I BELIEVE FROM COACH ANTHONY GRIGSBY
I BELIEVE....
I believe hitting a round ball with a round bat is the hardest thing to do in all of sports.
I believe in the sacrifice fly.
I believe that Astroturf should be outlawed.
I believe that pitchers should buy catchers lunch.
I believe batting practice makes perfect.
I believe Lou Gehrig's birthday should be a national holiday.
I believe Tony Gwynn sleeps with his bat.
I believe the squeeze play should be taught in public schools.
I believe that no one is bigger than the game.
I believe somebody, somewhere, believes in the infield fly rule.
I believe it's time to sing "Take me out to the ballgame."
I believe domed stadiums are great ... for motocross.
I believe that "Field of Dreams" and "Bull Durham" are two of the best movies ever made.
And I believe the two greatest words in the English language are "Play Ball"!

EXPRESS GOAL Our goal is to improve, both individually and as a team, as the season progresses. We strive to have fun playing the great game of baseball and endeavor to represent ourselves, our families, our community, and our team in a manner that we can be proud of.

A Ball Player's Prayer by Hal Skinner
God grant me wisdom to tell a strike from a ball,
to know where to throw and never to fall.

God give me vision to see every pitch,
so if a player needs help then I will see which.

Let me always hustle, so I'll be at my best,
and I'll take pride in myself in sports and the rest.

God be my strength, when I throw the ball,
when I'm far from home plate, or against a wall.

So I never miss a base, please guide my feet,
bring me home safely so my job is complete.

When I help younger players, let me always give praise,
so they'll see You in me in all of my ways.

God please guide our coach, to be fair and smart,
to teach us to be good let it come from his heart.

Let me take a loss just as well as a win,
to do any less is surely a sin.

As long as I can play, let me make my parents proud,
as proud as I am when they yell my name out loud.

However my games end, let me always have fun,
and if Heaven has All-Stars I want to be one. 

When my games here are over and my seasons are done,
let me play on Your team just like your Son.

Amen

THE PRINCIPLES OF BASEBALL by Coach Paul Reddick
#1 Persistence is more important than talent
#2 If you are jogging, stretching or playing catch, make sure you do it better than anyone else.
#3 Respect the game as much as you want to be respected
#4 The direction of your hat is the direction of your life
#5 Practice the way you play games? All go, no quit
#6 It doesn?t take talent to hustle
#7 Be a student of the game, learn its history and you learn the game
#8 Help your team win if you?re playing or not
#9 Never argue with an umpire, they remember faces
#10 Allow your coaches to coach you
#11 Set high standards along with knowing the steps to attain them
#12 Don?t tell people how good you are, prove it.
#13 Your friends are not more important than your future, don?t give into peer pressure
#14 Your parents love you, but they don?t know more about baseball than your coach
#15 Don?t let anyone make an excuse for you
#16 Maintain eye contact, it shows maturity and respect
#17 In baseball, it?s your coach?s opinion that matters, not your friends or your parents.
#18 Life is not fair, regardless of what some people may tell you
#19 Be enthusiastic about your teammates
#20 Love the game
#21 The only thing your coach owes you is honesty
#22 Body language screams, it never whispers
#23 Balance makes champions, if you focus on just hitting and ignore defense, you will never become a complete player
#24 Defense wins games
#25 Pitching sets the tone of the game
#26 Games are lost, not won. Mistakes lead to losses
#27 You can win a league with a few good pitchers, titles are won with great pitching staffs
#28 Work on your game everyday, the team that beat you does
#29 You don?t have to be a great player to be a great ?ball player,? hustle.
#30 Show off your talent to your coach and your future coach
#31 Baseball doesn?t build character, it reveals it
#32 Character means doing the right thing when nobody?s watching


The Power of Attitude
Never under-estimate the power of attitude.  Both the coach's attitude and the attitude of the players on the team can be the deciding factor in how the team develops and prospers.  Our attitude can be our best friend, or our worst enemy.  It is the characteristic that will draw people to us or turn people against us. 

Attitude is the key to getting along with others and moving ahead in life.  The player with the right attitude is more than willing to work hard to accomplish the objective of becoming a better player.  The player with the right attitude will put the time and effort into becoming a better hitter, a better pitcher, a better defender, whatever it is that the player wants to accomplish.  The player with the right attitude will develop the necessary skills to become a better player with a thirst and hunger for the game that does not require constant motivation and monitoring. 

When everything else is equal or if there is any doubt, will you as the coach not pick the player with the better attitude?  As a player would you not work harder for a coach with a great attitude?  Remember that you're part of a team, and as a teammate it's about making the team better, it's not just about you. 

Baseball not only pulls us together, it helps us to learn how to excel and how to inspire others around us to excel.  Sports help us to learn the joy of winning and how to handle defeat. 

NO TRASH TALK, NO WHINING, NO EXCUSES, NO COMPLAINING

Have respect for all players, coaches, parents and officials at the game.  Come to play your best and enjoy it for what it is...a game.

How to be a Champion"
by Grantland Rice

You wonder how they do it,
You look to see the knack
You watch the foot in action,
Or the shoulder or the back.
But when you spot the answer
Where the higher glamours lurk,
You'll find . . .
That most of it is practice,
And the rest of it is work.

If you have the talent, travel baseball gives you the opportunity and environment to reach for the stars.
Playing competitive level travel baseball at a young age improves your chances of joining the select few who make it big in baseball. Here's why: If you add up all the 9-14 year olds playing baseball the odds of making it big are staggering: Only 10 players in 5000 (500:1) will receive a baseball scholarship at a major university and only 1 player in 5000 (5000:1) gets drafted by the pros.