Red Raiders Gear Up For Ripken Tournament

With more than 100 golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area, it’s no wonder a handful of Huntley men and boys will head southeast this month to swing at a white ball – in a baseball tournament? That’s right, but such is life when you’re part of the Huntley Red Raiders Travel Baseball program.

The Myrtle Beach-bound 12 and younger (12-U) squad is one of seven Red Raiders teams whose members range in age from 9 to 15. Now in its sixth year, the Red Raiders program competes in both the McHenry County Baseball League and the Mid Suburban Baseball League, and although Red Raiders teams don’t fly out of O’Hare or Rockford to reach an opponent’s home park, they do travel as far as Zion and Chicago.

Of course, Myrtle Beach is quite the change in scenery, as Red Raiders teams have competed previously in tournaments near the Wisconsin Dells and in Cooperstown, N.Y., home of The National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Each year we always tried to put together a tournament where every age group goes to the same location for the weekend, and it never seems to work,” said Jeffrey Thomm, the Red Raiders director of baseball operations. “But the Dells is usually a good spot for that. Team USA hosts a tournament up there every year, and we have a few of our teams going there in July. But I know the 12-year-olds are really looking forward to their Myrtle Beach trip.”

And why not? The Myrtle Beach tournament is hosted the Ripken Baseball Group, as in Hall-of-Fame shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. and brother Billy Ripken, a former major leaguer himself. The boys’ father, Cal Ripken Sr., served as player, coach, and manager within the Baltimore Orioles' organization for 37 years. Held at the Ripken Experience-Myrtle Beach, the event is one many summer tournaments at the South Carolina baseball complex, where players also compete on fields "symmetrically" designed after legendary stadiums like The Polo Grounds and Ebbetts Field.

Still, getting to Myrtle Beach is no – to use a baseball expression – can of corn. The Red Raiders program recently held a two-day garage sale to help fund the trip. Last year, the situation was reversed with the 12-U Red Raiders team conducting a coat drive to benefit Grafton Township. Overall, they collected 200 coats.

Thus far, most of the Red Raiders teams are more than halfway through their respective seasons, which vary in length depending on the age group. For instance, Red Raiders 9U teams usually compete in 30 to 40 games each season while the 14U team takes the field for 50 to 60 games. This August, the Red Raiders program will conduct tryouts for their 2012 teams, followed by indoor practices beginning in December or January, depending on the team manager. Each Red Raiders team averages about 12 players per squad with games subject to “free substitution” and continuous lineups, meaning every player in uniform bats.

“My goal, and it goes across our program, is to really instill a love of baseball for the rest of their lives whether it be playing it or watching it,” said Thomm, who, as a Red Raiders coach, tries to teach kids “at least two positions” as the season unfolds.

Interested parents can find more information about the kind of commitment that is required and how much the program costs on the Red Raiders website, where each team also has its own page featuring their schedules and game results.

Now, if all this seems intimidating and hardcore, well, the Red Raiders understand and would like to ease your minds.

“A lot of people think that when you get to a program like ours, it’s all about winning and that’s not the case,” Thomm said. “If you teach the game the right way, and you instill a love of baseball, the winning follows that.”