B4B and Denver Sports Buddies!
It’s a beautiful sunny day at Denver’s Carberry Field in Rose Hill Park. As 7 Nation Army’s “White Stripes” is heard over the speakers, it’s interrupted by a booming voice, “Up next! Shawn’Trellllllll Whiiite!” Both benches let out rowdy cheers as Shawn’Trell trots to the plate. Nobody knows, or cares, what the score is. The Bigs and Littles are here today to enjoy the thrill of the game.
Shawn’Trell takes one of the hardest cuts of the day on the first pitch and loops a soft liner over the duo at shortstop. Without hesitation he runs through a stop sign at first base and heads to second as the defense tries to get the ball in. An overthrow from the left fielder leads Shawn’Trell to the thought of rounding third and heading for home as he sees the fielders kick the ball around. But the “Hot Box” clinic practiced beforehand proves its worth as the throw ends up in the catcher’s mitt long before Shawn’Trell can get there. He slams on the brakes, and turns back to third. As the ball sails over his head, he skids to a stop and decides in his mind that it’s score or bust right there. The third baseman slings a strike to the catcher just as Shawn’Trellgets to the plate. Dust swirls in a fury as the infield and dugouts await the call… “He’s OUT!”
Shawn’Trell flashes a smile and trots back to the dugout as teammates console him with support, “You looked safe man!”
Shawn’Trell walks up to his coach and honestly states, “I love running the hot box.”
Biking for Baseball was established with one core value above all else; Every Kid Needs a Coach. In that spirit, Biking for Baseball was lucky enough to team up with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Colorado this Saturday for a beautiful morning of baseball and teamwork. We had a great turnout and a blast working with some of Denver’s youth developing sound fundamentals and positive attitudes.
Bigs (mentors) and their Littles (kids) arrived at 9am ready for the day. Participants were split into their respective teams for the day, Team Blue with Coach Adam and Team Purple with Coach Drew. Coach Adam teamed with assistant coaches Bryan and Brittany into what proved as a valuable clinic, the “Hot Box” drill. The drill starts with a runner on first base and the ball in the pitchers hand as he/she toes the rubber. The runner at first breaks prematurely for second base, and the pitcher sends the ball to the second baseman, trapping the runner. Fielders converge on the runner, sandwiching him between a well-timed toss, back and forth between a rotating line of infielders. Coach Drew, assisted by his father, Coach Russ, and brother, Coach Tyler, led a clinic on the fundamentals of hitting. Hitting off a tee, kids learned how to set their feet, keep their hands back, and drive a level bat through the zone. After 15 minutes, the teams switched drills.
Regrouping after drills, players were instructed on a little twist that would be added to the game. Bigs and littles were paired to play each position together in the field. This allowed for lots of 1-on-1 coaching and instruction between matches. Bigs were asked to bat with their non-dominant hand (i.e. righties to bat lefty, and lefties hittingrighty). An addition that proved to be an across-the-board favorite, was the inclusion of a public address system. All hitters got to hear their favorite songs played as they walked up to the plate and heard their names bellowed over the diamond.
With everyone lining up single file at home plate to shake hands at the end of the day, the B4B and BBBS teams slapped high-fives, realizing the success of the day. The kids had such a great time that a handful even stayed after to take some more swings. Even parents who stayed to watch the game, came out in the field to shag fly balls after the game with their kids!
Our first event has sprung us more events in the summer and fall. Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to see what we’re up to next!
