Metro Flint News/Talk Radio Signal

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Monday, June 24, 2024 Sports Thoughts Column

A letter passed on to me by a volunteer little league coach hit home as I spend so many weekends watching my two grandsons at baseball parks. 

One (Jack) is on Foutch baseball's 9u travel team and another one (Preston) is one of only two 6-year-olds on Foutch's 8u coach-pitch travel team. The Foutch program attracts quality parents who there for all the right reasons  —  supporting their kids as they chase their dreams of getting better and building self confidence while enjoying all the life lessons of America's greatest game. 

I'm really glad to be away from the rec league ballparks for a bit (I have a third grandson who is only age 3 but already spending too much time at ballparks not to fall in love with the game!)

It's at these rec league parks all over America that parents are often there for all the wrong reasons  — expecting coaches to work magic to transform their once-per-week or twice-per-week young athlete into an absolute superstar. Forget all the practice, dedication, travel and traveling to far away places it takes for travel parents to produce better talent from their kids.

Well, anyway, here's the letter from a Volunteer Coach and it fits, too, from several of our Foutch baseball opponents this summer: 

"Today I heard a comment made about me behind my back. I started to turn around and look, but then decided better of it and kept my eyes on the field. My wife hears things like this more often than I do, because many of you don’t know who she is. She tells me what you say. I have received angry emails, full of “suggestions,” about who should be playing where and how I... lost that day’s game for the kids. I thought I’d write an open letter to all of you parents, even though I might never send it. I’ll start it this way: “I am a volunteer.”

I’m the one who answered the call when the league said they didn’t have enough coaches. I understand that you were too busy. I have some news for you. I’m not retired. I’m busy too. I have other children and a job, just like you do. Not only do I not get paid to do this – it costs me money. I see you walk up to the game 15 minutes after it started, still dressed for work. 

Do you know I’ve already been here over an hour? Imagine if you had to leave work early nearly every day. I’ve never seen you at a practice. I’m sure you’re plugging away at the office. But I’m out here, on the field, trying my best to teach these children how to play a sport they love, while my bank account suffers.

I know. I make mistakes. In fact, maybe I’m not even that great of a coach. But I treat the kids fairly and with respect. I am pretty sure they like coming to my practices and games, and without me or someone like me, there’d be no team for them to play on. I’m part of this community too and it’s no picnic being out here on this stage like this. It’s a lot easier back there with the other parents where no one is second-guessing you.

And I also know you think I give my son or daughter unfair advantages. I try not to. In fact, have you ever considered that maybe I’m harder on him than on the others? I’m sure he hears plenty of criticism at school from classmates, who hear it from you at home, about what a lame coach I am. 

And if, even unconsciously, my kids are getting a slight advantage because I know them better and trust their abilities, is that the worst thing in the world, considering the sacrifice I’m making? Trust me, I want to win too. And if your son or daughter could guarantee we’d do that, I’d give them the chance.

After this game is over, I’ll be the last one to leave. I have to break down the field, put away all the equipment and make sure everyone has had a parent arrive to pick them up. There have been evenings when my son and I waited with a player until after dark before someone came to get them. 

Many nights I’m sure you’ve already had dinner and are relaxing on the couch by the time I finally kick the mud off my shoes and climb into my car, which hasn’t been washed or vacuumed for weeks. Why bother cleaning it during the season? Do you know how nice it would be if, just once, after a game one of you offered to carry the heavy gear bag to my car or help straighten up the field?

If I sound angry, I’m not. I do this because I love it and I love being around the kids. There are plenty of rewards and I remind myself that while you’re at the office working, your kid is saying something that makes us all laugh or brings a tear to my eye. The positives outweigh the negatives. I just wish sometime those who don’t choose to volunteer their time would leave the coaching to the few of us who do."

READ "OLD SPORTS THOUGHTS" COLUMNS

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Mike Killbreath is an award-winning newspaper sports columnist. He appears on Metro Flint News/Talk Radio via The Daily Gazette Sports Weekend Show Sundays from 6-8 pm and on The Morning Gazette Radio Show weekday mornings from 8 am until 9:30 am. He's an award-winning news columnist and investigative reporter who is the former long-time owner of the local Metro Flint area chain of 14 community newspapers. This fall will be his 50th year as a journalist. He also hosts a new weekly national TV show known as The American Crusaders on cable TV and various OTT TV live streaming platforms.

CANTON (CCN) — The Foutch Baseball 9u Red team continued its tournament winning ways by taking the 10u AA USSSA state tournament in Canton. The team improved to 49-8

They beat Saginaw Bay 10u 5-2 in the state championship game behind pitcher Jase Widzinski who came four outs shy of a complete game shutout. He allowed only two hits.

Beckett Gates led the offense with a two-run double and a RBI fielder's choice.

It took some heroics, however, by Jack Seymour and Hudson Dantine for Foutch Baseball 9u Red to reach the finals.

Seymour ripped a three-run home run to beat Splitfinger Curtis 10u by a 6-3 score and Dantine drilled a game-winning RBI triple to beat Back Ops 10u in a 12-11 nailbiter in walk-off fashion.

Lefty Seymour's opposite field three-run blast to leftfield came on a 3-0 count.

Dantine went 4 innings on the mound when Seymour's heroics made the difference. He allowed only three hits and two runs while striking out 8 batters in a mostly "playing catch" session with catcher Seymour.

Widzinski appeared in relief and gave up only one run over the last two innings.

Seymour was the starter on the mound in the wild 12-11 game. He was roughed up for four hits and five runs over 3 innings, striking out three but walking three. His replacements (Beau Slusarzyk and Dantine) gave up six more runs over the final two innings. A 14-hit day  —  and Dantine's dramatic walk-off RBI triple — saved the day.

Ashton Mitchell led the offense with a 2-for-3 effort and three RBI. Seymour added a RBI double among two hits and Dantine had two hits while Hudson Hogan and Murphy Miller also contributed 2-for-3 days at the plate. Graham Clark added a RBI sacrifice fly.

Clark was a sub for the tournament to replace Harrison Munro who missed the weekend action.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is the Foutch Baseball 9u Red team which won the 10u AA USSSA state title in Canton. In the back row (from left) are Assistant Coach Lenny Dantine, Head Coach Justin Slusarzyk and Assistant Coach Mike Gates. Players standing (from left) are Jack Seymour,  Kase Brigitha, Graham Clark, Jase Widzinski and Hudson Dantine. Kneeling (from left) are Beckett Gates, Beau Slusarzyk, Murphy Miller, Hudson Hogan and Ashton Mitchell.

OWOSSO (CCN) — The youngest team in Foutch Baseball's travel program finished off a season of vast improvement by beating older, more experienced boys to win the  Rudy Demuth  Tournament in Owosso.

Sponsor Roger Foutch calls his group of 6-year-olds and 7-year-olds his "Rookie Team" who played against 8-year-olds all year in 8u travel ball.

The Foutch Baseball 8u Black was among 21 travel teams this summer in youth baseball for boys and youth softball for girls, out of Roger's Foutch Strike Zone training facility next door to his Foutch's Pub at the corner of Linden Road and Corunna Road in Flint Township.

Roger's youngest team this summer was coached by his son — Brad Foutch.

Roger's grandson, Gavin, was the team's most improved player — finishing up with a sizzling .727 batting average. Only Collin McKinnon was a few percentage points better. McKinnon checked in with a team-high 4 home runs. They were among five 6-year-olds who have two years left of 8u travel ball.

Others on the team included Preston Guevara, Brock Beckley, Casen Mitchell, Chase Williams, Conner Duffy, Loklan Freeman, Lukas Buelter, Nolan Hathew, William DuPrey  and Ryan Miller.

Others on the coaching staff included Mark McKinnon and Matt DuPrey.

Mitchell, who was one of the team's top hitters all summer, missed the Owosso tournament because he was with his older brother who was playing with the Foutch Baseball 9u Red in Indiana.

Amanda Foutch Kolesar made a Facebook post to celebrate the team's success, posting: "What an amazing time for my father, seeing his baseball dreams come full circle with two of his grandsons playing for Foutch Baseball!!!  Congratulations to my brother Brad Foutch and his son Grant for winning their first tournament! Many more to come!!!"

Before arriving to see the Foutch Baseball 8u Black celebration, Roger was in Cooperstown to watch daughter Amanda's son,  Kaden Kolesar, play in a tournament on historic grounds at baseball's Hall of Fame. He plays on the Foutch Baseball 12u Black travel team.

(See Related Story in Today's Tri-County News Sports section on Sponsor Roger Foutch)

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Foutch Baseball's 8u Black travel ballclub after winning a tournament in Owosso. In the back row (from left) are Assistant Coach, Assistant Coach Matt DuPrey, sponsor Roger Foutch, Assistant Coach Mark McKinnon and Head Coach Brad Foutch. Players kneeling in front of them are Conner Duffy, Lukas Buelter, Loklan Freeman, Collin McKinnon, Gavin Foutch, Nolan Hatchew, WIlliams DuPrey, Chase Williams, Brock Beckley and Preston Guevara.

COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK (CCN) — The Foutch Baseball 12u Black travel team brought home the famed "Cooperstown Rings" by playing in a prestigious tournament on sacred grounds last weekend at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 Coach John Miller had four boys chosen to compete in the Cooperstown All-Star Village's Skills Competition. They were Liam Holt, Dallas Larson, Kaden Kolesar and Rocco Henry.

Chose to represent the team in the  Cooperstown All-Star Village's Team Throwing Relay were Holt, Henry, Larson Brody Bridgette, Evan Eicher, Liam Yelle, Liam Maser, Grayson Ward, Broc Ankley and Alex LeClaire.

Coach Miller said: "What an amazing week of baseball at Cooperstown All Star Village for Foutch Black 12U!!! The boys battled together on the field, they came together as a team, they laughed, displayed a high level of sportsmanship and made memories to last a lifetime!!!"

(See Related Story in Today's Tri-County News Sports section on Sponsor Roger Foutch)

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above is Foutch Baseball's 12u Black travel ballclub after playing in a tournament on the sacred groudns of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Roger Foutch's grandson (Kayden Kolesar) is one of the team members. Others on the team include Broc Ankley, Brody Bridgett, Evan Eicher, Jaxon Hadaway, Rocco Henry, Liam Holt, Dallas Larson, Alexander Leclaire, Liam Maser, Grayson Ward and Liam Yelle. The team was coached by 22-year-old John Miller.

FLINT TWP. (CCN) — Foutch Baseball has announced a new coach for one of the teams in its travel baseball program for next season.

Chuck Osika brings a wealth of experience to the Foutch program as the newly-named head coach of the Foutch Baseball Black 13u club.

Osika's 2023 Corunna High varsity team was 25-6 and ranked among the state's top teams. He was the Lansing State Journal's Division 2 Coach of the Year. He has been head coach for Corunna's varsity since 2014 with more than 150 victories and served as JV head coach from 2044 until 2013.

Osika was named Genesee Area Conference Coach of the Year in 2016 and he was MHSAA District Coach of the Year and  MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year in 2017. He was also the Lansing State Journal's Division 2 All-Area Coach of the Year in 2017. He was named MHSAA District Coach of the Year again in 2021 and coached in the Bruin Classic All-Star Game at Flint's Mott Community College and in the North/South All- Star Game at Dow Diamond in Midland.

He led the Cavaliers to MHSAA district titles in 2017 and 2021 and his 217 club also won a regional championship.

 “As a coach, when the opportunity arises to be a member of a well known and respectable organization such as Foutch, you can not turn that down," Osika said "At this point in my coaching career, it makes me feel good that others see the impact I have made not only on the game of baseball but on youth athletes in general. I am grateful for the chance that Roger Foutch has given me to be able to be part of this amazing coaching staff at Foutch.”

When asked about his plans for the 13u team, Coach Osika said, “Baseball is a hard game and at the 13u level we will be focusing on the 'little' things that win baseball games. Fundamentals such as making routine plays, throwing strikes and good baserunning seems simple but are often overlooked. These are things that as a baseball team you need to be successful at in order to compete and win at a high level. Also, the opportunity, for me as a coach to make an impact on youth (younger than high school level) through the game of baseball is very exciting for me.”

Not only does Coach Osika bring more experience than most youth coaches, he has top notch assistants joining him, too.

“Duncan Gillett and Zach Sawyer both played for me at Corunna," he said. "Gillett was an outstanding pitcher from 2013-2016 and Sawyer was a standout infielder form 2014-2018. Both have a lot of experience at the high school and/or college level playing baseball. Gillett pitched at Lansing Community College and finished his baseball career at Davenport University (he is currently the pitching coach at Davison High School). Sawyer received and accepted a scholarship to play baseball at Cornerstone University before taking a different route. He is currently the assistant varsity baseball coach at Corunna, a position he has held for the last four years.”

Sponsor Roger Foutch, a member of the Greater Flint Sports Hall of Fame for his own 32-year coaching career that featured two national championships, had 21 youth teams in the Foutch Baseball program this season for baseball and fastpitch softball. His 9u travel baseball squad won a USSAA 10u AA State Championship.

Logan Vowell, who played for Osika at Corunna, is one of a long line of Fouth Baseball 2024's 18u Select players who have landed full ride college scholarships this summer for their performance in Connie Mack play.

Coach Osika added about joining Foutch Baseball, “I Can't wait to get started. LET’S GO FOUTCH!!!”

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Chuck Osika (at left) with 18u Foutch Select star Logan Vowell who played for Osika at Corunna. 

ALMA  (CCN) — The Foutch Baseball 16u team won twice at Alma College to reach the 17-victory plateau on the summer.  Clio's Robby Diment led the way with a 6 RBI effort off three hits and two walks. The doubleheader sweep follows an 11-2 victory at Saginaw Valley State. (See Story at right if you are reading on a laptop or PC, or scroll down if you ar reading on your mobile device)

Ryan Nosek added 4 hits, Carter Dirkse scored 6 runs while walking 4 times to go with a two-hit day, Gage Smith had 5 RBI and Carson Wistuba had the game winning RBI single in game two.

Pitcher Mason Benner came on in relief in both games to pick up both victories s on the mound.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this is Clio's Robby Diment who had a 6 RBI day in a doubleheader sweep for Foutch Baseball's 16u all-stars.

 SAGINAW (CCN) —Clio's Robby Diment went the distance on the mound to lead Foutch Baseball's 16u all-star team to a season-opening victory in PBR play.

PBR is a nationally-renowned organization operated under Prep Baseball Reportl.

Diment struck out 7 batters and walked only one.

Diment also had an RBI single for Foutch at the plate. Drake Dorner led the hitting attack with 4 RBI on a pair of hits and Carter Dirkse had two doubles. Dirkse, Dylan Dreasky, Ryan Nosek and Brady Brown scored two runs apiece for Foutch.

Gage Smith and Noah Wakefield added two RBI each for Foutch which plays next in PBR play at Alma College for a doubleheader.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this is Clio's Robby Diment cruising to victory on the mound for Foutch Baseball at Saginaw Valley State.

 FLINT (CCN) —Tryouts are set for next year's Connie Mack 18u Foutch Baseball Select squad.

The team will again be led by Mike Berlin.

The tryouts will be July 31 from 6 pm until 7:30 pm at Flint Carman-Ainsworth High School and Aug. 1 from 6 pm until 7:30 pm at Foutch's Strike Zone located at West Pointe Plaza in Flint Township at the corner of Linden Road and Corunna Road — next door to Foutch's Pub.

The 2024 team currently has 10 of its 16 players on the roster committed to play at the college level next season.

Connie Mack baseball is the most visible 18u competition in America and concludes every year with the Connie Mack World Series which is annually staged in Farmington, New Mexico.

Flint last won a Connie Mack World Series in 1974 with the likes of future big league stars Rick Leach and Larry Sorensen as well as future collegiate coaches Steve Jaksa and Ted Mahan.

Flint's 1974 team (known as Carpets by Smith) was led by Walt Head. He went on to lead Saginaw Valley State University for 32 years before leading a Foutch Baseball 15u team to Flint's first ever appearance in the AABC World Series for that age category when sponsor Roger Foutch brought back Connie Mack ball and started a 15u team for a program that now sports 21 travel ball teams.