Parks and Rec facilitates softball, baseball teams for hundreds of children

In a league of their own

A Royals player awaits a pitch during a 7- and 8-years-old pitching machine league game Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at Veterans Park in Fulton, Mo.
A Royals player awaits a pitch during a 7- and 8-years-old pitching machine league game Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at Veterans Park in Fulton, Mo.

It's more than 90 degrees on a Wednesday at Veterans Park in Fulton, but no one really notices.

There's loud cheering from parents in the stands by the baseball field. They applaud every hit and every defensive play as the Cardinals play the Royals.

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Jake Reindl of Shiloh Christian, the small schools baseball newcomer of the year, compiled a 5-1 record with a 1.48 ERA this season for the Saints.

It's not a major league, college or even high school game. It is a 7- and 8-year-old pitching machine league.

"We have a lot of parental support in this town," said Darren Dzurick, field supervisor of Fulton Parks and Recreation.

Parks and Recreation Director Clay Caswell said at least 400 kids, ages 5-14, are playing baseball and softball for the parks and rec leagues in Fulton.

"It's a good program," Caswell said. "It's a recreation thing and gives kids chances to play baseball and softball. Some kids in town will play in more competitive leagues. Our seasons are usually shorter."

For the most part, almost every kid on the field is focused on every swing.

A great number of supporters volunteer as coaches and concession stand workers. These young players get support from a lot of people, even if they don't currently have kids in the program.

Jeff Dolman has been coaching 7- and 8-year-olds for six years and doesn't plan on stopping.

"I don't have any kids," he said. "I started out coaching nephews, and I've stayed down here to coach the fundamentals."

During the summer, Dolman hosts an open practice for kids around the age groups he coaches every Friday at 6 p.m.

"Any kid from any team can show up," Dolman said. "We put them up against the fence and count one-two-one-two, tell the ones to take the field and twos to bat, and we play scrimmages from 6 p.m. to whenever the last kid wants to leave."

Dolman said that he gets roughly 12 to 20 kids at each open practice and has stayed as late as 11 p.m.

"If they're wanting to learn, that's the main thing," Dolman said. "I can teach them the fundamentals. In instructional games, if they do something wrong, we stop the game and explain what happened. Last week, we had a kid on first and the batter hit the ball and it hit the kid running to second. So we stopped the game to explain, 'If you get hit with the ball, you're out.'"

Anthony Nichols has been coaching for four years and currently coaches the Cardinals.

"I started out with tee ball and worked my way up with my child," Nichols said. "It's a lot of fun to teach these kids how to play ball; that's why we're here. That's the most important thing to me."

You can see how that attitude translates to his players.

"I really like running the bases because it means I got a big hit," said Nichols' 8-year-old son, Eli.

"It's very rewarding to see what they learn from game-to-game and practice to practice," Nichols said. "Whenever they make a good play, make a good throw, get a good out, they know it. You can tell on their face, they know it."

Not every parent volunteers, but they still show support.

Cathy Reid has seen a lot of baseball at Veterans Park. Her older son, A.J., played up through both the parks and rec leagues and competitive leagues. Her younger son, Andrew, has been playing for three years and is in the 7 and 8 league.

"He used to be the bat boy for his older brother's team," Reid said. "A.J. has always been No. 6, so Andrew is No. 6, and we still use the 6 1/2 helmet."

"I love playing baseball," Andrew said. "I like to play first base because I get a lot of outs there."

Reid can recall a lot of moments about her kids playing, but one sticks out the most.

"My oldest one on this field wanted to use a wooden bat he got at a Cardinals game," Reid said. "It was actually a souvenir and not a real bat. It was a tee ball-sized bat. He put it in his bag and brought it here when he was in first grade. He brought it out, swung at a pitch and it smashed the bat. The ball went far, but when it broke, everybody went crazy. He's 15 now, and he still has that bat."

At Backer Field on Thursday, the tone was more-or-less the same for the 12-to-14 girls' softball league.

Gwen Medrow is a mom who doesn't currently have kids playing in rec softball, but she still shows up to give her support.

"We are friends with many of the parents and wanted to support Fulton Parks and Rec," Medrow said. "It's such a community event; you see the same people year after year, and it becomes an expectation that you see them the next year. It brings people together."

Curt Crowley coaches the Mets and said other communities benefit from these leagues.

"I've been coaching softball since my daughter has been 7 or 8 years old," Crowley said. "We actually came up from Holts Summit. Holts Summit closed down their 12-15 softball and baseball, and a lot of the Holts Summit kids needed a home to go to. This has been a great home for us."

Crowley's players think so as well. Abbie Skelton, of Millersburg, talked about some of her favorite things about playing softball.

"My favorite part would be making friends and feeling good with my team," Abbie said. " One time I was in left field and there was a player running home. I threw it from left field to home and got the player out. I felt really good."

Dennis Barnes also coaches the Mets and said he's seen a lot of bonding among teammates.

"I've seen these girls really start to come together and play as a team, and that's what we're trying to get these girls to do - depend on each other and come together," he said. "They're a team and everyone is a part of it. Everybody is doing what we've been trying to teach them, and they've been doing a good job."

Vanessa Perry is part of the Mets and has been playing softball for six years.

"I like pitching because I've been working on it for a long time," Vanessa said. "I've worked hard at it, so I like it. One year, I struck out three people in a row. It felt good."

Dzurick had positive things to say about community support the players receive.

"I think it makes our community look great," he said. "I think the community as a whole has come together to support these youth players, and it's a great group of parents and kids."

For more information about the baseball and softball leagues, access fultonmo.org/departments-1/parksnrec.