At the beginning of June, Parks & Rec finished their Spring Ball league. As most are aware, usually Parks & Rec produces the All-Star teams of Natchitoches out of the Best of the Best from all age groups for both baseball and softball. This year was quite different due to the 2020 pandemic. Parks & Rec stated they would not be able to take on the financial and time consuming task of coordinating the All-Star teams. They would however support with liability insurance but that was all they could do. Knowing that this is a yearly tradition for both the boys and girls that simply could not be ignored, Coach Diane Dodd stepped ‘up to the plate’ and took on the giant task all on her own and coordinated every facet of the 10U girls and 10U boys All-Star Teams.
Join us in congratulating our 10U baseball team that went all the way to Slidell, Louisiana to represent Natchitoches in the 2021 All-Star Tournament. These boys played their hearts out in the grueling heat. They won their first game against the L.A. Swamp Bats 13-4 and their next game against the L.A. Trojans 20-3. They faced the L.A. Trojans again and defeated them 14-5. Eventually they entered into their 2nd bracket game against the Live Oak All-Stars and lost 6-7. Our boys finished the tournament with a 3-1 record placing them in 3rd place and qualifying them for the All-Star World Series. Coach Diane Dodd says, “If this hadn’t been a ‘single elimination tournament’, our boys would have taken the entire tournament. They only lost by one point to the team that took the tournament (Live Oak All-Stars).”
Coach Dodd also commends all the parents of the boys saying, “As soon as I notified them that their sons made All-Stars and we needed assistance in seeking sponsors and monies to make this event a successful event, immediately the parents stepped up and within a week had collected all the funds! From tournament fees all the way down to socks and belts. Coach Dodd also gives a special thank you to the parents-turned coaches- who really took the handle since Coach Dodd had a prior commitment with her travel ball team the weekend of the All-Stars tournament. The Boys 10U All-Stars win would not have happened without Buddy Proctor, Russ Guilliams, and Nolan Jones stepping up and acting as Coaches and Mentors.
And lastly, to our sponsors who didn’t hesitate to donate once they heard their donations were being used to make dreams happen for our young boys, we offer grateful hearts. When we come together as a community we sure can make things happen.
1. Rutledge Plumbing (Bill & Nancy)
2. Summer Designs ( Natchitoches La.) All-Star Logo Design
3. Mayeaux’s Steak and Seafood
4. Pete Wardell (Natchitoches Family Eye Center)
5. Dave & Jennifer Thorton
6. Shannon & Tiffany Bolton
