Sports

Baseball experiencing a resurgence in popularity in New Tec

September 12, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

It is a sport that really is a combination of teamwork and individual skills that make the team.

Whether you are at-bat, pitching, or fielding a ball during a game, you’re on your own. However, the second you make that throw to a teammate or to the base, it’s a team effort to complete the play.

Baseball is seeing a resurgence in popularity both in the region and across the country.

TNT Thunder baseball is completing a successful season that saw them field a large group of teams this year.

They had U9, U11, U13 and U15 teams in both house league and select teams, with a total of 15.

They also had a U18 house league and a select team.

Around 200 youths played baseball with the Thunder this year.

“Once the word gets out there, we have more players signing up,” explained Ted Scovell, president of TNT Thunder Baseball Association. “I started the Thunder with a U9 team in 2018. Then next year we had three teams. Our numbers are growing by leaps and bounds. Right now we’re having try-outs for rep select. There’s a real resurgence in baseball – even though the Jays aren’t doing that well. Once kids see it, they want to play it.”

The Thunder has signed on many players who previously played softball and wanted to step up to a full baseball format game.

With a growing number of players and teams, the only thing holding the association back is a lack of diamond time.

The Tottenham diamond is currently not being used at all. There is no mound, and the lights don’t work, and there is no indication if they will be repaired any time soon.

It has also been determined that the light standards are not safe.

Thunder teams play at Coventry Park in Tottenham, but as those diamonds don’t have a pitching mound, they are only suitable for the younger teams.

Baseball doesn’t require a pitcher to be on a mound until the U14 level.

Teams also play at Riverdale Park’s Donor Diamond in Alliston and at the South Diamond at the fairgrounds in Beeton.

The Beeton diamond was made ready to accommodate baseball with a mound, and a temporary fence in the outfield.

“The team working with me from the town were very accommodating,” Ted said of when they were trying to have the Beeton diamond made ready for play.

You can find out more about TNT baseball as well as learn how to register to play by visiting the website at: www.tntbaseball.ca.

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