Schedule released

We are in a pool with Beaver Creek, Highland Park, Ankeny American, Marshalltown, and Ames. Beaver Creek is the Woodward-Granger area, with some Grimes and Polk City thrown in I believe. Highland Park is on the north side of DSM. Ankeny is big enough, they have two divisions, American and National, so we have the Americans.

I think this is a pretty good pool for us. Kids change all the time, so who knows whether they are good teams or not. I don't think this age group of kids has ever played Beaver Creek, Ames, or Highland Park. If we have, we have never gone there.

Some Ankeny team drilled our guys a couple years ago, but they may all be off playing AAU by now. And for the "veterans", we remember Marshalltown from last year, and I'm sure they remember us. That should be a good game.

If we win our pool, we advance to play other pool winners on July 10 and 11. We can also get in as a wild card. That would be if we finish 2nd. The tiebreak vs other pools is fewest runs allowed per defensive inning. So we need to have a good tight D.

July 9 will be a rain makeup day.

Here is the schedule
7-1 Carousel vs Highland Park
7-2 @Marshalltown field C
7-6 Zearing vs Beaver Creek
7-7 @ Ankeny American field 7
7-8 Zearing vs Ames

In other news, this good, we passed on our tournament affidavit, so all 14 guys are eligible to play. Thanks to you parents for getting that info to me in a timely manner. I will get it back to you sometime here. When I give it back, don't disperse it too much. If we were to continue to advance, they may put a 2nd set of eyes on it and the next level.

The shirts have been ordered. They are going to be an even $24. They will be Royal blue. We should have them by the 29th. So if you can get me $24 sometime, that would be good. My plan is to have a practice on the 29th or 30th, so we can get the jerseys handed out then.

If you have any questions about the tournament, go to our league website, then follow the links to the District 3 website, and the maps for all D3 locations. We lucked out with the drives I think. I know Zearing is a bit of a haul for you SH folks, but we need field space, and we have 2 Zearing players, so we'll throw them a bone! I know from Roland, the Ankeny field is about 30 minutes, and Marshalltown is 45 minutes.

I take great joy in a Johnston team needing to go to Jewell in the 9 year old division. I recall a manager's meeting from a couple years ago, and a Johnston coach bitching about having to go all the way to Story City--you can see Minnesota from there. And I recall an Urbandale team showing up at Story City once, and having a fit about an all dirt infield. Acted like he had to play on a rock pile. I have no reason to believe that it will be the same people this year. But I do take a perverse pleasure when Johnston and Urbandale teams have to lower themselves to visit their country cousins.