I would hate to see what would happen in Ramland if they took BASEBALL half as serious as they do Football, Hoof is a great guy but I think he needs to step down and give some other people a shot that really wants to take this program to the next level. We have had several good players over the years and several have said that we need to move forward.

 

Tough post on Hoof, who would you recommend for the job?

Wow, a lot of passionate Raceland fans on here!

I would agree that Darby and Morris have been the cog of Raceland Youth Baseball. Even with their help the Raceland Youth Program has dwindled, and that is because of the non-involvement of the HS Program.

 

I really couldnt tell you too many HS coaches that care about the youth programs. I have had kids involvement in 3 different youth baseball programs and they were Boyd, Raceland and Greysbranch. Boyd County cared a little bit. Greg Logan at Greysbranch was highly involved in all the teams in Greenup and Raceland has just a couple of people that even cared. A lot of the Coaches these days are more concerned about making money on the side for Private Training, then they are about the youth talent coming up.

 

BTW, I think Darby should be on the HS Staff. He is an excellent Pitching Coach.:thumb:

 

 

 

I think that they have a pretty good pitching coach right now in Drew Hall. I do agree that Randy Morris and Steve Darby would help out with the team if asked and if they are needed I do think they are under staffed in baseball and there is alot of help need from the parents and I am parent and I am going to try and step up and do alot more for them this year.

Bobby Trimble, or Drew Hall as the head coach, I've been told that Bobby would consider it but not as a 2nd fiddle but as the Head Coach, and as for Drew Hall he could probally bring a lot, lot more to the table than he does now I just think he doesn't want to step on toes. He is very close to the Reds upper management and has said he could get a lot of stuff donated to use as fund raisers. So maybe even donations for the field too, just speculating on that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I dont want you to think I am bad mouthing Hoof but I dont want baseball to get shorted.

I would like to see a upgrade on the field and pressbox along with a few other things.

The lights are the best thing about the place. The playing surface and the field itself are in sad shape. The backstop could fall on the press box at anytime, and last year the home dugout facade was rotting. Again though like I said before to me It's lack of parent involvement. When the work starts you can't seem to find anybody to help, but when the games start people come out of the woodwork.

 

I wasn't aware that the field was in that bad of shape. I haven't been to a Raceland home baseball game in years and the only time I get back in town is for the occasional football game, so it is usually dark over around the baseball field. I remember back when there was no grass on the infield and the football team practiced in the outfield...so needless to say, the field was rough.

 

Speaking about an earlier post about having baseball clinics for the youth leagues....Back in '93, I think it was my senior year, we held a clinic on a Saturday in the old gym and the turnout wasn't real great. We each took a group of young kids and worked with them on the position we played...did some drills with them and what not. It wasn't organized the greatest and seemed to be thrown together at the last minute. I don't know if it was Hoof not putting the time and effort into it or what but I doubt it was lack of interest because we had won the 16th Region 2 years earlier and were winning 20+ games a year and drawing pretty good crowds even when we traveled.

 

Right now, It seems that Hoof has way too much on his plate. Hoof is one of the old guard in the 16th Region and Raceland has a pretty strong tradition in baseball, but from what I have been reading, it seems like the baseball program is beginning to fall through the cracks.....and I hate to hear that.

I have talked with some of the AABC people and they are saying that they won't have a baberuth team this year.(We had four at one time.) They are saying they possibly may not have an 11-12 year old team this year. I don't know about you guys, but this lack of intrest doesn't seem to be paying off. Something has to be done to get the numbers back up. A parent told me that there are 8 kids for 11-12 year old baseball 2 of wich are from Wurtland and one kid from South Point. That means you only have 5 kids from Raceland in 2 age groups playing baseball.

When the football team starts having huge success, some of the other sports tend to be forgotten about.....and it trickles down to the youth leagues. My guess is that the youth football program @ Raceland is as strong as it has ever been. Am I wrong?.....

When the football team starts having huge success, some of the other sports tend to be forgotten about.....and it trickles down to the youth leagues. My guess is that the youth football program @ Raceland is as strong as it has ever been. Am I wrong?.....

 

I don't get where you are coming from. The baseball team is coming off of 3 20 win seasons and the best record in school history. If that doesn't drum up intrest somethings wrong. Yes the JFL is doing very well. Take the 5th grade class at Worthington for example. There are over a hundred kids in that class. People say it's the largest class ever to come through the school system. For football they only had 21 kids come out, for basket ball 7, and for baseball 3. I just can't figure it out.

I have talked with some of the AABC people and they are saying that they won't have a baberuth team this year.(We had four at one time.) They are saying they possibly may not have an 11-12 year old team this year. I don't know about you guys, but this lack of intrest doesn't seem to be paying off. Something has to be done to get the numbers back up. A parent told me that there are 8 kids for 11-12 year old baseball 2 of wich are from Wurtland and one kid from South Point. That means you only have 5 kids from Raceland in 2 age groups playing baseball.

 

These numbers has nothing to do with Raceland. There are not very many kids playing Baseball at all anymore. Too many Video game systems and too many other choices like AAU Basketball and Spring Soccer. All of the area baseball leagues are taking a huge hit. You speak of the AABC league in Raceland being down, so is the Greysbranch AABC and the Boyd County AABC. I believe the Boyd County AABC is compelety gone.

These numbers has nothing to do with Raceland. There are not very many kids playing Baseball at all anymore. Too many Video game systems and too many other choices like AAU Basketball and Spring Soccer. All of the area baseball leagues are taking a huge hit. You speak of the AABC league in Raceland being down, so is the Greysbranch AABC and the Boyd County AABC. I believe the Boyd County AABC is compelety gone.

 

I agree that video games are a big threat. Why would a kid want to work his/her tail off to be like a pro player when they can just plug in a video game and "be" the same player at the push of a button.

I agree that video games are a big threat. Why would a kid want to work his/her tail off to be like a pro player when they can just plug in a video game and "be" the same player at the push of a button.

I have to agree with you on that comment. You don't see many good arms in baseball anymore, but there are a bunch of kids out there with very strong thumbs. I wonder if a lot of training is involved in pushing the a or b button?

I don't know, but I wouldn't want to thumb wrestle any of them!:thumb:

I don't get where you are coming from. The baseball team is coming off of 3 20 win seasons and the best record in school history. If that doesn't drum up intrest somethings wrong. Yes the JFL is doing very well. Take the 5th grade class at Worthington for example. There are over a hundred kids in that class. People say it's the largest class ever to come through the school system. For football they only had 21 kids come out, for basket ball 7, and for baseball 3. I just can't figure it out.

 

Raceland 2007: 20-13 ; lost in district opener

2006: 25-10(best record in school history); lost in regional finals

2005: 14-14 ; lost in district opener

2004: 17-16 ; lost in district opener

2003: 6-11 : lost in regionals

2002: 7-13 ; won districts,lost in regionals

the 06 and 07 teams consisted of players that played AABC together and won state as 10 yr olds and again as 12's. That was when Racelands AABC was at its strongest. Had 4 teams with coaches who put in a lot of time and effort. Lacks, Morris, Miller , and Darby were the coaches.

These numbers has nothing to do with Raceland. There are not very many kids playing Baseball at all anymore. Too many Video game systems and too many other choices like AAU Basketball and Spring Soccer. All of the area baseball leagues are taking a huge hit. You speak of the AABC league in Raceland being down, so is the Greysbranch AABC and the Boyd County AABC. I believe the Boyd County AABC is compelety gone.

 

Not true Greysbranch AABC has more kids registered than any year previous.:banana: BC AABC is still around but numbers are down. This year there will be a area AABC league involving Greenup, Boyd, Lloyd, and Raceland AABC. IMO it is going to be great for our areas baseball.