The pressures are still there, only different. There are no large crowds and the students are doing other things. So welcome to summer baseball DHS style. The temperatures will continue to climb and so will the pressure of trying to secure a starting position going into January's practices.
We have divided our players into three teams, with American Legion being the central focus. The Legion team consists of returning players for the 2014 season. There is a lot of anticipation for the 2014 team, coming off a 29-6 season and losing only four seniors. There is a lot of anticipation for this coach, as I will be coaching my last season -- my 25th. Most coaches believe that championships are won in the heat of summer, with plenty of luck in May.
We also have two younger teams (Metro), that we work with as well. This is where we develop the next wave of talented DHS players that make this a program. Incoming freshmen and our current freshmen make up these teams. They will battle each other for spots on the varsity roster as well as for playing time in the future. They will play through the month of June, and then get some much needed summer vacation. The Legion team will get no rest, as they will play in the playoffs through the month of July.
Is this a lot of baseball? It is if you ask our football coach. Summer baseball is what makes this sport so special. All men can tell you about a game or a summer team that was special to them. No one will ever say my most memorable day was the summer workouts in football, or the seven catches I made in the 7-on-7 drill. Summer is baseball -- hot, dirty, sweaty baseball in South Louisiana, where the heat index is over 100 everyday. The summer season will end when the players decide it should. Then it will time for football games and cheering on our beloved Wildcats. It's what we do between the last pitch of summer and the long-awaited first day of practice in January.
My last first day of practice in January.
