This Week in Somerset …

Who are the players who “wowed” us this week? Well, let’s get right to it - here are our players of the week!

Tee-Ball Division – players of the week From the tee-ball D’Back’s:

Monday, June 7th Hustle Award – Owen Rego – Way to go Owen! Listening Award – Savannah Henry – Congratulations Savannah! Honorable mention for Monday is Haylee Teves who fielded and well – super Haylee!

Wednesday, June 9th Hustle Award - Owen DuBois – Awesome Owen! Listening Award – Logan Perry – Great job listening Logan! Honorable mention for Wednesday goes to Vincent Tognazzi for hitting and fielding well – Congratulations Vincent!

Instructional Division – players of the week Instructional Phillies player of the week is Owen Corey. Owen is always playing hard and paying attention to the game (maybe sometimes a little too much, trying to make every play). Owen Is a very consistent hitter. Always keeping his eye on the ball and hitting the ball almost every time! He runs hard each and every time he’s on the bases always trying hard to beat the play. As Owen’s coach and his mom test me and keep me on my toes every game but his love for baseball is absolutely worth it all!! The Phillies coaches would also like to honor all of our players as they ALL have been working really hard and playing some amazing baseball! Awesome job Owen! Keep up the hard work Phillies!

Instructional A’s player of the week is Trevor Meirinho. He loves the game and smiles throughout the whole game. He’s a hustler and runs hard every play. Even though he’s a bit smaller he competes and shows hustle and heart on every play. His teammates and coaches enjoy his attitude, and he continues to learn and love the game. The A’s as a team have been improving and continue to improve and learn the game.

The Instructional White Sox co-players of the week for June 9th are Aiden Cummings and Anakin Zawerucka. Anakin is a great base runner, the fastest on the team. He is always attentive to the game while in the field and an effective hitter when at bat. Aiden, the tallest player on the team, is a consistent player in all phases of the game. He is particularly good on defense because he knows exactly what to do with the ball when he fields it. Both of these boys are very coachable and do their best to apply the techniques they are taught. Great job, Aiden and Anakin!!

The Instructional Red Sox’s player of the week is Emerson Ashton. Emmy has had some great hits at bat and has been working really hard in the field paying attention. Emmy has improved so much; all her hard work is showing! You can really tell Emmy is enjoying herself as she is smiling the whole time. Way to go Emmy, keep up all your hard work and keep smiling!

Rookie Division – players of the week From the Rookie Division Red Sox – Colin Cabral

Colin is an outstanding young man who I’ve had the privilege of coaching now for the second time. He’s such a quick learner and puts 100% in everything he does. Colin is extremely polite and is the model teammate. Each week Colin brings his A game, and it has shown in how much he has grown. His performance at the plate secured him the 2nd batter position in the lineup and he consistently comes through with hits to move the runners along! He also has become a regular in our starting rotation making timely pitches and excellent plays in the field! If there is a teammate that you’d want by your side, then Colin is the example! Great job young man! We’re all extremely proud of you!!

From the Rookie Division Orioles - Collin Fraser Collin often is found behind home plate when the Orioles are out on defense. More and more Collin has been using his experience, energy, and gets it done with a great attitude to cover multiple positions all over the field. Every game Collin plays with his heart and puts in 100% each and every play. And with his abilities being a multi-positional player, he could just become the Orioles’ next Cal Ripken Jr. (or Yogi Berra if he stays in Boston).

From the Rookie Division Orioles - Clive Kouknas This young man has a drive that can inspire. Clive constantly pushes himself each and every game. Whether it is in the outfield, or infield this young man adapts and gives it everything he has. Clive also comes with a great attitude and a determination not to be stopped. In Wednesday night's game Clive was stuck twice while at bat, and still played through. Way to stand strong Clive, never give up and keep going forward! Congratulations Clive!

Major Division – player of the week Congratulations to A’s player, Brayden Kitchen – Somerset Baseball League’s Major Division 2021 Silver Slugger Award Recipient.

So those are the players that “wowed” us this past week. Camp Bow Wow located in Swansea is our sponsor for players of the week. Don’t see your name? Remind your coach to submit your accomplishments for next week’s player of the week and you may see your name listed next time. Players of the week are selected not only for their playing skills but also for displaying good sportsmanship, teamwork, good listening skills and resilience.

Don’t Miss Our Summer Baseball League Raider Clinic! Register now for our 3rd annual Somerset Baseball League Raider Clinic. The clinic will be conducted by SBRHS Head Coach Dennis Almeida and staff and will be held at the SBRHS, July 19 to 23 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Cost is $200 a player for current Somerset Baseball League players and $250 a player for Non-Somerset Baseball League players. (Sibling Discounts Applicable).

This popular clinic is great way to further develop skills, knowledge of the game, teamwork, and friendship.

*Check in starts daily @8:30am.

Click here to Register!

Get to know our Board of Directors, In this segment, we interview a member of our volunteer Board. This week, we interview Player Development Director, Chris Rego:

How did you get involved with Somerset Baseball League and when did you join the board? I became involved with Somerset Baseball 7 years ago. My son started playing t-ball and hasn't stopped. He's now in the Majors division. Baseball has always been a passion of mine. The dedication and persistence involved, speaks volumes to all of the athlete's character. I've been an assistant coach for all recreation and all-star teams my son has played for.

I was honored to join such a dedicated board 9 months ago. After my first meeting, I could tell I was surrounded by a group of caring, selfless individuals that would always put the kids first.

What do you do in your role as a board member? My role is primarily player development. I've worked closely with several board members to ensure the players had the opportunity to have fun and foster the skill sets they possess. We realized that in order for all players, coaches, directors, and families to feel that they could get the best experience playing baseball, we needed to expand upon the clinics, practices, and ancillary offerings.

What are some accomplishments you have seen since being a part of the board? The league's accomplishments are so vast, that they may get lost in the day-to-day happenings. As I reflect back on what has been done in the short time I've been in the board, you get a greater sense of appreciation for what the board has done in the preceding years. I may not have noticed how important the fundraising component is. Having a great system of checks and balances to ensure all the necessary equipment is purchased and maintained is crucial. The improvements made to the fields and dugouts. Getting volunteers, and that's what they are, unpaid volunteers to dedicate time to make sure each kid has the opportunity to play this great game, all while having a smile on his or her face.

What has been your best experience or favorite memory since being involved with the league? It is incredibly difficult to select one favorite experience. I would say it's a tie. Seeing the amount of time spent and creative solutions to keep the league moving forward, all while facing the pandemic head on, is nothing short of an incredible feat. Also, there are so many kids that have shown grit and determination, which has resulted in a very exciting, all-inclusive atmosphere of ball players.

This would not be possible without the ongoing support of families, coaches, a dedicated board, and all other supporters of the league. Without you, we could never achieve our mission. Let kids be kids, all while teaching them life lessons that will be with them through all their journeys moving forward, whether it be on a baseball diamond, a classroom, or any other facet of life they embark upon!

Chris - Thank you for your volunteerism and if any of our readers would like to join Somerset Baseball League’s volunteer Board of Directors to be part of a local nonprofit that provides for a rewarding experience and that truly gives back to the community to make it a better place for our youth, please e-mail us at [email protected] All are welcome!

Calendar Fundraiser Winners Each week we will be announcing the daily calendar winners. Winners are being contacted and will receive their prizes over the coming days. Here are the winners thus far:

June 1 – Pam Plant – Target gift card June 2 – Stacey Viveiros – Chili’s gift card June 3 – Jeffrey Morais – Agoro’s gift card June 4 – Paul Carvalho – Firestone Oil Change & O’Reilly Autoparts Car Wash set June 5 – Erica Brito – Shaw’s Supermarket gift card June 6 – Jennifer Stott – Fiesta Restaurant Gift Card June 7 – Alexia Bouchard – Applebee’s Gift Card June 8 – Sandy Beaudoin – Exxon/Mobil Gas Card June 9 – Kaitlyn Gregoire – Target Gift Card June 10 – Sue Faria – Barrett’s Ale House Gift Card June 11 – Owen Rego – Farm Coast Market Gift Certificate June 12 – Joyce Alexander – Cardi’s Gift Card Keep your calendars handy because there are still plenty of prizes left in our June calendar raffle!

Thank you to all for making our annual calendar fundraiser a success!

Never Give Up! Ok, we’ve had some pretty incredible comebacks in our “Never Give Up!” segment but this one really is unbelievable. Here’s the scenario: In 2001, the were losing by a whopping 12 runs! The score was 12-0 against the Indians and at that point, the Cleveland Indians only had a 0.03% chance of winning the game. “So, you’re telling me there’s a chance?!” Still losing 14-9 in the ninth inning, Cleveland scored a couple more runs but then had two outs against them. That mattered little to Omar Vizquel who smacked a triple to right field to score three runs to tie the game. The score remained tied 14-14 until the bottom of the 11th inning. Jolbert Cabrera came to the plate, but he struck out previously in the 8th inning when he had a runner in scoring position and later grounded out in the 9th inning when the winning run was on 3rd base waiting to score. Could he win the game for his team this time? See Omar Vizquel’s triple to tie the game and Jolbert Cabrera’s at-bat by pasting this address in your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jTrjVoP858

Omar Vizquel, Jolbert Cabrera and the Cleveland Indians on that night reminded us that as long as we have a chance, no matter how small that chance is, we should…Never Give Up!

Coach’s Counsel In this segment, Coach gives his advice to your questions. Here’s this week’s Q&A with Coach. This week’s question comes from a coach. Question: I have a player who’s in a slump. How do I get him out of it so that he’s hitting the ball again?

Coach’s Answer: Referencing Dick’s Sporting Goods Pro Tips, one way is to first get the player’s confidence back.

Watch this video from Dick’s Sporting Goods to see ways to get the player’s confidence back so he’s soon hitting the ball again: https://protips.dickssportinggoods.com/sports-and-activities/baseball/instilling- confidence-in-hitters-baseball-coaching-tips

Have a Question for Coach? Submit your question and we may include it in next week’s edition.

Trivia Question?? The answer to last week’s trivia question: what was the hottest temperature ever recorded at the start of a game? Answer: d) 109 degrees

This week’s trivia question: We have a lot of teams in different divisions but which of these is not a Somerset Baseball League Team this year? a) The Red Sox b) The Orioles c) The Twins d) The White Sox

Answer in next week’s edition!

Concession Stand at South Complex – Now Open! We appreciate everyone’s patience while we readied the concession stand at the south complex for opening after the town installed a new 3-bay sink and hand wash sink at the stand for us. A sincere thank you to our town’s Highway dept. Building dept., Playground and Recreation dept. and Board of Health for making this project happen! The concession stand at the South Complex is now open and we offer hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and much, much more! We also continue to sell sports necklaces in case you weren’t able to previously purchase one for your player. Be sure to stop by the concession stand at your next game!

Volunteers Needed We are hosting the districts tournament this week at the South Complex and we are seeking volunteers to work as scorekeepers, announcers and to help out with field maintenance. If you are willing to help, please reply to this e-mail. Sponsor Spotlight We really appreciate the support our sponsors give to our league for the benefit of everyone’s players. This week’s local business that has given back to the community by sponsoring Somerset Baseball League is…Dr. Philip M. Robitaille, D.D.S. & Associates! They focus on the needs of each patient, while providing a comfortable patient experience in a relaxing and modern environment. Dr. Philip M. Robitaille, D.D.S. & Associates look forward to having you as a patient for your dental care. If you haven’t already scheduled your appointment, give them a call today at 508-674-0551 and when you do, tell them: “Thank you for supporting Somerset Baseball League!”

Team Managers and Coaches – we want your highlights and team news! Send it to your Division Director to be included in an upcoming edition of This Week in Somerset Baseball!

Until Next Week…Play Ball!