Play ball! Youth baseball season begins

It’s baseball season in Wareham and opening day for Wareham Youth Baseball couldn’t be deterred by bad weather.

Wareham Youth Baseball’s opening day was held Saturday, May 10 and while the ceremony was smaller than usual because of the weather, that didn’t deter the kids from kicking off their season with a smile.

“We had all the kids meet us at field two, and we did a little parade down to field four where all the parents were waiting,” Wareham Youth Baseball board member Robert Carpenter said. “We introduced each and every kid and had an eight-year-old sing the national anthem.”

Youth baseball serves kids ages three-and-a-half to 12 and while Carpenter said participation is low this year, eight of the nine teams suited up to play their first games of the season.

“Tee-ball is like a third of our program right now so the numbers should be getting better,” Carpenter said.

One of the kids participating in tee-ball was four-year-old Maxx Phillips Jr. who is being coached by his dad this year.

Phillips Jr. said through grinning teeth hitting was his favorite part of the day, and his dad said being around the kids was his favorite.

“I love everything about coaching these kids,” Phillips Sr. said. “It brings me back to when I was a kid playing little league.”

Phillips Sr. added the goal for the tee-ballers is to keep spirits high.

“We just want to have fun, and I think it’s going to go good,” he said.

Carpenter echoed this, saying the goal each year is for the kids to have fun playing America’s favorite pastime.

“We’re just looking for a successful season where the kids get at least 12 games plus playoffs and to grow our numbers,” Carpenter said.