Georgia Raiders Baseball: February 2010

WELCOME

To all of our followers old and new. This blog will serve as your source of information regarding our OUTSTANDING baseball organization. We thank you for being a part of the RAIDER NATION!

COACHES CORNER

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!! Baseball season is back. There's nothing like America's Pastime. I get chills through my body watching baseball highlights. From Jackie Robinson stealing home under the tag of Yogi Berra to Kirk Gibson pumping his fist after his homerun in the World Series to Willie Mays' amazing over the head catch to Sid Bream rounding third base and sliding home safely to take the Braves to the World Series, whew!!!!!! You have to be from another planet if you don't love this sport..... I LOVE watching young men play this sport for pure fun and excitement. The GEORGIA RAIDERS baseball organization has garnered National recognition in only three years, and the future looks even brighter!!!!

One thing that my late mentor used to tell me that I will never forget. "People always wanna walk in your shoes until they see the corns on your feet"..... And people hate you for 1 of 3 reasons. 1) They want to be you 2) They hate themselves 3) They see you as a threat

I've been coaching for years, well before I had a son and the key to having a smooth running team is the PARENTS. They can also be the downfall of any team or organization. Every year I make make the majority of parents happy and then there are the ones that don't talk to me anymore. A coaching colleague once told me this about negative parents. He said "When a dog growls at everyone, its not about who's passing by". Its sad that when you have willing people in the community to help parents expose their kids to things outside of the norm, things that 99% of them would never experience, you have parents that will turn on you because they can't manipulate their way into power. Nevermind the fact that the child is having a ball and reaping some positive and life changing benefits while building solid relationships with boys that will be their friends for life. Recently, I just heard the parents of a 5yr old baseball player say that their son is a stud, but he's on a team full of rejects. WHAT??? And we wonder what's wrong with society and the youth being in turmoil. Yes, we lack mentoring in the community, our kids listen to unsavory lyrics in songs, play violent video games and watch questionable movies, but the REAL problem is US parents. As Bernie Mac once said "We're some punk a$$ parents!" Ignorance has become a plague and our youth are catching it like wildfire. Our society has been hijacked by a NOW mentality. If you want to meet a group of the most insecure men on the planet, just stop at your neighborhood ballpark. These are men/dads trying to live vicariously through their sons while undermining every decision and move that the coaches make. Get in the game DADS!! Literally.. Volunteer and become a coach, since every decision you make from the bleachers is the correct one. Don't get out there and just coach your son, coach the whole team. We need more male figures to step up....

Parents, what are we really teaching our boys? If they encounter a situation where they have to compete for anything and its not handed to them, then it's not the right situation. We are not teaching our youth that "LIFE is a COMPETITION". They'll have to compete to get into the college they want to attend, they'll be competing to get that dream job, they'll even compete to get the spouse that they want. But from an early age we tend to give our BOYS a pass. We pacify these young men because we want our kids to have it easier than we had it growing up. We live in the suburbs in our nice houses, nice cars with good jobs, but all we talk about is our sons going to the LEAGUE. And we wonder why academics isn't priority #1... It's US parents!! What happened to using baseball and athletics as a tool to teach good sportsmanship, respect and teamwork. If you have a child that's talented/gifted enough to play at the collegiate or professional level, then that's great. Winning on the baseball field seems to be more important than Winning in life. With more and more males filling up America's jails and African-American boys dropping out of school at an alarming rate, we ALL need to re-focus...

I love watching these 9 year old Georgia Raiders baseball players. Its amazing what you can learn from kids. These boys are incredible!! They NEVER stop having fun and fighting through obstacles that the average kid doesn't encounter. Are the 9U Georgia Raiders special? YES they are. The boys say "they can show you better than I can tell you". America's Team.... #1 in the USA

"You can try and stop a Revolutionary, but you can never stop the Revolution"

RAIDER NATION!!!!!!!!!! Silver & Black Attack

Jerry Clark aka Papa Raider

DAD/Coach/Disciplinarian/Mentor

Monday, February 22, 2010

February Frost Tournament
THE RAIDERS WIN!!!! GREAT JOB RAIDER NATION!

It was a Beautiful Weekend for Baseball. The Raider Nation started out very well. Our first game was against the Atlanta Angels. Our pitcher Jaylon was FANTASTIC. He pitched with a lot of poise and confidence on the mound. Our bats were on fire. We batted for at least 45 minutes in the first inning. Everyone had great hits.
Final Score GT Raiders 16/ Angels 1

Game 2- The sun had gone down and cold weather started creeping in. Cole (B-Mo) was GREAT on the mound. He is the only pitcher I know who will strike you out and have the cutest smile on his face. We did not allow a run in the first three innings, but the Atlanta Blue Jays rallied for 2 runs in the last inning.
Final Score GT Raiders 3/Atlanta Blue Jays 2

Sunday:
Game 1- This was a very interesting day to say the least. We started the day off with a forfeit because the Bulldogs did not show up for the tourney... Our first game was against the Walton Outlaws. Jeremiah (Jerry Berry) was on the mound and he was GREAT. Nicho hit the first Homerun of the season in this game. Way to go Nicho!!
Final Score GT Raiders 8/Outlaws 0

Our next game was against the Atlanta Angels. Cole was back on the mound, pitching great. We gave up 4 runs in the first inning. But our Little Raiders went in and took them right back!! Now the Raiders were hitting the ball like GROWN MEN... Everyone scored. We were going through our batting order again. Then all of a sudden with the score GT Raiders 14/ Angels 4 (still in the 1st inning), the Angels decided to protest the game. Their protest was that the Raiders had an illegal player. I guess they felt if you can't beat them on the field, try and beat them on paper. In the end the Angels decided to remove their team from the field. The game ended in a forfeit.
Final Score: GT Raiders 6/Angels 0

The Championship game was against the Gamers Red. Jaylon pitched 3 great innings and Jeremiah came in and closed the door on them....... Our defense played GREAT and withstood a late game rally.
Final Score: GT Raiders 6/Gamers Red 5

The RAIDERS are the best 8U Team in America. Our TEAM did a wonderful job. There is great chemistry between these players. They are friends and brothers on and off the field.

We would like to introduce our Newest Raider- Bo Hogeboom. Welcome to the GT Raiders. A wonderful addition to our team.

Pictures and Videos will be added soon.

"EVERY SUNDAY AROUND THIS TIME...

THIS IS WHAT WE DO!"

SILVER AND BLACK...ATTACK!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

2/20/10 Raiders Baseball Saturday Schedule

Pool Play

4:40pm GTR vs. Atlanta Angels 8U(Field 8)

6:00pm GTR vs. Atlanta Blue Jays (Feild 8)

Pool Standings, Bracket After Pool, Innings Pitched

Games will be held at

Hidden Valley Park

100 Spraggins Memorial Pkwy

Stockbridge, GA 30281

Thursday, February 4, 2010

GEORGIA TEAM RAIDERS BASKETBALL 8U 2010

I know many are wondering what is going on with the RAIDERS.

Our little men are now playing basketball as the Georgia Team Raiders. (sponsored by the Jerry Clark Foundation) We have a team of natural athletes. Not only are the Raiders Great players on the Diamond, but Great on the Court as well. Not sure why Nicho is missing from these photos...One of our 3 Point Kings!

We are playing every Saturday at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Yes, we are having a Great Season. Many Thanks to Coach Mike and Coach Dunn.