Championships

It’s a new year, a new season, a new decade.  Looking back, Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball teams did exceptionally well over the past ten years.  Our Green and Grey have consistently represented Richmond Hill with high honours, and last year was no exception.  The Minor Bantam AAA team became the Provincial Champion, the Bantam A team and the Minor Mosquito AAA team won the York Simcoe Regional Championships (like the divisional champions in MLB).  In addition most of the other Richmond Hill Rep teams took home medals in most tournaments they entered and continually finished as consolation or finalists at regional or provincial levels.  Impressive statistics from a club best known for its sportsmanship, team work and for it’s focus on making players champions.

H1N1

From what I understand, H1N1 will continue to be a player on our diamonds and benches in 2010 season.  Maybe not as large an impact but still hanging around.  Some simple rules and procedures will make it easier and safer for all the children playing baseball in Richmond Hill. 

Make sure your child is immunized.  Get the H1N1 shot where possible.  We should apply the same rules on the Diamonds as in School.  Basic hygiene is important.  If your son or daughter exhibits any signs of flu or cold, keep them home.   If they are too sick to go to school they are too sick to play baseball. 

Wash hands regularly and even though running water is not always available on a baseball diamond, pack a hand sanitizer and some wet naps for your kids.

Do not drink from the same bottle regardless if its water or juice or a sports drink. 

It also goes without saying that each player should have their own helmet and mouth guard and not pass it around.

D Season

Well, the 2010 season is quickly becoming a reality and before we know it will be a memory.  We want to ensure that it’s a great memory for our members.  Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club is a private, member driven, not for profit corporation. 

Unlike other sports there are no paid positions at Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball.  It depends entirely on volunteers to make it work.  And it takes a lot of people who believe that team sports and baseball in particular to see it does happen.  We need volunteers as coaches, conveners, sports writers, marketing assistants, equipment managers, and lots of other functions.  We can provide the training necessary as well as the uniform.  You provide the time.  Simply send me an email (stanpagonis@rogers.com) telling me a bit about yourself and what you would like to do.   If you are a high school student, yes we do have roles which qualify for community hours.  

Join us this season in baseball. Your children will thank you for it and you will find out that this is the time for friends to be made and kept, skills tested and improved and best of all, a time for us to feel that there is a place where all is right in the world. 

2010 is setting up as a problematic year.   We have learned that the Richvale renovation project which was originally scheduled to happen in 2009, was put off until 2010, but up to this moment in January, we have only learned that Richvale will be closed for the 2010 season to open again in 2011. 

This means that we must find diamonds elsewhere in Richmond Hill for over 250 children, and that is beginning to look like a serious problem.  Parks and Recreation appears to have a problem following council’s policy that priority be given to minor (under 18) sports groups.