group:
"Did you have fun today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you work hard today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you have good focus today?"
Response: YES!
"Are your baseball pants irredeemably dirty, causing your parents to have to purchase stock in the Fels-Naptha Soap company?"
Response: Absolutely.
The Mudcats hit the practice field again Thursday, which also marks less than three weeks until the first game.
After a brief review of the Mudcat Motto, the Mudcats split into four groups for stations:
1. Infield station with Coach Andrew. Players rotated between second base, shortstop, pitcher and occasionally first base. The fielding emphasis was using good form in getting in front of the ball and receiving it in the triangle, and then following the throw to first base. The highlight of this station was when GM Jenn promised a raise for the entire coaching staff, perhaps in the form of cupcakes.
2. Outfield station with Coach Jim. With Coach Rob still nursing his tennis elbow from last week, Coach Jim took over the tennis ball-smacking duties. It's a pretty simple philosophy: if the Mudcats can catch a tennis ball, squeezing it in their glove and covering it with their free hand, they can catch a baseball. You might have seen a close corollary to this principle in some of America's finest cinema.
3. Baserunning station with Coach Rob. With the aid of a giant plastic bat and some wiffle balls, Coach Rob taught some of the baserunning basics. Without Coach Mike there to whisper instructions in his low, peaceful tone, a substitute had to be found.
4. I don't know exactly what was going on with Coach Tom, but it looked like fun. There were bats being spun around and crab walking and all kinds of things straight out of the Mr. Miyagi handbook. I'm not sure why, but Coach Tom said next practice he is bringing a bunch ofchopsticks.
After stations, the Mudcats huddled quickly at the pitcher's mound. Coach Jim identified Brenner and Anthony as exhibiting great focus. That turned them into captains to pick sides for a quick relay race, which was won by Brenner's squad (Gabe, Smiley, JJ, Zach, Chris and HD).
Coach Andrew capped practice with a few key questions for the group:
"Did you have fun today?"
Response: YES!"Did you work hard today?"
Response: YES!
"Did you have good focus today?"
Response: YES!
"Are your baseball pants irredeemably dirty, causing your parents to have to purchase stock in the Fels-Naptha Soap company?"
Response: Absolutely.
The Mudcats hit the practice field again Thursday, which also marks less than three weeks until the first game.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Separated at birth
Coach Tom makes a very astute point regarding a recent blog post. Does anything look familiar in these two photos?
I would remind you that Tyler Hansbrough eventually dunked on Kenny George. Bags or Hayes did not dunk on me (yet).
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Practice #2--Also not a practice
The Mudcats assembled Saturday morning at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland for a quick hitting session that was designed to help a few certain parents keep their minds off the evening's other games (not Texas-Baylor). The team was split into several stations, including tee, soft toss, Hurricane #1, Hurricane #2 and live pitching. I assume that something happened at those stations but I have no idea what it was. That's because, in an effort to keep me away from the actual baseball, Coach Andrew assigned me to the basketball station. Therefore, I can provide the following scouting report on the hoops skills of the spring 2011 Mudcats:
Gabe: Good physical presence, willing to battle for rebounds. One way or another, there is never any doubt where he is on the court. One of the few players capable of playing a solid game while wearing batting gloves.
Zach: Could have posted up most Mudcats and maybe even a coach or two, but chose to focus on his perimeter game. Dangerous from anywhere on the asphalt.
Brenner: Surprising range and a killer crossover. Used the basketball station as a warmup for a stellar performance in his team's basketball game later in the afternoon.
Bags: Sees the whole floor, gets his teammates involved.
Drew: Spent a good bit of his time as the referee. A very fair arbiter, and certainly more competent than the crew that will be in the Smith Center tonight.
Smiley: Actually made a shot on the basketball goal by throwing the football. Might have been watching too many trick shot videos.
Asher: Tenacious rebounder, spends more time on the ground than in the air. Doing his best to overcome a significant lack of athletic genes.
Hayes: Dangerous from the corner, good quickness.
Charley: Was on fire. Later revealed he is coming off a championship season with his rec team. Said if the team had had a better coach, could have perhaps made the NCAA Tournament field.
Noah: Sneaky fast. Also caught several pop flies in a row in the grass adjacent to the basketball court.
Luke: Has mastered the art of the runner going right.
Asher's Dad: I have no idea how, but somehow managed to be the leading rebounder. Game marked first time in recorded history a member of the Lucas family was the tallest person on a basketball court.
The Mudcats hit the floor for a legitimate, regulation-length practice tomorrow at 3 p.m. at West Raleigh.
Gabe: Good physical presence, willing to battle for rebounds. One way or another, there is never any doubt where he is on the court. One of the few players capable of playing a solid game while wearing batting gloves.
Zach: Could have posted up most Mudcats and maybe even a coach or two, but chose to focus on his perimeter game. Dangerous from anywhere on the asphalt.
Brenner: Surprising range and a killer crossover. Used the basketball station as a warmup for a stellar performance in his team's basketball game later in the afternoon.
Bags: Sees the whole floor, gets his teammates involved.
Drew: Spent a good bit of his time as the referee. A very fair arbiter, and certainly more competent than the crew that will be in the Smith Center tonight.
Smiley: Actually made a shot on the basketball goal by throwing the football. Might have been watching too many trick shot videos.
Asher: Tenacious rebounder, spends more time on the ground than in the air. Doing his best to overcome a significant lack of athletic genes.
Hayes: Dangerous from the corner, good quickness.
Charley: Was on fire. Later revealed he is coming off a championship season with his rec team. Said if the team had had a better coach, could have perhaps made the NCAA Tournament field.
Noah: Sneaky fast. Also caught several pop flies in a row in the grass adjacent to the basketball court.
Luke: Has mastered the art of the runner going right.
Asher's Dad: I have no idea how, but somehow managed to be the leading rebounder. Game marked first time in recorded history a member of the Lucas family was the tallest person on a basketball court.
The Mudcats hit the floor for a legitimate, regulation-length practice tomorrow at 3 p.m. at West Raleigh.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Practice #1--Not A Practice
Practice #1 was not officially a practice. Instead, it was labeled a team meeting. These are mere semantics designed primarily to make the parents feel like they had an important function. In all seriousness, the parents were delighted with the 10 minutes devoted to team rules and expectations. That's because that portion of practice was held in a tiny sliver of sunlight and away from the coldest place in the Western Hemisphere, AKA the Nowell Field stands.
When all players and parents had gathered around, Coach Andrew outlined the keys to being a Mudcat, plus the Mudcat Motto. Having done extensive draft research, Coach Andrew was well aware of the memory recall shortcomings of theparents kids, so he came prepared with a handout. Hey, why is everyone laughing? OK, you're right, GM Jenn came prepared with a handout. The parts of the Mudcat Motto are as follows:
1. Sportsmanship--For example, no parent should say such things as, "I believe this 14-year-old umpire may possibly have a wager on this game and be purposely blowing the foul/fair calls." Obviously no one would ever say that.
2. Hustle--Incorporated in this part of the motto (not really, but this seems like a good time to mention it) is the Best Rule In All Of West Raleigh: Kids must carry their own bags. If nothing else, this rule was created for the sheer entertainment value of watching Asher try to balance his bag on his back without tipping over. When he gets to be 16 or 17, we may finally tell him about the 30-pound lead weight we put in his bag.
3. Form and Focus--Already practiced, with lots of practice on throwing form (stance/separate/power), fielding form (catch ground balls in the triangle) and tennis ball smacking form (only in West Raleigh could Coach Rob say, "I've been making kids lie down in the grass and then swatting tennis balls at them" and not receive a visit from Child Protective Services).
4. Toughness in Mind & Body--We do not cry on the Mudcats, unless the concession stand runs out of hot chocolate at the 9 a.m. games. Oh, and kids don't cry, either.
5. Confident but Humble--Considering this was being outlined by a man wearing a yellow stopwatch, this one seemed a little odd.
6. Have Fun!--Unless you forget the six parts of the Mudcat Motto, in which case you may drop down and give me 20.
Players were also asked to introduce themselves, along with their favorite major league team and player, at which time it became obvious that this must be the West New England Little League instead of West Raleigh. Kudos to Noah for going with Texas Rangers and Asher with Chicago Cubs to buck the trend. In related news, ESPN reported tonight that the Yankees and Red Sox have purchased the Rangers and Cubs to assimilate these two outliers.
Following the team meeting, players split into infield and outfield stations while GM Jenn gathered the parents so she could pretend to care about their thoughts on the team uniform for 2011. In the outfield, Coach Rob worked on his forehand. In the infield, players focused on getting in front of ground balls and receiving it in the triangle made between their feet and their glove. They then fired the ball back into the catchers and followed their throws.
The final drill of the day was a relay. Since the Bees couldn't be located to run their all-time relay record against the Mudcats to 0-846, the Mudcats split into two squads. In a close finish, the group of Brenner, Noah, Gabe, Chris, Smiley and JJ pulled out the victory.
A speedy team meeting was held at the conclusion of practice, with everyone gathered at the top of the hill. At this point, Coach Andrew had several puzzling questions for the Mudcats, including "What position on the field is the most important?" The still-raw Mudcats couldn't get that one, but the parents huddled around all realized the obvious answer was, "Wherever my kid is in that particular inning."
Finally, it was time for GM Jenn to set up her puppet regime and hold a "vote" on team uniforms. The two options were black shirt/white pants/black socks or black shirt/black pants/red socks (yikes!). Votes were counted--which was a challenge since most players voted at least twice--and results were tallied, and...no one is really sure who won. Look for an update soon on the winners of the "vote." (BREAKING NEWS UPDATE 9:03 p.m. Black shirts/black pants/red socks is the winner)
The next practice will be held at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland on Saturday at 10 a.m.
When all players and parents had gathered around, Coach Andrew outlined the keys to being a Mudcat, plus the Mudcat Motto. Having done extensive draft research, Coach Andrew was well aware of the memory recall shortcomings of the
1. Sportsmanship--For example, no parent should say such things as, "I believe this 14-year-old umpire may possibly have a wager on this game and be purposely blowing the foul/fair calls." Obviously no one would ever say that.
2. Hustle--Incorporated in this part of the motto (not really, but this seems like a good time to mention it) is the Best Rule In All Of West Raleigh: Kids must carry their own bags. If nothing else, this rule was created for the sheer entertainment value of watching Asher try to balance his bag on his back without tipping over. When he gets to be 16 or 17, we may finally tell him about the 30-pound lead weight we put in his bag.
3. Form and Focus--Already practiced, with lots of practice on throwing form (stance/separate/power), fielding form (catch ground balls in the triangle) and tennis ball smacking form (only in West Raleigh could Coach Rob say, "I've been making kids lie down in the grass and then swatting tennis balls at them" and not receive a visit from Child Protective Services).
4. Toughness in Mind & Body--We do not cry on the Mudcats, unless the concession stand runs out of hot chocolate at the 9 a.m. games. Oh, and kids don't cry, either.
5. Confident but Humble--Considering this was being outlined by a man wearing a yellow stopwatch, this one seemed a little odd.
6. Have Fun!--Unless you forget the six parts of the Mudcat Motto, in which case you may drop down and give me 20.
Players were also asked to introduce themselves, along with their favorite major league team and player, at which time it became obvious that this must be the West New England Little League instead of West Raleigh. Kudos to Noah for going with Texas Rangers and Asher with Chicago Cubs to buck the trend. In related news, ESPN reported tonight that the Yankees and Red Sox have purchased the Rangers and Cubs to assimilate these two outliers.
Following the team meeting, players split into infield and outfield stations while GM Jenn gathered the parents so she could pretend to care about their thoughts on the team uniform for 2011. In the outfield, Coach Rob worked on his forehand. In the infield, players focused on getting in front of ground balls and receiving it in the triangle made between their feet and their glove. They then fired the ball back into the catchers and followed their throws.
The final drill of the day was a relay. Since the Bees couldn't be located to run their all-time relay record against the Mudcats to 0-846, the Mudcats split into two squads. In a close finish, the group of Brenner, Noah, Gabe, Chris, Smiley and JJ pulled out the victory.
A speedy team meeting was held at the conclusion of practice, with everyone gathered at the top of the hill. At this point, Coach Andrew had several puzzling questions for the Mudcats, including "What position on the field is the most important?" The still-raw Mudcats couldn't get that one, but the parents huddled around all realized the obvious answer was, "Wherever my kid is in that particular inning."
Finally, it was time for GM Jenn to set up her puppet regime and hold a "vote" on team uniforms. The two options were black shirt/white pants/black socks or black shirt/black pants/red socks (yikes!). Votes were counted--which was a challenge since most players voted at least twice--and results were tallied, and...no one is really sure who won. Look for an update soon on the winners of the "vote." (BREAKING NEWS UPDATE 9:03 p.m. Black shirts/black pants/red socks is the winner)
The next practice will be held at the Hegeman Hitting Wonderland on Saturday at 10 a.m.
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