North South Game Canceled

Due to the weather thus years North South game gas been canceled. No makeup date us available for the event. Thanks to all those who put in the time and effort and to the players who were nominated. Our congratulations on an excellent high school baseball career.


-- Posted from batphone

Junior Showcase Canceled, Senior Game Update

We've made a decision to cancel this years Junior Showcase. We'll need more time to prepare to do this correctly. Please notify any Juniors who planned on attending and we'll look forward to creating a stellar event next year.

As for the Senior Games:

Location: Castleton State College

June 25th, 2011

Players should report at 1230pm.

2 seven inning games will be played. The first game will begin at 2pm. Lunch will be served to all players in between games and the second game will begin 30-40 minutes after the first game.

Games postponed Monday

Division I and II championship games have been postponed until Wednesday.

North tryouts

North tryouts are canceled due to the weather. Moved to Monday June 20th at Rice. 5:30 pm


-- Posted message from Tim Albertson

Astros Make Lamothe's Draft Dream Come True

Former Lyndon Institute graduate Buddy Lamothe (2009) was injured in a swimming accident in Texas earlier this year in May. Lamothe's long standing dream of being drafted came true in a kind gesture from the Houston Astros. Here's a great story on the event.

Southern Vermont Senior All-Star Tryouts

Attention Southern Vermont Coaches: Please contact Kevin Bellomo, Varsity Coach at Rutland, Cell 345-9240 or e-mail coachbemo@myfairpoint.net to nominate players for the South All-Stars.

Tryouts will be on June 14 and June 15  - 6:00-7:30pm  at St. Peters Field in Rutland.

The game is JUNE 25^th – PLEASE CONFIRM WITH YOUR ATHLETES PRIOR to TRYOUTS that they are available to play on that date.

2011 Junior Showcase and North South Senior All-Star Game at Castleton State College

The VBCA will be hosting a Junior Showcase and Senior North vs South All-Star Game this season at Castleton State College on June 25th, 2011.

The Junior Showcase has been designed in a professional tryout format. Players will be asked to demonstrate arm strength, hitting, foot speed, and positional tryouts. This format will be followed by an open scrimmage format where players will be assigned roles. College coaches will be in attendance to view this tryout. Registration information will be posted here shortly.

The North vs South Senior All-Star Game will be played following the showcase. Senior players must have finished the season in good standing, wear their high school uniform, and be committed to represent their school and community. Players must be nominated by their coaches. Details will be posted shortly with tryout and contact information.

Including a Junior showcase this season is an exciting step for the VBCA and for baseball in Vermont. Save the date! Again, all respective details will be posted shortly. Adam

More Than Baseball

Photo courtesy of the SDSU Athletic Dept.

Tony Gwynn has always been one of my favorite players in the history of the game of baseball. I've taught many, many kids how to hit over the years and Gwynn's swing, approach, and work ethic has always been a source of inspiration and teaching.

I watched along over the years as Gwynn worked himself to 8 batting titles and over the 3000 hit milestone and on to 3141. Such accomplishments don't come without a diligent work ethic and a love for what you do. A love to play the game of baseball. I celebrated Gwynn's election to the Hall of Fame, and when I heard he had ventured into coaching at San Diego State.

I've enjoyed countless hours of reading the accounts of other folks along the way too on Gwynn's legendary work ethic, what a great teammate he was, and about his charismatic demeanor and his infectious laugh.

And I still get goosebumps when I think of that All-Star Game at Fenway in 1999, with Gwynn, Mark McGwire... and the rally around baseball legend Ted Williams. Goosebumps.

With all these accomplishments and accolades, the 'human factor' of Gwynn's story was an important piece of the puzzle to follow too: His battle with his weight and his addiction to 'dip' aka smokeless tobacco.

Then one day last October I remember feeling... very, very cold when I heard that Tony Gwynn had cancer.

It was another reminder that time is fickle. At any moment our youth, our heroes, and we ourselves can be taken. I guess I tucked the hope that Gwynn would recover, went about my business, and hoped for the best.

With another busy Spring of baseball prep, and the project based work in the rLab at Burr and Burton I hadn't checked in on how Tony Gwynn was doing, if he was back at San Diego State for the Season or if he was still recovering... or the grim alternative that he wasn't doing well at all. I was thrilled to see this story from ESPN this morning, a sign that Spring is once again upon Tony Gwynn. It's a good tale of the trials of addiction, and the strength and love of people to support you through the tough times, and once again of Gwynn's work ethic.

As I prepped up some breakfast this morning, celebrating the news on Tony Gwynn, cancer survivor, I conjured up thoughts of a blog post from Chris Lehmann, the Principal and Founder of the Science and Leadership Academy in Philadelphia (and quite a Phillies fan), called 'What I Ask of SLA Teachers.' In the post Lehmann says:

Understand that your class is but one of five or six or seven classes that kids have. Understand that school is one of many things in a teenager's life. And while what goes on in your class is important, I ask that teachers remember that, at any given moment in time, there are pressures on their kids' lives that makes what goes on in our classes seem powerfully inconsequential.

Remember that we teach students before we teach subjects. I ask that all SLA teachers understand and live the profound difference between the statements, "I teach history," and "I teach kids history." Children should never be the implied object of their own education.

Good coaches don't just coach baseball. They coach kids.

Enjoy coaching the kids on your teams this season. Get to know them. Help them understand that you are not simply invested in teaching them the game of baseball but are interested in helping them understand their place in the world, and that you and the family of your baseball team, and the history of your program is going to help give them strength along the way.

I'm celebrating today for Tony Gwynn, his family, for the kids at San Diego State, and all of us really... because we get to hear the infectious laugh of Tony Gwynn again this Spring.

Enjoy the day. Enjoy the season. Hope to see you around the diamond. Adam


Reposted from: http://creativestir.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-than-baseball.html

Spring Clinic: Sunday March 6th, 2011

2011 Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Clinic

Sunday March 6th, 2011: 8am-2pm

Location: Mt Mansfield Union High School

211 Browns Trace Road

Jericho, VT 05465

Here is a link to our Registration Form

Keynote Speaker: Aaron Izaryk

Aaron Izaryk spent nine seasons at the University of Maine as a player and assistant coach. He spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Sanford Mariners in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, and was recently named head coach at Brighton Academy.

Izaryk served as a full-time assistant and pitching coach, and catcher instructor for the University of Maine and in the Summer of 2006 was an assistant coach for the Keene Swamp Bats on the NECBL. Izaryk also served as an assistant coach with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod league in 2007.

Izaryk is one of the top young baseball minds in the country and brings an enthusiasm and energy for the game that is truly contagious. At this VBCA Clinic Izaryk will speak on the fundamentals and drills for catching, pitching, infield, base running, hitting, and outfield play designed to help coaches better prepare athletes for the fundamental execution necessary for baseball success. Izaaryk will then hold a FREE 1 hour seminar on playing college baseball and what coaches, parents, and players need to know about the recruiting process. Please speed the word that all players and parents are welcome to attend. Izaryk will highlight the NCAA Clearinghouse and various showcase style camps around New England. This information session will be very beneficial for any players looking to the next level of competition after high school.

Agenda:

8-8:45: Registration and Social

8:45-9: Welcome

9-9:25: Catching

9:25-9:30: Catching Q & A

930-9:55: Pitching

955-10: Pitching Q & A

10-10:25: Infield

1025-1030: Infield Q & A

10:30-10:55: Baserunning

10:55-11am: Baserunning Q & A

11am-11:25: Hitting

11:25-11:30: Hitting Q & A

11:30-11:55: Outfield

11:55-12pm: Outfield Q & A

12pm-1pm: State Association Meeting

1-2pm: Playing College Ball

"What you need to know."

This presentation is for all coaches, parents, and high school players who have an interest in playing baseball beyond high school. Learn about recruiting, the NCAA Clearinghouse, Showcases, and everything you need to know about playing baseball at the next level.

Hope to see you there!