Summer ball keeps players busy
Greenbrier coach Ed Williams waited all of two days after his team was knocked from the state playoffs to start practicing for next season.
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Evans' Teddy Leverette
slides safely into second base ahead of the throw
to Greenbrier second
baseman Parker Gordon
during a baseball
tournament at Augusta Christian.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
"We don't have much time to dwell on our loss," Williams said. "We just start to work to get back to the same place next year."
However, Greenbrier wasn't the only team to start back up after playoff losses.
Evans, Harlem, Lakeside and Augusta Christian joined Greenbrier in the ritual of summer baseball tournaments.
Each of the area's schools have participated in tournaments that give coaches an opportunity to look at the some of the rising talent.
"These summer tournaments give us a chance to see some kids more intensely," Evans coach Ricky Beale said. "It is our first chance to see some rising freshmen in a competitive setting."
Kevin Millward of Evans and Nolan Belcher at Augusta Christian were two rising freshman who got some action with the varsity squads at their schools.
Many more rising freshman play with the non-varsity teams that the schools field in the tournaments.
Greenbrier has four teams, Lakeside fields three, and Harlem, Evans and Augusta Christian have two teams. The "No. 1 Team" usually contains the players who will compete at the varsity level in 2005. Other players are placed on appropriate teams that match their skill levels.
"Having multiple teams allows the younger guys to play," Beale said. "If we had only one team, then some of these kids wouldn't see action."
Beale and Evans hosted the Evans Diamond Classic from June 10-12 at Westside, Greenbrier, Lakeside, Evans and Patriots Park fields.
A similar tournament took place last weekend, organized by Augusta Christian. Lakeside will play tournament host Thursday through Saturday , and Greenbrier will end the summer with a tournament July 4 weekend.
"Playing summer baseball allows us, as coaches, to evaluate some young talent," said Augusta Christian coach Craig Johnson. "But it also allows the players to have some fun and see some teams that they might not normally see."
Many of the teams invited to play in the tournaments aren't normally found on Columbia County team's schedules.
Georgia Military College, Clarke Central, Elbert County, Cedar Shoals and Winder-Barrow played in the Evans tournament, and Strom Thurmond, Gilbert, John Milledge, South Aiken and Trinity Christian played in Augusta Christian's tournament. Class AAAAA Parkview, winner of two of the last four AAAAA titles, will come into town for Greenbrier's tournament.
Some of the area's teams have also traveled to out-of-town tournaments.
Evans' Matt Fleener gets a hug from teammate Robbie Bryant after hitting a home run against Greenbrier
during a tournament
at Augusta Christian.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Greenbrier and Evans traveled last weekend to Gwinnett County to play in Parkview's tournament.
"It gives us a chance to play some of the good Atlanta-area teams in a relaxed, fun setting," Williams said. "We want to play well against these great schools, but we want to have fun, too."