Deer Isle—The Deer Isle-Stonington High School softball team and the next generation of Mariners came together on the softball diamond Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, for the inaugural Youth Softball Day.
Head coach Hollan Oliver, and coaches Caroline Goddard and Amber Jones, developed the idea as a result of a lack of games for the middle school teams.
“We thought it would be a good idea for the high school players to host a tournament for them so they could get more playing experience,” said Oliver.
Deer Isle-Stonington High School softball coaches, players and volunteers come together to put on a weekend-long opportunity for softball players at the middle and high school levels to come together for the love of the game. Photo courtesy of Amber Jones
The idea was to help get some excitement about the sport of softball into the younger players, many of whom will one day play in a Mariner uniform.
The first day of the weekend was a doubleheader game against Machias for the Mariners, and the younger players were invited to watch the game, make signs and support the players. There was an ice cream Sunday station during both games, and between the two games the younger players were able to run the bases on the field.
“It was great fun, even in the rain,” said Oliver.
On Saturday, the Mariners hosted two games for middle school teams who had signed up for the tournament. The high school players were on hand all day providing leadership and encouragement to the younger players. Some of the high schoolers got behind the plate or on the field as umpires as well, which is something Oliver said was a good experience for them.
At the tournament, the team members sold concessions and t-shirts, raffled off a $300 bat and had a home run derby.
Oliver said that the weekend was not only fun for the players, both middle school and high school, but also an important way to get the younger plays involved in and excited about the sport earlier.
“Athletics programs have such a strong influence on the energy within the school and local community. If we want to have successful athletic programs on the island, we really need to start with the younger generations and the development programs they participate in,” said Oliver. “It’s great to see the high school players be role models for the younger generation.”