HiCast Sports Network Delivers Video Coverage for the Nation’s #1 Volleyball Club

Southern Volleyball Showcase on December 5, 2020

HiCast Sports Network is proud to announce a partnership with the #1 nationally-ranked A5 Volleyball Club (out of ~5,000 clubs in the U.S.) and the addition of live and on-demand video coverage for the A5 Sportsplex in Roswell, Georgia. We kicked off coverage on Saturday, December 5 for the 2020 Southern Volleyball Showcase, a 12-year running annual exposure event that attracted more than 350 registered college coaches to watch 546 of the best volleyball players from 25 states demonstrate their skills.

Due to the extended Division I (DI) dead period and travel concerns imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, on-site attendance at the A5 Sportsplex for D2 and D3 coaches was limited this year. Less than 30 coaches (down from 100-150 last year) attended the event on-site, but thanks to live-streaming provided by HiCast Sports Network, more than 2,100 viewers tuned in to watch the event live safely from home. Livestream access and effective marketing by A5 this year contributed to a 45% increase in showcase player participation, attracting them to the A5 Sportsplex from more than double the number of states over 2019.

On the decision to partner with HiCast Sports Network, A5 founder and chairman of the board, Bob Westbrook, shares, “With everything being colored by the turbulent landscape that we currently operate on, the first question we had to answer was ‘Are we going to have a showcase?’ and the next question was, ‘If we did, how will it look?” That lead us to the fact that it had to be digital, so the next question was ‘Who can do that?’ We talked to a couple of companies and made a leap to work with HiCast who had never done anything to this magnitude. Very little of this had been done in the volleyball club sports world. It was a leap of faith on all of our parts that these were the right people, that we had the right facility, that we could employ the technology and make the grid interactive and that it would work for the college coaches and parents. We knew that if we did it well, it would set the standard for a platform we’d continue to use in the future, but if we failed, we’d miss that opportunity. Everybody knocked it out of the park. HiCast and our team did a remarkable job.”

Photo Credit: A5 Volleyball

To provide comprehensive coverage on all 11 courts at A5 Sportsplex, HiCast Sports Network installed two automated, fixed cameras discreetly over the baselines on each court, providing optimal views for all players. For the Southern Volleyball Showcase, HiCast Sports worked with A5 to create a custom web-based user interface, giving college coaches a player directory with quick links to find and follow individual players (wearing numbered jerseys) through three waves of play (9am, 12pm and 3pm) across the 22 views on 11 courts. A5 had the ability to immediately update player data through the event with support from the HiCast Sports team. The pace and tempo of the showcase and the simplicity and efficiency of the interactive functionality HiCast Sports created really set this A5 college showcase apart from others. Couple that with on-demand access to the event for up to three months to attract even more college coaches who can view the results roster provided by A5 and study video footage whenever it’s most convenient for them, and the solution is a win-win.

A5 Club Director and coach, Gabe Armamian, shares, “It was revolutionary. Nothing like this had really been done before at this level and all the feedback that we got from players to families and college coaches was just outstanding. It was definitely a turning point for us and the way showcases can be done.”

Beyond access for college coaches, HiCast Sports introduced the start of live coverage for A5 Sportsplex to families and fans as a free trial on the day of the event, and now offer subscribers the option to view that footage on-demand, as well as all upcoming practices and events live or on-demand at A5 Sportsplex. Gabe goes on to share, “The ability to watch from your home is so impactful. Kids have relatives that live in different states and even countries, and now they can watch them perform. HiCast will have a profound impact for our families. It’s extraordinary.” Using the HiCast Sports mobile app for iOS, subscribers can save and share highlights from the footage for personal use and work with A5 to create custom highlight reels for college recruiting purposes.

At A5, Gabe envisions coaches watching HiCast footage on-demand with players to help improve their game. “Being able to review and see what players need to change is paramount to their development. They have to do it when they get to college. Watching film is about a quarter of all time spent when it comes to developing your skills so learning that at an early age is important. Having the ability to go back and review their practice or game is a critical aspect of how they continue to find success with their technique and skill set,” shares Gabe.

View fullsize

“Volleyball is among the fastest growing youth sports in the country and it’s an honor for us to partner with A5 Volleyball Club. While our coverage has been focused on baseball and softball thus far, we’re excited to expand our solution across a variety of playing fields and surfaces to meet the increasing demands of remote viewers,” shares Stephanie Calabrese, co-founder and chief brand officer for HiCast Sports Network. The 2020 State of Play report by Aspen Institute Project Play states that there are 2M+ volleyball players ages 6-17 who participate in the sport on a regular basis and shows 8% growth in 2019 participation for youth ages 13-17 over 2018. There are 1,000+ NCAA volleyball teams across Division I, II and III colleges.

A5 Volleyball Club, formed in 2004 as a 501-C(3) organization, coaches more than 1,000 players ages 7-18 spanning ~90 number of teams (excluding the sand volleyball program) across three locations in Georgia including Roswell, Suwanee and Tyrone. Several players travel in from out-of-state to play on A5 teams because the demand to play at A5 is so high. “Every one of our girls that have come through our 18s program who wanted to play in college, got that opportunity,” shares Gabe.

What makes A5 Volleyball Club unique? Gabe shares, “We stay true to our mission statement, ‘Teaching Life Lessons Through the Sport of Volleyball.’ It’s not always about the #1 ranking. The amount of kids that we have come back after they’re done with their volleyball college career to work or spend time with us is one of the most satisfying things that happen for us. And we are fortunate to have one of the strongest coaching staffs in the country and we believe it’s the crux of our success.”

Bob adds, “We don’t spend a lot of time thinking we’re good. We spend a lot more time thinking about what we can do to get better. We’re in the business of families and each individual family matters. You can’t pay lip service to that. You have to know what they need and what they want and we have to help them achieve that – and sometimes it’s different from what their athlete can actually achieve. We want to create an experience… for the people who work with us, the athletes who train with us, and the families who support us… that changes their lives in a way that is meaningful.”

A5 will host their first season of volleyball tournaments at the new 13-court A5 Sportsplex in Roswell beginning in January 2021 with families, college coaches and fans watching from all over the world. It represents a significant milestone for A5 and particularly its founder, Bob, who came to Atlanta 44 years ago to start junior volleyball. Bob shares, “To know that we started (girls volleyball) at Sutton Middle School in 1976 with three girls… and then to stand in a 13-court facility with every court filled with all ages is mostly cathartic to have played some small part in that vision.”

Read the A5 Press Release: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/532754208/being-seen-the-college-volleyball-recruiting-process-is-on

Watch A5 Volleyball live or on-demand weekdays 4:45pm - 10:15pm and anytime on Saturday and Sunday. Sign up now: http://www.hicastsports.com/a5

Remote Viewing Surges for Youth Ballparks During Covid-19 Global Pandemic

When America’s favorite pastime was indefinitely paused at the start of Spring season in March, it changed everything for youth athletes and families across the country. Tournaments were cancelled. Venues closed their gates. By the end of June, the majority of ballparks in the HiCast Sports Network across nine states established return-to-play polices and welcomed teams back on their fields, but limited spectators in the stands and encouraged family members and fans to watch from home thanks to an automated video coverage solution provided by the HiCast Sports Network, a game-changing, subscription-based social broadcast company which allows youth athletes, coaches, families and fans to view live sporting events at top ballparks across the nation anywhere, anytime, on any device.

Todd Yancey, General Manager for Elizabethtown Sports Park in Kentucky, shares, “We had to go back to the drawing board like so many other people in terms of our operations. We were able to launch some of our baseball season. Our bleachers are closed, and spectators have to bring their own chairs and social distance around the diamonds. Now that we have HiCast in place, we’re excited to share the best view behind home plate with fans here at the park and watching from home.”

Field at Elizabethtown Sports Park in Elizabethtown, KY. Now during Covid-19 pandemic, bleachers are closed to spectators, but they can bring their own chairs and social distance along the fence line. Having the HiCast Sports app in hand, all fans can get a view behind the plate.

Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer for HiCast Sports Network, Stephanie Calabrese shares, “We’ve seen a rapid surge in viewership. Looking at 2020 vs 2019 game minutes viewed across our network, we saw a 20% increase in July and more than 100% increase in August. While our coverage has been a nice-to-have amenity for our ballpark partners, it’s now become a necessity. Fans expect to have remote game access and we’ve proven our ability to provide reliable video coverage for ballparks over the past several years. We’re poised to grow.”

The HiCast Sports Network was founded by two creative-minded parents and entrepreneurs, Robert Stribling and Stephanie Calabrese, located just outside the metro Atlanta area. Inspired to cover and preserve the moments that matter for their own young athletes, they teamed up with friends and family to invest in product development, acquired U.S. utility patents, and have steadily grown their network and user base to cover more than 100 ballfields and about 300,000 ballplayers across 11 states. They’ve finalized agreements with two more venues in Michigan and Colorado for installation prior to the start of spring season 2021 and expect more to follow as demand for their coverage increases.  

While parents and grandparents appreciate the ability to watch games live from home, their use often follows the lead of their players who use the HiCast Sports mobile app to watch their games back on-demand and save their favorite plays or hits from the game in the form of clips and highlight reels. HiCast subscriber and baseball dad Carlos Tariche’s son Tommy, a senior in high school who plays varsity and travel ball aspires to play for a D2 or D3 college, discovered HiCast initially. Carlos shares, “Tommy told me about the HiCast Sports app. When I took a look, I couldn’t believe how easy it was to figure out. I had a situation where I was working and my son had a game during the week, so I was able to air-play it to my Apple TV and watch the game. The quality was amazing. I’ve actually used some of those highlights to send to a couple of college coaches who were looking for film of him. It’s a valuable tool. We play in so many different places, it makes me wish that more venues had it.”

Bases loaded and a solid DP here. 3rd baseman Tommy Tariche to catcher Patrick Bartoletta to Christian DeRisi at 1st for Batting 1000 Seminoles 17/18U on 9/1/20 at Baseball Heaven. Shared by HiCast User and proud dad, Carlos Tariche.

While NCAA Division 1 coaches remain in their extended dead period for in-person recruiting through Jan 1, 2021, nearly 100 colleges from across the country including Columbia University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University tuned in to watch players at Diamond Nation in New Jersey using the HiCast Sports Network. Diamond Nation General Manager Nick Massari shares, “We knew we had to do something to make sure kids playing in our tournaments had the best opportunity available for exposure. We created virtual roster packets for ten of our events this summer, and emailed them out with game schedules to our scouting list which includes coaches from colleges nationwide (mostly Division 1 schools) and all of the professional baseball teams to let them know we were streaming our games live and on-demand.”

At the ballpark, Diamond Nation shares listing of college and pro scouts watching players on-site and online through the HiCast Sports Network. Photo courtesy of Diamond Nation

Former professional ballplayer, Coach David Whigham, founder and owner of travel ball organization Delmarva Aces comprised of 42 teams across three states, and associate scout for the Baltimore Orioles, uses HiCast to support his players. He’s helped secure 99 college commits from his Aces program since 2016. David shares, “Because of my communications background, we do a lot with social media and video. For our kids, having social media followers watching their home run videos mean so much to them. You’d be surprised how many kids save those videos and will keep them forever to relive moments like that. The way everything is going, venues are going to rely on HiCast Sports even more than ever to try to capture the moments.”

Catch the Cal Ripken Major/70 National Invitational from Ballparks of America from the Comfort of Your Home

We’re proud to announce our coverage of the Cal Ripken Major/70 National Invitational at Ballparks of America August 8 - 15, 2020. For the past three years, Ballparks of America has hosted the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series, bringing together Babe Ruth chartered teams from all over the world to compete in Branson, Missouri. It’s been an incredible opportunity for American players and families to make memories, build bonds and play with the best of the best – teams from Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Republic of Korea and Dominican Republic.

Ballparks of America, Branson, MO

But everything changed this year. If one thing is for certain, 2020 is teaching us how to manage a heavy dose of uncertainty. “Everything has been unique about this year,” shares Michael Solanik, Major70 World Series Director. The Covid-19 global pandemic pushed the Babe Ruth Organization to initially cancel international team participation, and eventually to cancel all 17 World Series events planned for the year as their tournament trail came to a halt – each state with its own uncertain phased-approach to resuming play.

Michael Solanik continues, “Some of our leagues (state-by-state) have been fortunate enough to play. Others have had to stop mid-way through their season. And some have not played at all, but are hoping to resume their season later in the summer and fall. We had eight regional qualifiers, a national qualifier, and state champions from Arkansas and Missouri would have qualified as well as the host team from Branson, MO. So knowing we had that core group of teams planning on being there, Ballparks of America suggested we keep the gates open and create a National Invitational tournament so these 12-year-old players wouldn’t lose the opportunity to represent their communities at a national level. We then opened it up to all of our chartered organizations across the country to participate.”

Ten teams will battle it out (6-game minimum; two pools) for the title of National Champion. They come from: Southwest (Florence, AL), Branson (Branson, MO), Missouri (Carthage, MO), SE Denver (Denver, CO), Galesburg (Galesburg, IL), Springfield (Springfield, MO), Parsons (Parsons, KS), New England (Norwalk, CT), Pacific Northwest (Kennewick, WA) and Arkansas (Benton, AR). Players have the option to stay with their team on-site in dormitories for the week at the Ballparks of America complex or in hotels with their parents.

To keep everyone as safe as possible, the Babe Ruth Organization and Ballparks of America (managed by Sports Facility Management) have established guidelines for play, teams and patrons. All Babe Ruth League credential books for tournaments have been migrated to digital binders. Ballparks of America offers online viewing of games live and on-demand for family members and fans beyond the stands through their partnership with our HiCast Sports Network.

“The Babe Ruth League is a community-based organization at our very core. With as many things that have been taken away from people throughout this year, we feel this is an opportunity for a community to rally around their team. It gives people something to look forward to –a sense of normalcy coming back,” said Michael Solanik.

View the Aug 8 - Aug 15, 2020 tourney schedule >

Time Out! A Highlight Contest

We know you’re eager to get back to the fields! While we wait through this pause on play, let’s celebrate your Moments That Matter™ from 2019 through March 2020. Our entire archive of 2019 games is available to watch on-demand, so it’s a great time to use our mobile app to save and share your favorite game highlights. All HiCast highlights created in 2019 and 2020 are eligible, except for previous highlight winners. We'll accept submissions now through June 1, 2020 and announce one winner each week. Winners score a free one-year Family Pass (a $239.99 value) to be activated when your season resumes.

Who Can Enter

If you are currently or were a HiCast Sports subscriber in 2019 or 2020, you are eligible to enter as many highlights as you like. All highlights are eligible to be selected throughout the contest timeframe, so if you enter three highlights during week one of the contest, those highlights are eligible to be chosen as a weekly winner anytime from date of entry through June 1. If your highlight was a winner in 2019, that highlight is not eligible to win.

How to Enter

Use our mobile app to share your HiCast highlight to our app’s HiCast Feed. In the caption of your highlight, include your player’s name, team name and age division, and a brief summary of the moment. Include this tag: #timeout

If you have saved highlights, it’s easy to share them to our HiCast Feed.

1. Tap on “Highlights” in the bottom menu to view your saved highlights. Select the highlight you want to enter by tapping on it.

2. Your selected highlight will open in the Preview Highlight screen. Make any adjustments for trim and soon, then tap “Share” in the upper right corner.

3. On the Share screen, add your player’s name, team name and age division, a brief summary of the moment, and the tag #timeout – then tap the “Share to HiCast” button at the bottom of the screen. That’s it!

If you’re not sure how to save and share a highlight, watch this video demo: http://www.hicastsports.com/demo

What Type of Highlights Should I Enter?

We’re looking for great offensive and defensive plays, hits that make you proud, and funny bloopers on the field that made you laugh. You’ll need to be able to identify the primary player(s) involved in the play, and of course use good sportsmanship in your submissions.

What’s the Prize?

We’ll give away one free HiCast Monthly Family Pass (valued at $239.88) to each winner each week. We’ll grant your Family Pass when your season resumes and it will remain active for 365 days from date of activation. Each winning highlight and player will be featured on our website and in our social media.

Let’s see your Moments That Matter™!

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.”

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

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

COVID-19 Pauses Live Play, So We've Unarchived All of Your 2019 Games

Spring tournaments across our network came to an unexpected close by March 15, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, most our ballparks have paused play indefinitely with a common hope to resume sooner than later. It’s a difficult time for all of us right now, but coming together as a country to help slow the spread of this virus, flatten the curve for our healthcare system, and to support one another as one team is what’s most important right now.

But we know you need some good news while you’re homebound, and a way to stay connected to the game you love, so we've unarchived ALL of your games from 2019, so you can replay the Moments That Matter™ on-demand! Take advantage of this time you have with your family to dive into the archives together and watch your favorite games from ballparks across our network. Be sure to use our mobile app to tag highlights as you watch... We've got a contest coming soon! 

We couldn't have made this happen without our ballpark partners: Baseball Heaven, Sports at the Beach, Diamond Nation, Baseball USA "The Yard" Powered by Marucci Elite Texas and Texas USSSA Baseball, The Shipyard Park, Tyger River Park, Ballparks of America, East Cobb Baseball Complex, Buckhead Baseball, and JockJive Sports. Thanks for standing by us as we all wait this out together as a team.