Category: Youth Leagues

Herts looking for more youth baseball coaches with MLB London Series around the corner

The highest number of Herts Baseball Club members was 150, recorded in 2015. That number has already been beaten this season and this is even before the anticipated impact of the MLB London Series games between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees which will be played on 29 and 30 June.

The club is now looking to add more coaches to its youth baseball programmes in Hemel Hempstead and North West London in preparation for this game-changing event for British baseball.

The roles are ideal for someone who would like to pass on their knowledge and experience to a new generation of Herts players and create an enjoyable family atmosphere during games, practice and other events.

Below are links with more details about the roles. For more information or to apply for one or several of these roles, please contact us.

Team Manager, Youth Baseball Leagues (Hemel Hempstead) (click for details)

Head Coach, Midweek Evening Youth Baseball (Hemel Hempstead) (click for details)

Team Manager, Youth Baseball Leagues (NW London) (click for details)

Herts youth operation adds Roberts, seeks more coaches

As Herts baseball club prepares for a big year, it has added another new face to the coaching staff.

Andy Roberts has joined the board as the Head of Under-13 baseball, and will coach a promising side into the season ahead. Herts is still looking for more paid coaches to complete its youth set-up.

Roberts — primarily a catcher — joined the Herts club during the 2018 season, and played for the Falcons in the NBL. He was on their roster at Farnham Park as they took on the London Mets for the title.

This year he is also likely to be helping out the newly formed Herts Londoners in the Triple-A division.

Andy Roberts already has a rich history playing baseball. Growing up in Arizona, he has played in regional teams, city leagues and rec leagues and was set to play college ball before an injury setback. His first experience of coaching kids came with Under-7 coach pitch.

“This year, I really want to instil the fundamentals of baseball”, he says. “Not just on how to hit the ball and field the ball, but about what do with the ball when you get it. And start showing how it’s a game of chess that everyone can contribute to”.

“I believe the U-13 kids are at that crucial age where they really decide how passionate they want to be about this sport. So teaching them these fundamentals – and how to improve on them – will help keep the excitement going and help them aim for higher goals.”

Roberts hopes to set the Herts youth on a path to the NBL team of the future – a goal shared by the Falcons coaches. They have already been monitoring the indoor practice sessions.

“I want the kids to have fun”, says Andy, “but I also want them to learn why so many people love this game”.

Herts is now looking to add the final pieces of its coaching puzzle, and has more paid roles available in the youth set-up. The club is keen to recruit managers for the Under-8 teeball programme; the Under-11 player pitch side; and the Under-15s.

The Herts budget has been modified this year to allow for the recruitment of quality coaches to move the programme forward. Anyone who is interested should contact the club.

Lee Manning, the youth commissioner, says: “It’s a brilliant opportunity for someone to really make their mark on the teams, and help us take the next step up. We want to offer a quality 2019 is a big year for Herts baseball, and the kids are definitely part of that.”

Herts will be fielding a range of youth teams during 2019, from Under-8s to Under-18s. The aim is to offer baseball training and competitive games for as wide a range of boys and girls as possible.

In past years, Herts teams have taken on sides from as far afield as Brighton, Essex, Guildford and Leicester.

Evan at Farnham Park

Last season, the Herts Under-11 coach pitch side reached the final of their category at the Youth National Baseball Championships at Farnham Park.

One of the veterans of that team, Evan Strong-Anderson, has been chosen for the Team UK coach pitch Under-10 side for the 2019 season. This project draws players from a range of British youth sides to take part in a SuperCup in Prague at the end of May.

Around 30 players took part in selection events in Milton Keynes in recent weeks, and Evan was chosen in the final 12. He has worked hard to develop his natural skills, and shows great potential.

Herts was pleased to see a number of our youth players were involved in the Team UK academy sessions, taking advantage of a scheme which is a great addition to British baseball.

The team’s general manager Matt Crawshaw said the overall quality had been extremely high. He is hopeful this year’s crop of talent can build on trophy wins in 2017 and 2018.

Team UK will take part in a series of fixtures on the Bank Holiday Mondays in April and May before heading to the Czech Republic.

BBC presenters agree to face Herts youth stars

It was perhaps a foolhardy moment for two of the stalwarts of sports broadcasting in Hertfordshire. Or was it the moment an epic confrontation was set in train?

Geoff Doyle and Luke Ashmead of BBC 3 Counties Radio were just wrapping up their interview with Herts’ own Lee and Riley Manning – when the visiting father and son duo pulled out their trump card.

“I want to get you down to face our juniors”, says Lee, quickly but casually. “Yeah, yeah” came the swift reply.

Geoff and Luke manfully said they would show no mercy. But Riley piped up with what was described as “fighting talk” in response.

“We’d absolutely love to do that”, insisted the BBC men. Now we just need to set a date.

Lee Manning, Herts’ youth commissioner for 2019, had chatted with them both about the year ahead, the Herts Falcons’ foray into European competition, and the opportunities offered by the MLB London Series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

You can hear the whole thing here:

Of course, Geoff Doyle and Luke Ashmead are no strangers to Grovehill Ballpark. They came down in 2013 for a training session on a beautiful summer evening, and got to compete against one another at hitting.

When Lee and Riley dropped in to the studios this year, it was clear that the presenters remembered it well!

Luke quickly reminded Geoff that their previous experience of Herts baseball had included “me beating you in a batting competition”.

“I thought you might bring that one up”, he admitted after a brief pause. That’s how long baseball lives with you, and how much satisfaction it gives you when you get things right!

“It was such fun”, they agreed, saying anyone could try out the sport without any need to know the rules or the details.

You can listen to the original 2013 session here:

Stay tuned and we will keep you updated on when Geoff and Luke will be making their appearance at Grovehill to test their skills against our young stars.

You know they wouldn’t back out of it. Would they….?

 

 

Herts into 2019: With Youth on our Side

Herts youth players have begun training for a 2019 season which could be the biggest ever for the club – and for British baseball as a whole. And as an extra bonus if they sign up before the end of the month, our youth stars will get their Herts baseball cap for free!

Herts Under-11s in celebration at Farnham Park

A lot of the focus so far for Herts in 2019 has been on the adult side of the club, where two new teams have been announced at the new field in North-West London. The Falcons of the NBL are also the centre of a promotional and fund-raising drive, as they are playing in European competition in June for the first time in the club’s history.

But we shouldn’t forget that the Herts Under-11 coach pitch side also reached a national final too last year! The All-Stars won two games at Farnham Park, including a stunning walkoff victory over London Sports, to get to the final.

Once there, they performed admirably against the Brighton Fireballs, and held their heads high in defeat. Herts also fielded under-13, under-15 and under-17 sides at the Youth National Baseball Championships, showing both strength and depth.

The youth sides are vital to the future of Herts and — with that in mind — the club is now pushing hard to get boys and girls signed up for the year ahead.

To help club managers plan for the season, we are keen to get kids involved now. Anyone who signs up for 2019 before the 28th of February will get a Herts cap thrown in for free. So get on to it quickly!

Herts in action at the 2018 YNBCs

To maximise our offering for our youngest players, Herts has decided to shuffle our budget and make sure we can secure high quality coaches for the youth teams. This has meant an increase in the membership fees of between £6 and £36 — although some remain unchanged.

The club continues to subsidise youth fees, so membership remains tremendous value for money – especially compared with other youth baseball programmes around the country which have higher fees.

Many players had already registered for 2019, including both returning players from last year and brand new recruits. The Herts computer magicians have reset the system so those families can now decide whether to accept the revised fees.

They can then simply register again with their existing clubhouse user name and password. That means that all players can take advantage of the free cap offer, even if they had already signed up.

The 2018 Herts Futures Tournament for youth teams

Youth players have already been taking part in our first indoor training sessions at Berkhamsted Leisure Centre and will progress to outdoor sessions.

During the year, coaches have plans for competitive games against other British clubs. In past years, these have included teams from Brighton, Leicester, Guildford and London.

Herts offers playing opportunities for boys and girls from ages 4 to 18. Youth baseball will also be available at the new expansion operation at Basing Hill Ballpark in Northwest London.

 

Herts adult and youth players start Spring Training this weekend

Herts Baseball Club published details of its Spring Training schedule. The adult and youth baseball teams will return to training this weekend 9-10 February. The only exception is the Under-8 programme which starts later in the year. Softball players will be back in action on 24 February.

The Club has invested heavily this year to secure high quality venues including The Harefield Academy (pictured above) which offers a large indoor 3G artificial grass venue.

Other venues include the Berkhamsted Leisure Centre and Middlesex University both of which feature batting lanes.

The Herts baseball teams will return to Grovehill Ballpark and the new Basing Hill Ballpark for the first time on the weekend of 9 and 10 March.

The first pre-season games of 2019 will be played on 23 and 24 March as part of the Herts Spring League (HSL).

The Show begins in April as the Herts baseball adult and youth teams get their 2019 league seasons underway.

As always, around the middle of March the managers of the five Herts adult teams will announce their preliminary rosters ahead of the HSL. Of course these preliminary rosters are likely to change as we get closer to Opening Day and managers promote those who impress in Spring Training. The movement of Herts players up and down the Herts league teams is usually an ongoing process. We have witnessed players start the season in the Single-A League and end up making their NBL debut later in the year. We will follow players’ progress over the course of Spring Training and during the league season.

ADULT BASEBALL (Ages 14 and over) – SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

DAY DATE AGE GROUPS EVENT NAME LOCATION
Sun 10-Feb Adult Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sun 24-Feb Adult Baseball Spring Training Harefield Academy
Sun 03-Mar Adult Baseball Spring Training Middlesex University
Sun 03-Mar Adult Baseball Spring Training Middlesex University
Sat 09-Mar Adult Baseball Spring Training Basing Hill Ballpark, NW London
Sun 10-Mar Adult Baseball Spring Training Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sat 16-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sun 17-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sat 23-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sun 24-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sat 30-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts
Sun 31-Mar Adult Baseball Herts Spring League Grovehill Ballpark, Herts

YOUTH BASEBALL (U18 U15 U13 U11) – SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

DAY DATE AGE GROUPS EVENT NAME LOCATION
Sat 09-Feb Youth Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sat 23-Feb Youth Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sat 02-Mar Youth Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sat 09-Mar Youth Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sat 16-Mar Youth Baseball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre

ADULT SOFTBALL (Ages 14 and over) – SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

DAY DATE AGE GROUPS EVENT NAME LOCATION
Sun 24-Feb Adult Softball Spring Training Harefield Academy
Sun 03-Mar Adult Softball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sun 10-Mar Adult Softball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre
Sun 17-Mar Adult Softball Spring Training Berkhamsted Leisure Centre

HOW TO TAKE PART?

Existing players who have not reactivated their registration for the 2019 season can do so here. New players can register for the new season here or if you would like to one of these open sessions to give baseball or softball a try then contact us for more details.

Human highlight reels: Herts 2018 MVPs

The 2018 season saw Herts baseball club take another step forward, and it is time to celebrate some of those who powered us on.

Adult and youth players have been voting for their Most Valuable Player (MVP) of 2018, and the contests have been close as always. We can now **drum roll** unveil the results.

The Herts Falcons of the National Baseball League (NBL) were a cherry on top of the club’s year, making a stunning run through the playoffs to reach the final series at Farnham Park against the London Mets.

The Falcons players chose slugger (and outfielder/pitcher) Walter Bates as their MVP, acknowledging the impact he has made since joining the team.

Walter’s highlights for the year included going for 6-for-7 with three triples against the London Capitals in June, and winning a home run derby against a former Marlins organisation player, Chris Squires, at a summer exhibition event.

He also helped support the club online, spreading the word about Herts and British baseball generally – and was the first to sign up for 2019 once registration opened.

Walter Bates after beating Chris Squires in a home run contest

The Herts Double-A side, the Hawks, had another impressive year which saw them end with a 18-4 record in their second year after promotion.

Team stalwart Jon Lewys was once again instrumental in their success and his team-mates rewarded him with the MVP award.

He led the team in hits, and also played stellar defense both in the outfield and at second base. Hawks Manager Michael Cresswell said he was great to have on the team, consistently putting in great performances and fully deserving the award.

There was a fitting — even poetic – result to the voting among Herts Raptors players. They chose Paul Auchterlounie as their MVP. Paul is one of the club’s longest serving members, and at the end of the 2018 season he retired from playing for good.

After joining the Raptors to act as a mentoring catcher to young pitchers, he became a reliable go-to starting pitcher himself, and a consistent bat. He still did a bit of catching, and still helped out young players (especially to guide them away from their appalling choices of music).

Paul Auchterlounie in action

The 2018 season of British baseball suffered at many levels from some organisational problems. That affected the Herts youth teams as much as anyone, interrupting the flow of games. But they still put in a great year of performances.

Joshua Badenhorst was voted the MVP for the Under-15 team, recognising a year in which he was not only an ace pitcher and catcher but also a valuable utility player. He pitched a great game against London Sports in the UK Little League qualifier, and went 4-for-5 with the bat as an added bonus.

He has impressed with his positive attitude and team leadership – with opposing coaches even offering their praise. Josh was also valuable behind the scenes for the club, going the extra mile to help to set up and clear away the field at games.

The Under-13s perhaps suffered more than most due to issues with their game schedule, and a fluctuating line-up. But the MVP award went to Nathan Mudd. Coach Dana Myzer agreed he had deserved the accolade, praising him for his heart, and determination.

The U-11s get a team talk at Farnham Park

The Under-11 players voted Leon Gutowski their MVP. The team capped their year with an impressive run at the Youth National Baseball Championships at Farnham Park in September.

Leon played a key role as they won both of their pool games – including a dramatic walk-off against a powerful London Sports side – to reach the final. They were the first Herts youth team to achieve that feat since 2013.

The contest for a Play of the Year — which is voted on by all players from across the club – produced a very close result. Anthony Lavender’s spectacular diving catch for the Hawks against the London Marauders was locked in a tough battle with Alex Deacon’s double play in the NBL final.

Deacon’s moment of brilliance came out on top, and he takes the prize. In Game 1 of the final against the London Mets, he made an improbable catch at second base on a ball which looked certain to get over his head. Smartly, he threw to second base to double off the runner.

Spectators couldn’t stop talking about the defensive play of the game — which was seen by a wider audience because of the BBF streaming the game on YouTube. Now it has won Alex Deacon the coveted Herts Play of the Year, too.

Alex Deacon flashes leather in the NBL final

 

 

Adult and youth players now registering for the 2019 Herts baseball and softball season

Player registration for the 2019 season has commenced.

ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUES

Last season three Herts teams entered the BBF senior baseball leagues. How many teams will represent Herts in 2019? The next few weeks will be critical to see how many players will register to play for Herts in 2019 and on the basis of this the club will decide how many teams to enter before the BBF league entry deadline, and which leagues the teams will play in.

 

KEY DATES – ADULT TEAMS

February – players report for indoor Spring Training

March – first open-air training session of 2019

23-24 March – Start of the 2019 Herts Spring League (subject to confirmation of the BBF League Opening Day)*

23-24 March – Great Britain National Team Tryouts (senior and youth teams)

7 April – BBF National Baseball League and Triple-A League Opening Day (subject to confirmation)*

14 April – BBF Double-A and Single-A League Opening Day (subject to confirmation)*

May-August – Midweek Evening Baseball

10-16 June – Herts Falcons in the European Federation Cup

29-30 June – MLB London Series (See details below)

August-September* – BBF Postseason Playoffs and National Championships

September-October – Hunlock Series

* – these are preliminary dates. The BBF will be making its official announcements in due course.

YOUTH BASEBALL LEAGUES

The British Baseball Federation launched the Super League in 2017. It enhanced the youth baseball regular season and it is expected to be even more exciting in 2019. Many of our youth players will be moving up to the next age group to face a different challenge in 2019. They will be joined by the new players who are joining the club every week. The Herts youth teams welcome boys and girls aged between 4 and 17 from complete beginners to experienced players.

KEY DATES – YOUTH TEAMS

February – U18, U15, U13 and U11 players report for indoor Spring Training

March – first open-air training session of 2019

23-24 March – Great Britain National Team Tryouts (senior and youth teams)

April – U8 players report for their first session

7-14 April – U18, U15, U13, U11, U8 Season Opening Day*

June – Little League UK Qualifiers (U17, U15, U13, U11)

29-30 June – MLB London Series (See details below)

July-August – Little League Europe Qualifier (Poland and Italy) and Little League World Series (USA) (subject to qualification)

September – National Youth Baseball Championships (U18, U15, U13, U11)

September – Herts Futures Tournament (U18, U15, U13, U11, U8)

* – these are preliminary dates. The BBF will be making its official announcements in due course.

SOFTBALL

In 2017 Herts Baseball Club launched its softball programme which has enabled the club to offer playing opportunities to a much wider audience and to women in particular. Slowpitch Softball is the more recreational version of the game, which is equally appealing to male and female players. Softball is a social and enjoyable game that’s easy to learn and play, even for people who are not “athletes” or don’t have much experience of team sports. The fact that men and women play together in the same team and on an equal level gives the sport a social buzz.

Softball Spring Training will commence in February. The first few sessions will be indoors. All equipment will be provided so anyone aged 14 and over can come and enjoy the day, meet new friends and try a new sport. These will be followed by indoor softball pre-season games. For more details about the Herts Softball Programme click here. If you are interested to come and try softball at any of the upcoming open sessions contact us and we will provide you with full details and add you to our mailing list.

MLB LONDON SERIES – BASEBALL IS COMING HOME

In case you have not heard, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will be playing two MLB official league games on 29 and 30 June 2019 in London. This is the first time that MLB games will be staged in Europe. Various events and activities will take place as part of the MLB London Series and details will be announced in due course.  For now, baseball fans are advised to pre-register not later than 4:59 pm on 29 November 2018 in order to be eligible to access pre-sale tickets when they go on sale at 10:00 am on Monday, 3 December 2019. Click here for full details.

FIRST LONDON-BASED HERTS TEAM IN THE BBF LEAGUES

The first Herts baseball team based in North West London is set to make its BBF League debut in 2019. The club is in the process of securing the NW London ballpark and putting all of the components together in order to unveil the team in time for Opening Day. 2019 Player Registration has just commenced (see details below). The online registration form will ask each adult and youth player to indicate whether they prefer to play their home league games in Hemel Hempstead or in NW London, or whether they would be happy with either. This will provide vital information to club management about how to go about forming the first team which will play in NW London without affecting existing teams based in Hemel Hempstead.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE 2019 HERTS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SEASON

Herts Baseball Club has commenced the 2019 registration process for adult and youth players. For those who already have a Herts Online Clubhouse account they will be prompted to register when they log on next time (click here to go to the Herts Online Club House and log on with your existing username and password). Those who are new to Herts and do not have a Herts online account will be able to register as members by completing this form. For more details about joining our teams in 2019 click here or contact us.

Record-breaking 21 teams to compete for the HFT titles this Saturday

21 teams will be in action at the 2018 Herts Futures Tournament (HFT) which will take place this Saturday, 22 September 2018.  This is a new record for the tournament so Herts Baseball Club will have to stat looking into how to expand the venue somehow.

The opening ceremony will take place at 10:30am. The first games begin at 9:00am and the Finals will be played at around 4:30pm. To view the games schedule click here.

 

“Herts Baseball Club welcomes new players at any time of the year” said club president, Aspi Dimitrov. “Any children aged between 4 and 17 who are interested to give baseball a try should contact the club. It is not too late to take part in this event.”

Traditional Baseball snacks will be on offer including chilli dogs, Krispy Kreme Donuts and more. Imported baseball merchandise will also be on sale at the Herts Baseball shop.

The HFT has been held every year since 2008 and is now a permanent fixture in the British baseball calendar. It brings together youth teams of all age groups from across the country for a day of baseball at one of the best baseball venues in the United Kingdom.

For more information about the event visit the Herts Futures Tournament homepage.

British baseball teams have started entering the 2018 HFT

Herts Baseball Club has announced that the 2018 Herts Futures Tournament will take place on Saturday, 22 September 2018.

The Herts Futures Tournament (HFT) has been held every year since 2008 and is now a permanent fixture in the British baseball calendar. The number of teams entering the tournament has been going up. The highest number of entries which we have managed to accommodate in previous years has been 20 teams. It will be interesting to see how many teams will enter this year. If the number continues to increase the club will have to consider ways of expanding the venue further.

The event brings together youth teams of all age groups from across the country for a day of baseball at one of the best baseball venues in the UK. Grovehill Ballpark is the home of Herts Baseball Club. Over the years the venue has been selected to host some of the biggest events in the British baseball calendar including the National Baseball Championships. During the Herts Futures Tournament additional diamonds are added to cater for all the age groups.

This year’s edition is expected to cover the Under-17, Under-15, Under-13, Under-11 and Under-8 age groups.

For more information about the event, how to enter your team in the Tournament or how players can join the Herts teams in time for the HFT, visit the Herts Futures Tournament homepage or contact Herts Baseball Club.

British baseball players and coaches to work with former Miami Marlins pitcher this August

Herts Baseball Club is preparing to welcome Chris Squires, a pitcher who eight years ago was drafted by the Miami Marlins. He will be visiting the United Kingdom in the first week of August and Herts will be making the most of the opportunity by running a number of events and clinics which will give players from Herts and from other British baseball clubs a chance to work with him to polish their mechanics and generally to improve their game.

The 30-year-old spent three seasons in the Marlins organisation playing for the club’s various Minor League affiliates. In the last 3 seasons he has been with the Dornbirn Indians in the Austrian League, where in 2016 he played alongside Herts Falcons player-manager, Cris Hiche. Despite being only 30 years of age he is already heavily involved in a coaching capacity working with both adult and youth teams.

Chris Squires interview on the day he was drafted by the Miami Marlins in June 2010

The first event will be from 6pm to 8pm on Friday, 3 August, at the club’s venue in North West London. On the following day, Saturday, 4 August, the action moves to Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Apart from clinics with coach Chris Squires, the day will include a Home Run Derby, games, food, drinks and a lot more. In addition, at 5pm on Saturday coaches will be able to join Chris Squires for an informal evening to chat about throwing and pitching mechanics, pitcher development, mental aspects of pitching, and his experience playing in professional baseball. This will take place at the Hilton Hotel in Watford. On Sunday 5 August, coach Squires will run private lessons, one-to-one (£15 per hour for one player) or in small groups (£20 per hour for groups up to 4 players). Contact us if you are interested to book a private lesson with coach Chris Squires.

These events are for adult and youth players. See event timetable below for more details. With exception of the private lessons on Sunday, all other sessions on Friday and Saturday are free entry.

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, 3 August (venue Hampstead Heath Extension, NW London)

6:00pm-8:00pm: Training session with Chris Squires – for Adult (ages 14 to 55+) and Youth players (ages 8 to 17)

 

Saturday, 4 August (venue Grovehill Ballpark)

09:45 – 12:00: Training session with Chris Squires and Herts Falcons Manager Cris Hiche – for U13 and U11 youth players (ages 8 to 12)

12:15 – 12:45: Home Run Derby, food and drinks

13:00 – 16:00: Training session with Chris Squires – for Adult (ages 14 to 55+) , U17 and u15 players (ages 13 to 17) Note: U17 and U15 players report at 12:00pm

16:00 – 16:15: Wrap-up.

17:00: Evening Coaches Meeting:  (venue Hilton Hotel, Watford) An informal evening to chat about throwing and pitching mechanics, pitcher development, mental aspects of pitching, his experience in pro-ball, and more.

 

Sunday, 5 August (venue Grovehill Ballpark)

09:00-14:00: One-to-One or small groups private lessons with Chris Squires (Contact us for more details and to book a place for these private lessons)