Announcements 

 Posted September 17, 2011 

The 2012 Oakland Thunder will be having the final tryout on Saturday September 17, 2011 at N. Farmington High School.  The school is located at 32900 W. 13 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334. The tryouts will be held from 10-12:30 with registration starting at 9:30 a.m.  .  

The team is going into its 6th year and is based out of Farmington Hills. The Thunder plan to have winter workouts 1 time per week Jan-March until High School tryouts. Next summer it is anticipated that the Thunder will play in 5-7 local MI tournaments (USSSA, Pastime, TPT, Community). The Thunder will play in tournaments only, with a practice or scrimmage during the week. The quality of play will be maximized, with travel and team costs kept to a reasonable level of affordability. 2012 16 and 17 U eligible players should feel free to attend the tryouts. Howard Cohen will be returning to the Thunder this year as Manager, and the coaches will be Michael Mackie and John Ludwick respectively.

If you have any questions or interest in trying out for the Thunder, please send your questions and or information to:h1cohen@comcast.net , or call (248) 318-0475.

Posted May 6, 2011 

The first spring practice for the 16U team is scheduled for Sunday, May 15 at Nardin Park Church (1pm).  Uniforms will be handed out as well.

Posted March 7, 2011

Good Luck to all the Thunder players at your High School tryouts!   Listen to the coaches and hustle at all times!  

Posted March 6, 2011

Winter workouts conclude on Saturday, March 12. All payments ($500 total dues) should be submitted by 4/1/11.  Make checks payable to The Oakland Thunder, mail check to 2673 E Maple Road, Milford, Mi 48381, Attn: Jake Di Ponio 

Uniform order forms should be completed by March 12.  

Posted: November 26, 2010

Winter workouts to start on Saturday, January 8th.  Location is the The Bullpen Baseball Academy (40040 Grand River, Novi, Michigan 48375).  Arrive 10 minutes early for workouts.

16U: 10-11am

13U: 11am-12noon 

Posted: November 24, 2010

Dues of $200 due by December 1, 2010. Make checks payable to The Oakland Thunder, mail check to 2673 E Maple Road, Milford, Mi 48381, Attn: Jake Di Ponio

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 Welcome to the Oakland Thunder website.  We are fielding 13U and 16U teams in 2011 and are ready for another exciting year of competitive baseball.  Go Thunder!   

Mission Statement

The Oakland Thunder baseball oranization is committed to the development of young baseball players.  Players are coached to play hard with a sense of purpose and ALWAYS be good sports.  We offer a good balance of competition and enjoyment for our baseball teams.  Players are mentored to be good teamates on the field and good people off the field.

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2011 13U Roster

2 Jake Desautels 

4 Aakif Lodhi

5 Liam Dooley

6 Max Singer

7 Michael Nelson

8 Brian Mackie

9 Nate Penny

22 Anthony Giovanni

24 Bryce Sucher

31 Andy Meier

36 Michael Kreuzer

57 Ritcuma Inaba

The 13U Thunder are coached this year by Mike Mackie, Amir Lodhi, Bruce Sucher, Tim Dooley and Norman Kreuzer

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2011 16U Roster

39 Ernesto Carrillo

24 Zack Cohen 

33 Brad Connochie

55 Anthony Di Ponio 

2 Bobby Lett

13 Drew Ludwick

7  Michael Mackie

10 Jonathon Perry

34 Marshal Scott

22 Nick Sword 

25 Eric Waldron

5 Spencer Wright

28 TJ Zak

The 16U Thunder are coached this year by Rob Waldron, Mike Mackie, John Ludwick, and John Perry. 

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2010 15U Thunder Highlights 

The Thunder played at U of M Stadium and played a solid game in the USSSA Major Elite Tournament, defeating the JTB Tigers.  

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2009 14U Tournament Highlights

The 14U Thunder finished with 3-1 record in the Firecracker Classic on July 3-4.  Oakland Thunder beat the Michigan Thunder 9-1, beat the Macomb Wildcats 9-1, lost to the S.F. Blues 11-4, and beat the Markham Mariners 8-3. The team compiled 38 hits for the weekend and took 5th place out of 18 teams in the tournament.  Great job Thunder!!!

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Another tournament success to report for the Oakland Thunder.  The Thunder finished in second place at the South Farmington Blues 14U Invitational on 6/20-6/21.  The team triumphed in two one-run games to reach the finals where the Thunder lost to the Canton Vipers 8-2 for a second place finish. 

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The Oakland Thunder were crowned champions of the CABA Wolves Challenge Tournament held on 5/30-5/31.  With a combination of solid pitching and defense, along with some impressive hitting, the Thunder won their first tournament of the year.  

The Thunder beat the BC Hawks 8-4 in the first game and beat MSA Silver in the second game in an exciting 6-5 victory.  The Thunder dominated Blissfield Baseball in the final by a score 13-1 to claim the tournament championship! 

Congratulations to all the players!!!  Keep working hard to be your best!  

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Inspirational Quotes (offered by players and coaches at each practice)

Most games are lost, not won - Casey Stengel (Coach Waldron)

Each strike brings you one pitch closer to your next home run - Babe Ruth (Anthony Di Ponio)

You have to be mental to play baseball - Yogi Berra (Michael Mackie)

There are no traffic jams on the extra mile- Unknown (Chris Moner)

You are never a loser until you quit trying - Mike Ditka (Coach Waldron)

Finding fault is like washing windows; the dirt is always on the other side - Unknown (Jacob Rollinger)

Success is just an effort away - Unknown (Drew Ludwick)

Don't worry about losing; focus on winning - Unknown (Eric Waldron)

My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging - Hank Aaron (Coach Waldron)

You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, rest when you know that it was a 100% effort that you gave-win or lose - Gordie Howe (Coach Waldron)

I've always made a total effort, even when odds seemed entirely against me.  I never quit trying.  I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win - Arnold Palmer (Coach Waldron)

If your aren't going all the way, why go at all? - Tiger Woods (Evan Brunt)  - probably need to pull thus one :)

GO THUNDER!!!