08/29/2022
And that’s a wrap for our 12u Ospreys Spring/Summer 2022 team! After qualifying for the championship bracket (no small achievement), we finished our Ripken Aberdeen tournament today with a loss in the quarterfinals. To say it’s an emotional time is an understatement. Watching these kids develop into solid players over the past 4 years has been an honor. Ending the chapter with our “OG” team started by Coach Fred Mick and Coach Matt Bean is definitely bittersweet. Starting a travel team in our small town from the ground up took a lot of work but they were determined to make it happen. Seeing how the organization has expanded is truly something to be proud of. Coach Bud Ziegler, Coach Brian Heacock and Coach Rich Ray (always missed) were the absolute best to have on board with us. It’s been an amazing few years!
Moving forward, our boys are taking different paths for their Fall 13u Season. A few are staying back for another run at the 12u level as Ospreys. It’s been a fantastic run with this group and we hope you’ll continue to cheer them on as they acclimate to their new organizations. Be sure to follow the rising 12u Ospreys, 11u Ospreys and 10u Ospreys!
The work the boys on this team put in over the years yielded countless memories on and off the field. After starting winless in their first fall, they showed steady improvement in their first full spring. And then when told Coach Fred would let them dye his hair blonde if they won the rest of their games, they did just that by winning 7 straight and qualifying for the TSE playoffs. They qualified for the playoffs every season since. Winning the TSE championship as 11s and finishing 4th as 12s. They won their first tournament as 11s in Mullica Hill and earned respect on the diamond in countless tournaments thereafter. As a group they demonstrated their comittment to fundamentals by placing 3rd in the infield turn two competition against 27 other teams from around the country in the Tennessee tournament. They had a combined record of 31-7 in TSE spring competition the past two years, 6 different players hit a total of 28 home runs this season; and this from a team of 11 kids (4 of who were playing up in age).
But it was the hard work, the commitment, the time spent bonding as friends and working as teammates that will last longer than the banner. I hope these boys all remember these years as some of the best of their lives, I know I will!
Thanks for all your support over the years!
Over and out 💙⚾️💙⚾️💙
