Grandfather Celebrates Grandson's Moments at Barrier Islands Little League

HiCast Sports user, grandfather, and attorney by day, Joe DaPore from Charleston, South Carolina coaches for the Land Sharks 9U team for Barrier Islands Little League, one of newest ballparks to join the HiCast Sports Network this year. Joe was a pitcher and first baseman in high school, and continued his love for the game when he started coaching young ballplayers 40 years ago. When his older grandson, James Saltmarsh, begin playing T-Ball at age five, he signed on as an assistant coach for his team at Barrier Islands Little League.

Grandfather and Coach Joe DaPore with grandson James; Photo provided by Joe DaPore

Barrier Islands Little League, started in 1955, was one of just a few Little League organizations in the state of South Carolina to establish return-to-play guidelines and resume play in June due to the Covid-19, thanks in part to leadership from Todd Rieger, former president of the organization and current board member. Over the past six years Barrier Islands Little League has grown from 100 players to 450, and continues to expand as the organization added a girls’ softball league for ages 6-16 this year.

Joe’s grandson, James, was a member of the All Star team that won the 9U division. During regular season, on July 23, Joe was coaching third base and waiting on his grandson to bat. They had two runners on base and two outs, so the pressure was on.

“James was a little late getting to the plate. Our Little League rules dictate if the batter doesn’t get into the box to bat in a timely manner the pitcher can start throwing. So when James got to the plate after a delay because he couldn’t find his bat, he already had two strikes on him. When he finally stepped into the box, he promptly hit one to the fence scoring two runs. It was a fun moment in a summer filled with Covid worries.”

James Saltmarsh’s 2-run triple for Land Sharks 9U at Barrier Islands Little League

On Joe’s use of HiCast at Barrier Islands Little League, he shares, “I had never heard of it. I didn’t sign up for a while, but I’ve really enjoyed it. It captures moments that are important to grandparents, parents and players.”

Photo provided by Barrier Islands Little League

Todd Rieger, former President and current Umpire-in-Chief for Barrier Islands Little League spearheaded the effort to bring in the HiCast Sports Network to Johns Island in South Carolina this past spring. Todd’s been involved with the organization for the past six years and has served all roles “except team mom, the hardest role of all!” Todd laughs. This 2020-2021 year, he’ll focus on recruiting and training umpires and creating a youth umpire program.

Coach Todd shares, “HiCast has been a huge success at Barrier Islands Little League. We only have 2 fields but our parents and grandparents love watching their kids. Not only for games, but for practices. It allows you to check in on your players when you can’t be there, plus with Covid it offers families the opportunity to still be involved with the games without the risk of getting sick.  We have also used it for our umpiring training and we can't wait to ramp things back up this Spring once we are done with Fall Ball.”

HiCast Sports Network is proud to welcome Barrier Islands Little League, their young athletes, families and fans to our HiCast community.

Photo provided by Barrier Islands Little League

Photo provided by Barrier Islands Little League

Investing in the Youth Baseball Experience at Ballparks of America

We caught up with Springfield Mavericks coach and one of new owners of Ballparks of America in Branson Missouri, Paul Satterwhite. Paul, in partnership with three local businessmen from Springfield, MO (Greg Snider, Dale Helle, and Steve Strobel) purchased the complex in February 2020 and we’re excited to see this unique ballpark complex grow.

Here’s what Paul had to share in anticipation of the delayed start of their spring season:

What got him interested in Ballparks of America?

Paul Satterwhite and son Graham

Paul has coached his son’s team for about eight years now, serving as head coach for five of them in Springfield, Missouri which is about 45 minutes from Branson. When he first learned about the construction of Ballparks of America, he got excited, as the target age range (11U - 14U) would be a perfect fit for his son’s team, the Springfield Mavericks. They were among the first teams to play at the ballpark since it opened in 2017. In 2018, Paul’s son Graham made the Branson 12U team and played in the Cal Ripken Series 70 World Series at Ballparks of America, which was a highlight for his son and the entire family. The Mavericks have played 75-80 games at Ballparks of America thus far.

How have you used HiCast Sports Network at Ballparks of America as a dad and coach?

“We’ve had quite a bit of experience with HiCast footage. I’m an attorney by trade and I travel some. I haven’t missed many of my team’s games over the years, but I was traveling back from a conference I had to attend and I wasn’t going to make it back in time for their Friday night games. I was waiting for my flight at the Denver airport and I pulled up and watched all of our games on HiCast, texting my coach who was running the game between innings, and making suggestions. It’s a really good view of your pitchers and batters, and I thought it was a really neat experience. My own parents have been able to get on and watch games, and there’s extended family who use it to watch our team.”

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What inspired you to take ownership of this venue with your three partners?

 “A couple of reasons. One, we really understand the place. One of my partners, Greg Snider, also has sons who’ve played often at Ballparks of America. We both serve on the Board for the Springfield Mavericks organization, and we operated tournaments at Ballparks of America before getting involved on the ownership side.  As a result, we understand the operations side of it and what has made our tournaments great over the last couple of years.

We also understand some of the challenges there, especially with the size of the facility, and we have a ton of connections in Branson and the ability to really make what we believe to be a great product on a national level and also for the Branson community and southwest Missouri. We really wanted to put some energy behind it and it’s something I saw as a worthwhile endeavor. Of course, we didn’t see the fun that is this challenge we’re all facing as a country right now with COVID-19, but it’s one we believe we can overcome.”

What’s in store for the future of Ballparks of America?

“We’re in the process of bringing the existing facilities up to a higher level. It’s a pretty amazing facility to start out with. The dorms are an incredible experience for the kids. We’re putting in some more food options by adding a restaurant and a sit-down, air-conditioned area inside for folks to get out of the sun for a bit. We’re going to enhance some of the experiences on campus and add some parties in the evenings. We’re partnering with the best local event businesses in Branson to put on co-branded and exciting events to create a tourna-cation experience for kids and families. We want it to be seven days of lifelong memories. You might not remember the scores of the games but you’ll remember the memories you created with your child, your teammates and your family. That’s the goal, and that’s what we’re working hard at.”

With COVID-19 pause on play, what’s happening right now?

“We’re working with health officials and our government to understand what’s safe, but we’re continuing to move forward with an intention to play this summer. We’re taking a week-by-week approach on this and we’re not acting too quickly to cancel future events. We’re actually adding teams who lost their spring season and are looking to expand their summer experience. We’re going to try to give a month’s lead time on summer events so teams traveling from further out will have time to make a determinations. We’re communicating regularly with the teams. We’re going to look at what other opportunities are available and hope to expand our late summer and fall opportunities to maximize use of the facility.” 

Since our call with Paul, they’ve added four tournaments in August to help meet the growing summer demand for play. Teams from more than 30 states are signed up for tournaments from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 

“With the Cal Ripken World Series in August, we typically have ten international teams, but due to COVID-19, international teams will not attend this year. We’ll still have 20 national teams coming for the tournament August 6-15.”

How are you and your team working through this challenging time?

“I think it’s a great time for players to study the game, to watch older baseball games, watch people they see as heroes and see how they play. I think it’s a great time to work out. My own 13-year old son is making me jealous by the amount of time he’s been able to put in with his work outs, and I think he’s going to be in the best shape of his life by the time this ends. It’s a great time to get out and play catch with your dad or your sister in the back yard. Set up your tee and your nets, or your tennis ball in the garage. 

For coaches, I’m encouraging regular communication with your team. For us, most of that is happening through the Band app where we communicate through messaging and video to have a team experience there. Our club is putting out a video every other day to the kids with a work-out routine so they are all getting something that pushes them.”

Words of encouragement for ballplayers everywhere?

“Baseball is a game that we play that is a microcosm of life. Of all the sports that I’ve been involved in throughout my life, baseball is the quickest to take you to the top and take you to the bottom all at the same time. You can be the hero in one inning and the goat in the next. There are great life lessons to be learned from the game of baseball. And what we’re dealing with right now is just a period of adversity. It’s a challenge. We’re missing baseball because it’s become a central part of our life, but it will be back. Use this time to get closer to your family. If you are a person of faith, use this time to focus on that to help you see this as a opportunity to rise above the challenge.”

Photos provided by Paul Satterwhite and Springfield Mavericks

Delmarva Aces Family Scores Valuable Life Lessons

We caught up with David Whigham, owner, president and pitching coordinator for the Delmarva Aces and Baltimore Orioles associate scout, to learn more about his 42 Aces teams and find out how they’re staying motivated in spite of the COVID-19 virus pause on play. Here’s what he had to share:

What life experience has helped prepare you to stay motivated in challenging times?

David Whigham played college baseball at Guilford and Virginia Wesleyan, then went on to play professionally and in Australia, Austria, and Germany before returning home to Ocean City, Maryland in 2014. He’s no stranger to overcoming obstacles and maintaining a positive attitude. In 2009 at age 23 while playing for the El Paso Diablos in the American Association, an independent professional baseball league, David suffered a significant head injury on the field. 

“I was hit directly in the temple by a line drive while pitching in the fourth inning and woke up two weeks later. I had to have two emergency brain surgeries. It was a pretty turbulent point in my life and it really shook me up. I think that’s why I’ve been able to run the Aces the way that I have because having to experience something like that, nothing seems as troublesome as when I was lying in a hospital bed fighting for my life. ” 

What’s the story behind the Delmarva Aces?

David formed the Aces organization in 2014, basing it off the Melbourne Aces, an Australian baseball league where he had played. He started with 14 teams and has grown the organization to 42 teams in three states (Maryland, Delaware and Virginia) including nearly 500 players. Ages span 5-6 year-old-teams though high school showcase teams, college summer teams, men’s softball teams, and even a woman’s baseball team soon to come. You’ll find them playing at Sports at the Beach, Diamond Nation and Baseball Heaven.

“Our youngest player is five years old and our oldest player is 78. I played baseball in Australia for two years, and tried to bring that culture back of how they run it over here. Basically you start playing baseball from the time you’re in diapers until you can’t walk any more.”

“I really wanted to change the culture of travel ball. I’m an old school guy and I believe in a lot of old school techniques. I like keeping my hands in recruiting and we do a lot of stuff with our community. We give scholarships out to kids. We did an equipment drop where we uniformed and equipped players in Uganda. We’re actively involved in getting the kids different types of opportunities in the community. We’re trying to build a person instead of just a player.” 

Tell us about scouting and recruiting.

David began scouting amateur baseball players for the Baltimore Orioles in 2018. Several Aces players have been scouted by Major League organizations including the Orioles, and he’s helped secure 99 college commits from his Aces program since 2016. 

“I’m all about trying to find the perfect fit for a player’s skills across all levels of college and junior college ball. I start the process early and spend a lot of time talking about recruiting. Travel ball has been so geared around the D1 or bust mentality, but a lot of kids find themselves in bad scenarios when they get to college or it just wasn’t the right fit for them and they learn too late that the school wasn’t the best spot.”

How have you used our HiCast Sports Network?

“Because of my communications background, we do a lot with social media and video. We’re very familiar with HiCast. For our kids, having social media followers watching their home run videos mean so much to them. We have our players submitting videos showing us how they’re staying active at home. One kid submitted a HiCast video of himself hitting a home run last year and tripping over third base and falling in the mud. It was pretty cool and the kids loved it. Then after he sent it, another kid sends in his HiCast video of him tripping over third base in the same spot at the same venue. You’d be surprised how many kids save those videos and will keep them forever to relive moments like that.”

TJ Morris of Delmarva Aces 14U East Blooper Rounding 3rd

“The way everything is going, venues are going to rely on HiCast Sports even more than ever to try to capture the moments. People can re-watch their games, and scout other teams. It’s really freaking awesome. For a large organization like ours, there are so many active and moving parts during the season. One thing people tend to not do very well is to capture these important moments so we can share them with each other.”

How are you and your team working through this challenging time?

“Our winter academy, which begins in November and ends in March, had just ended when Maryland issued a state of emergency. We got really lucky to complete it, even though training came to a screeching halt. Some of our teams are actually running online practices now through Zoom. We offered a complimentary two-week academy once this thing clears to get the kids back in shape. I’ve formed connections with local tournament venues to do weekly contests (like a scavenger hunt crossword puzzle about Aces history) where the winning team that is first to submit wins free tournament entry. 

The hardest thing right now is to keep people engaged. Everybody’s feeling frustrated but we really have a resilient family. We have a slogan without our program called “One Family.” We’re doing things to try to keep everybody together. I’m on 32 telephone chats and I like being a part of all of the conversations.”

What encouragement can you share with ballplayers everywhere?

“We’re learning a lot about ourselves during this time. I think that everybody is going to be so much more thankful… just for everything in their life after all of this is gone. It’s a learning experience. Just think when you get back on the field, how good that’s going to feel. Would it have felt that good if we didn’t have to go through this hard time? After my head injury and the stuff I went through, it changed my perspective. 

I think players are going to be so much more appreciative of the opportunity their parents give them, stuff like HiCast Sports technology gives them, opportunities that they were given that has now been taken away from them. I think you’re going to see a much more appreciative culture out of this. Hopefully that lesson is something they can take with them throughout their baseball career and life.”

How 20 Bagel Bombers Teams Stay United and Focused on Improving Their Game

We talked with Bagel Bombers Baseball Association president Jerry Windish (who also works in law enforcement) to find out his recommendations for youth ballplayers to stay engaged during this disappointing pause on play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s what he had to share:

Tell us about your Bagel Bombers organization.

“Bagel Bombers Baseball Association is the largest and oldest travel ball organization in the state of Delaware. We have players who reside throughout Delaware and the Maryland area. We have 20 teams this year, from 7U up through 16U. We have two 16U teams. This past year, we partnered with US Elite Baseball to provide an exposure component for our older age groups, so US Elite Delaware is managed by the Bagel Bombers.”

US Elite Delaware 16U - Coach Jerry Windish and Assistant Coach Vinny Tallarico; Cole Windish, Vinny Tallarico, Amari Gordon, Zac Cole, Zach Lewis, Ocean Johnson, George Delgaudio, Quinn Buckaloo, Colton Benton, Hunter Wolfe, Gary Emory, Josh Townsend, Tristin McCray, Ethan Hazzard

Jerry coaches two teams this year, the 16U US Elite Delaware team and the Bagel Bombers 7U team. “I’m starting all over again with my youngest son in 7U machine pitch.” You’ll find the Bagel Bombers playing at Sports at the Beach in our HiCast Sports Network.

“None of our coaches are paid coaches. One of our organization’s aims is to keep travel baseball as affordable as possible for our families. We’re not here to make money off people. We’re here to allow kids to better their skills in a family-centered and competitive environment.”

What’s the story behind the Bagel Bombers name?

“The story goes back to the mid 2000’s. The name originated from a business owner who owns Surf Bagel. They did not have a travel ball organization in southern Delaware, so they started with one team. The owner of that business, Dave Vitella, partnered with Adam Gelof, another local resident formed a team and it was kind of a joke originally to call themselves the Bagel Bombers to play off Surf Bagel. The organization grew and it stuck.”

How are you and your team working through this challenging time?

“Everyone’s got to remember this is a challenge facing our whole country and there are a lot of aspects of everyone’s lives arguably more important than the sport of baseball – financially, economically… We want to make sure our families are okay and we’ve gotta keep in mind that the challenges facing our country now override some of the smaller things, even though baseball to our families and our players is an important thing in our lives.

We’re going to do what’s best for our families, what’s best for our communities, and we’re going to follow the recommendations and guidelines put down by the CDC and our respective state governors, in regards to public gatherings because we want our families to be safe. That being said, we want to keep our players engaged in the sport they love so we’re trying to provide different means and access to material to keep them engaged during the downtime we have. 

Recently, we put an online training link on our website to post daily updates to material, whether that be video drills, work out competitions between the kids. Some of the kids, including our US Elite teams are using the Blast Baseball app to track their swings and record their workouts at home. Kids can post results and all their teammates can see what each other is doing and keep each other motivated and working. 

One of the things that I think is really cool, is that we partnered with some of the colleges in the area that have assisted us with clinics. We’ve reached out to Widener University, Wesley College, Delaware State University and they are going to be providing content to us. Everyone can benefit from the communal input of ideas.”

Is it helpful for players to watch baseball games in this downtime while we’re at home?

“Absolutely. Any time you can go back and evaluate your performance, it’s a positive. You can do a lot of learning just by watching game situations, not only your own games, but other games. You can make mental notes of different positionings and assess decision-making to look back on your own mistakes and successes, or the mistakes and successes of others.”

Bagel Bombers shortstop Lukas Loring with a bare-handed play to end the inning on 7/2/19 in the Firecracker 4-Day Classic at Sports at the Beach

What else should athletes be doing?

“The term “Student Athlete” is key. Beyond just working out for baseball, they’ve gotta keep their mind sharp. Unfortunately, I think schools are going to be out for a while, so they need to continue to hit the books in some capacity. If your school district is not offering online classes, seek it out. Or do SAT practice online. Read. Seek out the stuff you are missing in the classroom, because at the end of the day, we’re students first, athletes second. And those who want to further their baseball career in college, you have to have the grades to do it. Even in these trying times, we need to try to continue to educate ourselves.”

Words of encouragement for ballplayers everywhere?

“It’s an old expression, but it’s very true… ‘This too shall pass.’ This crisis will eventually come to an end. When we get past it and we turn the corner, baseball is going to be there. You want to be ready when that time comes. You want to take advantage of this time to get stronger and keep yourself in good physical shape. Work on speed and agility drills. You can better your game during this layover. If you don’t do anything, there will be other players out there taking advantage of this time and you’ll be behind. You have the time. Put the work in and when this passes, you’ll be able to hit the field again and have the success you’re looking for.”

Coach Jerry Widish and Assistant Coaches Jason Pease, Mike Thompson, Blake Hershelman; players –Jake Windish, Ben Pease, Mason Thompson, Grant Hershelman, Lucca Fazio, Brody Fazio, Ryan Craig, Chase Sanchez, Lucas Skoncziecki, Trent Fry, Nolan Jones

Photos provided by Bagel Bombers Baseball Association

Mid-Atlantic Shockers 12U Team Keeps a Winning Attitude Despite Pause on Play

We caught up with Mid-Atlantic Shockers 12U Coach Mike Gaylor to hear how he uses our HiCast Sports Network and to find out how his team is staying prepared despite the disappointing pause on play due to the COVID-19 virus sweeping across the country. Here’s what he had to share:

Tell us about your Mid Atlantic Shockers 12U team.

“I put this team together when the kids were 8 years old. I went around to all of the surrounding little leagues within a 40-mile circle. I looked at a whole bunch of kids and put together a dream team. I’ve had them all together for four years now. We’re rated in the east coast as one of the top teams. Last year at 11U, we went 49-3 with 79 home runs which is pretty amazing for a group of 11 year old kids. We have a good team of 12 kids, and a great parent base. We’re all a family – especially when you’ve been together that long.”

How have you used our HiCast Sports Network?

“We play at Sports at the Beach a lot where we play a lot of highly competitive teams from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. When we’re at the game, as a coach we’re seeing it, but we can’t really study it. So after a tournament, I use HiCast to go back and look for things that we did correctly so I can praise the kids and also see what we did wrong. 

Johnny Hobgood's first home run of the 2019 Fall Season for Mid-Atlantic Shockers 12U at Sports at the Beach

When our kids hit a home run or make a great catch or something like that, my bookkeeper jots down the time during the game so I can go back to watch the game on-demand and get the highlight.” Mike adds with a laugh, “I would be lying if I said I didn’t use it to watch other teams too.”

Spencer Gaylor's home run blooper for Mid-Atlantic Shockers during their 10U season, shared by his dad, Coach Mike Gaylor from Sports at the Beach

“I think HiCast is a great thing. I have a very good team and it’s hard to tell when one of our kids is going to do something spectacular. If we didn’t have HiCast, I would be missing out on a lot of things. Our parents would too.”

How are you and your team working through this challenging time?

“It was definitely a let-down for us. We were actually all signed up to go to Cooperstown this year. Last Friday, we were informed that Cooperstown was shut down for the whole season, which was definitely a blow to my kids and the families. It hurts because we were actually looking forward to making a good showing. The best a team has done in our organization at Cooperstown was second place, which was great, but I felt like we had a team that could win Cooperstown.”

Coach Mike is sending exercises and lessons to parents for his players weekly. “The luxury of us being together so long is that our parents and kids know what I expect and they all do it. Parents are sending me videos, showing me that the kids are still working to get better and the kids can see each other’s videos, so it’s competitive. Like I explained to the kids, when this breaks and we are able to start playing again, I want to go out on the field like we haven’t missed a beat.”

What words of encouragement would you like to share with ballplayers everywhere?

“Don’t give up on your dream. This is just a setback. Keep grinding. Something I always say to my kids throughout each game and all season long is that there are two things you can control… attitude and hustle. Keep practicing your craft. Have in your mind that there is always someone else out there working harder to get better. Don’t let ‘em take your spot.”

Big thanks to Coach Mike Gaylor and Coach Blair Boyce for their hard work on and off the field; to team mom Monica Edelmann for keeping families connected, and to the 12U Mid-Atlantic Shockers players: Jace Jarmon, Spencer Gaylor, Blake Bramble , Caleb Boyce , KD Tindley, Mason Edelmann, Ayden McCauley, Kobe Tindley, Ray Joseph,Johnny Hobgood, Kam Mister, Tony Martin for your commitment to your team and the game, especially during this challenging time. We can’t wait to see you back on the fields at Sports at the Beach!

Photos courtesy of Mid-Atlantic Shockers

Remember Your First Kid-Pitch Homerun?

Deacon Eldridge with a go-ahead home run to seal the Houston Warriors 8U 10-9 win in the bottom of the final inning of the 9U Astros Baseball Festival World Series Championship Game, a tourney organized by Texas USSSA at Baseball USA Powered by Marucci Elite Texas on 7/28/19. Deacon’s dad and HiCast User shared that this was his son’s first kid-pitch home run, and that Deacon also won the 9U homerun derby that weekend. 

Deacon has been a founding member of his team since Spring 2016. Baseball has been his passion since his late great grandmother started him on a tee in the back yard when he was just a toddler. You’ll find him on the field at 1st base, 3rd base, catcher or pitcher.

These are the Moments That Matter™ and we’re proud to cover them for users across our network. Remember to save and share your summer game highlights before we archive them. You can access games three months from date of play, so for example, as of today (October 15), you can access games as far back as July 15. This month, we kick off our 2nd Annual MVP Awards Presented by Rawlings so now’s the time to share your highlights to our app’s HiCast Feed to get them eligible to win! Check out our 2018 winners.