Part 3: The Freshman New Level and Clover Park Year

Submitted by Paul Nimmo.

Going into his Senior year of High School (Harrison Prep Class of 2022), my son Ethan was already a Baseball Veteran of 12 years. Playing on multiple teams over the years, Ethan found himself ready to make the jump to the elite level of Baseball.

Having attended multiple camps over the years, he had cultivated relationships with several organizations, but he loved the Coaches of Newl Level Baseball, run by Marc Wiese and Derek Jennings. He was brought on to a 15u team, pitching and playing first base.

For parents that believe recreation baseball can become expensive will suffer extreme sticker shock. Recreation or travel ball, there will always be the expenses of mitts, bats, and baseball bags. Now, you add in expenses to include travel, hotels, and meals (possibly for the whole family). But the jump in registration… I remember thinking $175 was a lot, then I started writing checks exceeding $4000.00 for uniforms, tournament fees, training facility time and professional coaching.

Practices and training start in October and run through the winter. Almost all the elite organizations, with high school age players, take a break when high school season begins, encouraging the players to play for their local high schools.

While my son attended Harrison Prep, we lived within the boundaries of Clover Park High School. Must admit, there is not a lot of outreach. We had to do the legwork to finalize how to be able to play the game he loves. On the first day, there was even an issue of not having all his forms in place. Because I was the one that delivered the paperwork to the school , I stepped into the office and pointed out where the paperwork was placed… and where it was still sitting.

So as a freshman, my son stepped on to the field and was immediately disappointed in the lack of the intensity level he was used to. With his experience, he was expecting to be one of the advanced players. What he did not expect was that there were several players that never played organized ball. Thus, as a freshman, he took it upon himself to become a leader and assist some of these players. He played every Varsity inning of that season, alternating between pitching and first base, and lettered his freshman year.

Several of the more advanced players on that year’s team had played recreation level baseball, including Lakewood Baseball Club. That is why I am very adamant that the community supports youth sports including Lakewood Baseball Club. Lakewood Baseball Club wants to keep Baseball accessible, affordable, and alive. It is extremely unfair that for some youth, their first exposure to organized Baseball is in Middle School or High School.

Stay tuned for Part 4, Covid, Disappointment and Redemption