This past weekend, our HP Mosquito AAA team won the Provinicials in the most dramatic fashion.  They were down 2-0 against Glace Bay in the semi-finals and scored three runs in the bottom of the 6th to take the win.

In the final game, they were down 7-0 after one inning against Halifax and it didn't look good until they were able to get past their dominant starter and into their bullpen.  They shut them down the rest of the way and scored four in the 5th inning and nine in the 6th inning to win 13-7.

In the photo front row L-R are Lowell Beaton, Tiernan MacDonald, Nathan Wentzell, Gregory Globe, Johnny Foley.

Middle row L-R are Patrick McCormick, Matthew Gouthro, Geoff LaMorre, Jacob Hickey, Brett Hunt, Ryan Wilbur.

Back row L-R Darrin Hunt, Tom Gouthro, Kevin MacDonald, Gary Globe and Lisa Buzzard. 

Missing from the photo is Jack Gallant. 

They now go on to represent Nova Scotia at the Atlantics in Sherwood, PEI, September 18th-20th.

Please join me in congratulating Kevin and his team for winning the Provincials and best of luck as you go on to the Atlantics!!!

Jr. Rookie Playoffs will be played on Monday, September 7th at Highland Park

4:30pm - front field - J10 vs J5 (J5 is home team)

4:30pm - back field - J7 vs J2 (J2 is home team)

Championship game and Consolation game will be played immediately following these crossover games.

Congratulations to the Southwest A's for winning the 2009 Sr. Rookie Championship!!

The championship game was a great game between Brad Brophy's Southwest A's and Neil Wortman's Red Sox and could have gone either way.  Both teams showed great sportsmanship and had a lot of fun.  A great finish to a very wet baseball season!!

2009 PEEWEE AAA PROVINCIALS

This weekend (August 28-30), the Hammonds Plains A’s will be co-hosting the Baseball Nova Scotia  PeeWee ‘AAA’ Provincials with the Tri County Rangers.  The games will be played at Eisenhauer Field in Hammonds Plains and Joan Lenihan Field in Bedford.

The schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Good evening folks

Due to the impending storm heading our way, the playoffs scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday, August 23rd) will be postphoned until further notice.

I will be updating the site with the standings to let everyone know which four teams (two from each division) will be advancing to the finals.

Our 2nd Annual Girls Day in Baseball was held Sunday, July 26th, 2009 at the Mainland Common Baseball Field in Clayton Park and was a tremendous success.  Even Mother Nature gave us a reprieve from the rain and blessed us with a beautiful day.  Approximately 150 girls participated in various skill development stations instructed by members and coaching staff of the Dartmouth Moosehead Dry, Halifax Pelham Canadians, Nova Scotia Bantam Girls, HP Midget Girls and Canada's National Women's teams.  The girls enjoyed some mini-games, skills competitions, autograph sessions and a Q&A with Mel & Samantha from the Senior Women's National Team.

This event is hosted by Baseball Canada and Baseball Nova Scotia.

The 30th Annual Bob Donahoe Memorial Mosquito Tournament was held July 10th-12th in Riverview, New Brunswick. 22 Mosquito teams in total (16 AAA and 6 A) from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick all participated in this very popular tournament this year.

Our own Mosquito AAA team, the Hammonds Plains A's, lead by coach Kevin MacDonald, had a great tournament and only lost out in the semis by a one-run margin against Tri-County, 6-5.  The Championship Game saw Summerside, PEI defeating Tri-County by a score of 8-6.

One highlight of the tournament was when Hammonds Plains A's coach, Kevin MacDonald, was presented the "Coach of the Tournament" award.  A very well-deserved award for his dedication and commitment to the team.

On behalf of HPBA, I would like to congratulate Kevin for winning this award!!

Way to go, Kevin!!

Darren Beaudin, coach of the Woodside Mosquito House Baseball team, is looking to host a Mosquito House Tournament on the weekend of August 7th, 8th and 9th.  Any teams from the various associations are welcome to enter.  Registration fee is $175.00 and 2 new baseballs.

Pictures for T-Ball and Rookie

As part of your registration fees, Debbie Stout has been around and captured all the team and individual photos.  I understand some of you may have missed that night, it is pretty impossible for her to get everyone.  She will make a second attempt to get there to grab the few she may have missed then, hopefully within the next two weeks, we can start getting those back to you.

New Schedules for Rally Cap and Rainouts (does not include Bluenose leagues):

Barb has created new schedules to accommodate missed Rally Cap sessions and rained out games.  Please go to the website and search under downloads to find your new schedules just in case your coaches have not forwarded them on to you.  An amazing amount of work – Thanks Barb!!

Senior Men – Dartmouth Dry – Thursday July 23^rd at 7:30pm – Beazley Field in Dartmouth:

On the above listed game, Eastlink will be televising the game as tune-up for the camera operators for the upcoming Senior Men Nationals in August. They are asking all minor baseball players to come to the game and wear your team uniform and even make signs for the cameras. Chris Head, one of our summer students, plays center field for the Dry and I encourage anyone wanting to take their team to the game to do so.  The kids will have a great time.

Coaching Clinic:

A reminder to those who are planning on attending the Level One Coach's Clinic this Sunday night at the Sackville Sports Stadium.  You should have started or at least made plans to have your on-line portion of the course completed by Sunday.  The session starts at 5:30pm in the Newbridge Academy classroom which is located overlooking the curling rink.

Girls Day in Baseball - Sunday, July 26th:

Baseball NS will be hosting our second Girls Day in Baseball at the Mainland Commons baseball field in Clayton Park.  Building off the momentum we started last year, this year’s event will be awesome.  Returning will be Melanie Harwood along with Samantha Magalas from our Senior Women’s National Team.  I am pleased to announce that both of our local men’s teams, the Halifax Pelham Electric and the Dartmouth Dry will be assisting that day with the skills camp. Both our Girls Provincial Bantam team and Hammonds Plains own Midget Girl’s team will also be on hand to motivate and encourage our young female ball players.  This day will be open to all girls in the province ages 4 and up. If anyone has a daughter who is not currently playing, please bring her out that day – we would love to have her join us. Brad at Baseball NS and I are currently developing an on-line registration that will be ready in the next day or so.  I will send an email at that time to ask that you please pre-register that day.  I will also include a Q & A about that day along with a schedule.

I have mentioned before, the average enrollment of girls per association across the country is around the 8-10 percent.  Total enrollment of players in Hammonds Plains this year is 520 and, of that, 138 are girls ages 4 right up to 17.  Amazing!!  The rest of the provinces continue to look at us and scratch their heads.  Great work to everyone who helps to make this possible.

Recyclables & Food Donations:

As always I would ask that you continue to drop off your recyclables and food donations to the canteen.  Suggested items are ring pops, chocolate bars, pop, water, Gatorade, hotdogs, buns, etc. - that is what we generally sell at the canteen on a weekly basis but we are grateful for any items donated.

Finally, good luck to our Bantam AAA team in the National Elimination tournament this weekend in Dartmouth.  If they win, they will go on to represent Nova Scotia at the Bantam National Championships later this year.

That’s it for now,

Holly LaPierre

The following divisions are to submit game scores to HPBAScores@live.ca within 24 hours of the game:  

~ Senior Rookie ~
~ Mosquito House ~
~ PeeWee House ~
~ Girl's PeeWee House ~ 

Please specify the date of the game and your division (i.e. Mosquito, PeeWee, etc.)  along with the results.

I just wanted to give you a heads-up to an upcoming event you will definitely want to have your daughter attend.

For many, their daughters would have attended the first Girl’s Day in Baseball last summer in Fall River.  I have attached the press release as well as a group photo taken at the end of that day.  It was a huge success and the spin-offs have been amazing.  This concept has been launched across the country this year.  Two weeks ago Manitoba held its first Girl's Day using the model we created and received coverage on the CBC National News. Next weekend, NB and PEI will be hosting their own as well.  All of the other provinces will be following suit too!!!

The date for this year’s celebration will be on Sunday, July 26th at Mainland Commons (please don’t confuse this field with the Commons in downtown Halifax).  The Mainland Commons field is located next the Subway Soccer facility in Clayton Park across from the Keshen Goodman Public Library on Lacewood Drive.  I will send out details with a schedule, time and directions as the date approaches.  All I wanted to do right now is ask you to book mark this event in your calendar.

Mel Harwood, our National Player from last year, and the author of the letter that many of our girls received in the mail, has requsted us and she will be back!!  Also joining Mel will be Samantha Magalas also from Team Canada.  It should be a great day!!

I would also ask our Midget girls to please come dressed in full uniform that day to help out.  You are our role models for the younger players and I would really really appreciate if your help.

I am also looking for some people to step forward and help to organize this event.  Please let me know if you can help out.  Holly.Lapierre@bellaliant.ca

The following schedules are available for download in both .xls and .pdf formats:

• T-Ball
• Jr. Rookie
• Sr. Rookie
• Mosquito House
• Girl's League
• PeeWee House

Click on the HPBA Handouts & Schedules link in the menu on the left.

I am pleased to annouce that the 2009 Field Booking Schedule is now available here on the HPBA website.  Click on the HPBA Field Booking Schedule link on the left and then select 2009 Field Bookings to download the latest copy of our schedule.

With the arrival of baseball (and rainy) season, there is also the big question:

"What do I do in the event of rain on game day??"

If you are scheduled to play a game or have a practice on a day it is raining (or has rained), it is your responsibility to call the HRM field line 490-7100 - we are in the Western Region. 

You can also check the HRM Field Conditions website - they usually update their site around 3pm on weekdays and 7am on weekends:

http://www.halifax.ca/rec/field_conditions.asp. 

If the fields are closed, there is NO baseball - period.

Any use of HRM facilities when fields are closed will result in fines and possible loss of future scheduling privileges.

This message was emailed to everyone who has paid and registered with Hammonds Plains Baseball – totaling 334.  Incredible numbers!!  Last year we finished the season at 418 – I fully expected to pass that number this year. 

Many have asked how many girls have signed up.  As of today we have 68 girls registered – last year the total was 70 so definitely will exceed those numbers as the start of the season is still two months away.  So far I am able to make an ALL GIRLS T-Ball, Rookie, two Mosquitos and a PeeWee team. Of course your daughter has the option of playing on a mixed team.  As I get closer to putting the teams together I will email all the parents to confirm your daughter’s wishes.  Have you daughter spread the word to her friends – baseball is a great sport for girls – at least here in Hammonds Plains.

The teams, field locations, schedules, etc. will not be ready until the end of May. It is very difficult to put together our House teams until the Rep teams are selected.  This is the same process we follow every year so please don’t panic!!  Everyone will know teams and schedules a few weeks before you start to play.

I do need Coaches and Assistant Coaches so please let me know if you are willing to help out. I will be having Ken Lenihan, one of our top coaching instructors in the Province, run some clinics to help teach the fundamentals.

The last bit of information I want to share with you is about the indoor camp dates for Rookie age and up (as well an all girls session for girls of all ages and all divisions).  The timeslots for each age group have been posted here on the website.  Please confirm your attendance with me via email. We will register and collect payment on the first night of that particular division. All the sessions will be held at the Sackville Curling Rink.

A huge thank you to all of my helpers who assisted me during the three registrations nights – your help is most appreciated. Also congratulations to our new Executive that was voted in at the AGM on Saturday.  Chris Vandenberg, Vice-President, Amy MacIsaac, Treasurer and Barb Brophy, Secretary as well as myself, Holly Lapierre, as President.

If you know of anyone wishing to sign their children up for the up-coming baseball season, please send them my way.  I always say it is never too late but the sooner the better.

Thanks

Holly Lapierre

HPBA League President

PITCH COUNT

Will be enforced for the divisions of Mosquito, Peewee, Bantam and Midget.  I will not get into the entire grid as it will become available but the following is the maximum number of pitches a pitcher can before needing one day rest and total maximum.  I will not do the in between days though the entire grid will be available.  The pitch count will be used for all BNS play.  This does not mean house leagues have to use the grid however a system is encouraged such as reducing the innings for mosquito to 2 and for PeeWee to 3.

Please note that these rules will also include league play for example the maximum number of pitches in a week do include games played that week.  Tournament play does not mean you start fresh.  This is also a change from what we may be accustom to now.  Coaches must keep this in mind.  The pitch count is being introduced because it is designed to protect arms.  If we allow the games during a week before a tournament to not count once the tournament begins then we would be defeating the purpose of the pitch count rule.

PART A

PART D
When a pitcher reaches his daily pitch maximum, he must come out at that time and cannot finish the batter.

Yours in Baseball,

Brad Lawlor
Executive Director, Baseball Nova Scotia
(902) 425-5450 ext 355
baseball@sportnovascotia.ca
www.baseballnovascotia.com
5516 Spring Garden Rd., 4th floor
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J1G6

It is once again that magical time of the year - 2009 HP Baseball Registration!!!

Registration will be held on the following dates: 

Wednesday March 11^th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Wednesday March 25^th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Saturday, March 28^th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Registration will be held downstairs at the HP Baptist Church – across from Hatfield Farms.

Please bring TWO cheques – one for registration and one for uniform deposit – if you are registering more than one child – you will need a deposit cheque for each child.

We can’t stress the importance of you registering your children on these dates.  Last year we took in close to 100 or so “late” registrations and it makes it very difficult when trying to create teams, order equipment and uniforms etc.

Registration Fee Schedule: 

The age goes by calendar year – so for example if your child turns 10 on December 31^st, they would move to Mosquito. However, if you feel your child is not ready to move to the next division, please feel free to discuss with me during registration.

Many of you still have uniforms – I would ask that you please bring it with you during these dates. 

See you at registration!!

Please note that HPBA will NOT be supplying batting helmets for the upcoming 2009 baseball season due to health reasons.  It will be necessary for all players to supply their own.