North Texas Rangers: Welcome

 Never hang our heads, Never give up. The struggle doesn't only come with baseball it comes with life. So Play hard, Play to win and Play to have fun. "WE SEE GREAT THINGS IN BASEBALL, IT'S OUR GAME-THE AMERICAN GAME."

Nick Skeffington #20 was the North Texas Rangers 2009 "Barnabas Award Winner" for the Tara Sawyer Memorial Tournament. The "Barnabas Award" is a Servant award and is given to the player who proves to be a true servant and encourager to his teammates.

The North Texas Rangers are scheduled to open the Fall schedule this weekend as they compete in the Matt Dozier Tournament in Grand Prairie. For teams and schedules go to:

http://www.selectscores.com/gp/wc/index12.php

All 10 Rangers this season are either returning players from last season or were part of the Ranger Organization in the past.

2 Easton Brown

5 Tanir Horton

9 Austion Tidwell

11 Kade Strowd

12 Hunter Pustejovsky

18 Jake Baker

20 Nick Skeffington

21 Devin House

29 Josh Lindly

31 Soren Krug

NORTH TEXAS RANGER TRYOUTS

SATURDAY - AUGUST 15, 2009

VALLEY RIDGE BASEBALL COMPLEX - FIELD #3

2:00 PM

Players need to be dressed in Baseball Attire

Contact Information

David House - 214 - 325 - 3743 cocacolahouse@aol.com

Gary Brown - 972 -935 - 1700 coachgbrown@hotmail.com

The 11U AAA North Texas Rangers closed out Southwest Classic League Play in the 12U AA Division with a 2 - 1 win over the Midlothian Knights despite an excellent performance on the mound by Knights pitcher Zach Humphreys. With a 12 - 1 record the Rangers finished 1 game in front of the 11U AAA Arlington Heat who handed them their only loss in league (11-10). The boys will now set their sites on the Southwest Classic Post-Season Tournament June 12 - 14.

 GREAT JOB RANGERS - 1 Lane, 2 Easton, 9 Nate,

12 Hunter, 13 Cruz, 18 Jake, 20 Nick, 21 Devin, 23 Kyler, and 29 Josh

Rangers always expect to play for Hardware on Sundays but the Central Texas Sting had other ideas and the #8 seed bounced the #1 seed Rangers in the first round on Sunday after capitolizing on walks, wild pitches, and errors commited by the Rangers.

The Rangers earned the #1 seed by default after going 1 - 0 - 1 on Saturday defeating the Central Texas Sting (who would return the favor on Sunday) and scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th against Heroes to force a 3-3 tie. It was not their weekend but the boys will keep their heads up, regroup and come out ready to play in the next tournament, the Southwest Classic Post-Season Tournament.

__________________________________________________________ For the second year the North Texas Rangers will be competing in the 11UAAA Little Heroes Wooden Bat Tournament at Whataburger Field in Downtown Dallas. The players really enjoyed the tournament last year, finishing 2nd as the only 10U team entered. Little Ranger siblings also had a blast dancing on top of the dugout to the music between innings.

The Tournament Schedule is:

SATURDAY, MAY 30TH....................................................
 8:00AM   NORTH TEXAS STORM VS TEAM ARMOUR
 9:45AM   NORTH TEXAS YANKEES VS FLOWER MOUND DAWGS
11:30AM  CENTRAL TEXAS STING VS NORTH TEXAS RANGERS
 1:15PM   TEAM ARMOUR VS NORTH TEXAS YANKEES
 3:00PM   FLOWER MOUND DAWGS VS NORTH TEXAS STORM
 4:45PM   COPPELL COWBOYS VS CENTRAL TEXAS STING
 6:30PM   NORTH TEXAS RANGERS VS HEROES

SUNDAY, MAY 31ST..................................................
 8:00AM  (G1) #3 SEED VS #6 SEED
 9:45AM  (G2)  #2 SEED VS #7  SEED
11:15PM (G3)  #4 SEED VS #5 SEED
 1:15PM  (G4)  #1 SEED VS #8 SEED
 3:00PM  (G5)  WINNER G1 VS WINNER G2
 4:45PM  (G6)  WINNER G3 VS WINNER G4
 6:30PM  (G7) CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

Ranger players, parents, siblings, and fans got their fair share of baseball this weekend as the Rangers put 6 more games under their belts. Saturday they won both pool play games; a come from behind win against the Southlatke Green Dragons and another against the Banditos - White, putting them in the 5 seed for Sunday.

Sunday started out much the same as the Rangers battled from behind to beat the Southlake Green Dragons. It was then on to the Dallas Patriots, another win there put the Rangers in the Semi-Final game against the Dallas Mustangs - Lamonte. Ranger bats were on fire early as they jumped out to a comfortable lead and then held on for a 12-8 win. The Championship game versus the Tyler Thunder was just that as both pitchers turned in outstanding performances. The Rangers held a 1 - 0 lead heading into the top of the 6th needing only 3 outs to claim the tournament. The Thunder had other ideas though as they scored 3 in their frame. As usual the Rangers were not going to go without a fight as the top of the order loaded the bases with 0 outs. An oustanding throw to the plate by the Thunder right fielder after catching a flyball doubled the Rangers up at the plate and one groundball later the Thunder held off the threat to win the tournament.

The Rangers had an outstanding tournament, battling hard and overcoming several mistakes that put them in a bind. In the end they can hold their heads high as they did not lose they were defeated. Ranger Pitchers had a great weekend. The team will now set their sights on the Little Heroes 11UAAA Tournament this weekend in downtown Dallas.

Although most people didn't know it there was a double-header at The Ballpark in Arlington Friday night as the North Texas Rangers hosted the Kingwood Krush at the Dr. Pepper Youth Ballpark adjacent to the Major League Stadium prior to the Rangers / Angels game. It was a great experience for both teams. Both teams exchanged gifts before the game; Kingwood brought T-shirts for all the Rangers and the Rangers had Ranger hats with team pins in them for the Krush. The Rangers won the game and both teams headed to the Ballpark to watch the big boys play. They were treated to a night of long balls as the Rangers hung on to win 10-8. Josh Hamilton dropped a 460 foot shot half-way up the upper deck of the Home Run Porch.

After the game the boys were interviewed on Fox and then it was to the parking lot where they enjoyed about 45 minutes of wiffle ball while the parents talked. It was a great night and we thank all that came out to support us and attend the Ranger game with us. This is what all baseball games should be like!

"Attitude is a choice, and many people have a less-than-ideal attitude about "failure."  Instead of viewing it as a stepping stone to success, they see it as an end in itself -- a bad one.  If they would make the wonderful goal of approaching their potential even more important than winning and looking good, it would be easy to remember that adversity is good because it identifies for us what doesn’t work! Plus, they’ll end up winning and looking good more often because they’ll be better at maintaining a positive attitude."

Coach Aaron Traub - Mental Skills Training

The Rangers took care of business during pool play on Saturday getting pitching, hitting, and defense all at the right times to post an 8 - 5 come from behind win against the Dallas Royals and then completing pool play with a 3 - 1 win over the North Texas Yankees. After securing the #1 seed and having a bye the headed to their semi-final matchup with the Dallas Royals.

It started out as an instant replay of Saturday's game as the Royals jumped out to a 3 - 0 lead capitolizing on a couple of Ranger mistakes early. With the royals holding a 5 - 1 lead heading into the bottom of the 5th the Ranger offense tried to come alive, recording 3 straight hits to start the inning. The effort led to 4 runs and the teams headed to the 6th inning tied at 5 - 5.

It looked like the Rangers were going to be able to hold them there but a bloop single with 2 outs, 2 strikes, and runners on 2nd and 3rd gave the Royals the lead and some momentum. A stolen base and one more big hit would allow the Royals to extend their lead to 3 runs. The Rangers would try to answer, getting a lead-off single but they would only advance the runner to 3rd where he remained when the 3rd out was recorded to end the Rangers' day, bringing an end to the frustrating loss and thier tournament.

Coach Brown was proud of the effort to come back but said "You can not give away 3 innings worth of at bats and expect to win a game, the Royals did a great job not giving us anything extra (Royals pitchers only walked one Ranger hitter in the game) and we failed to make the adjustments at the plate." He also took the blame for giving up the 3 spot in the 6th. "I pulled our Third Baseman in because their kid had bunted all day and after we got 2 strikes on him I failed to realize he hadn't moved back. That ended up costing us the game. Our players know the game well and while they do the right thing most of the time they are still 11 and ultimately it is my responsibility to put them in the best postition to win, I didn't do that today but we will learn from it and come out ready to play the next time."

The North Texas Rangers will be taking on the Kingwood Krush at the Texas Rangerers Youth Dr. Pepper Ballpark adjacent to the Ballpark in Arlington Friday May 15, 2009 from 5:00 - 7:00.

After the game both teams will be going across the street to watch the Texas Rangers take on the Anaheim Angels. There is no cost to watch the Rangers and Krush so come out and help make it a memorable experience for both teams.

The North Texas Rangers took their first road trip of the year, heading to San Marcos for the Alamo City Select Baseball Tournament. With the games not starting to late afternoon a couple of the Rangers took the opportunity to hang out with University of Texas Pitching Coach Skip Johnson before UT took on Kansas State that afternoon. They must have walked away with some of UT's magic in their pocket because Kyler Castillo led the tournament off with an opposite field home run and the rest of the team followed posting a 20 - 0 win over Hardball U. Game Two was a little more of a battle as the Hill County Hurricanes jumped out to a 3 - 0 lead. The defense tightened up and with a couple of key hits the Rangers walked away with a 5 - 4 lead and a #1 seed.  Sunday morning started off with a 12 - 2 win over Grand Slam then the excitement started. The semi-final put the Rangers up against the San Antonio Toritos, the #1 ranked American Super Series team. The Toritos got off to a quick start in the first inning when their clean-up hitter depostied a 3 run homer over the right field fence, he would hit a 2 run shot over the left field fence in the fourth allowing them to head to the 6th with a 7 - 5 lead. Apparently the fat lady hadn't sung yet, in the bottom of the Ranger Offense went SINGLE - DOUBLE - WALK - STRIKE OUT - SINGLE - SINGLE - GAME WINNING SINGLE BY Nick Skeffington. The win put the Rangers in the Championship Game against the San Antonio Titans, also ranked in Super Series.  Early it looked like the Rangers were going to continue the streak they started on Saturday night as they scored 2 in the first, 1 in the second, and another in the third. Unfortunately the offense shut down after that and the Rangers entered the top of the 6th with 4 - 2 lead. A couple of walks and a couple of errors cracked the door allowing the Titans to stick their foot in it. The Titans made the most of the opportunity, taking a 6 - 4 lead in to the bottom half of the inning and holding on to win the tournament. It was a great tournament for the Rangers all the way around as they scored 49 runs in the tournament while giving up only 19. Not bad for the first road trip of the year.

It was a frigid February morning, but the Rangers started off with a bang.  Despite gail-force winds and a 20 degree chill factor, the Rangers didn't want to be denied victory on their first game of the season which was against the Coppell Cowboys. They hung tight and defeated the Cowboys 9-4.  Playing a double-header in the biting cold wind, proved a little more difficult as the Rangers played their second game against the Dallas Royals. Even though the Rangers played well, the Royals edged over the frozen Rangers 6-4. "Today was not a good day to play baseball. However, we played well.  We are really even more excited about seeing the boys play in normal baseball conditions instead of football weather" Coach Brown Said.  When the day was over, the team seeded 4th out of the 11 team field, and will play Sunday morning at 10 am at Valley Ridge Park.  The wind is forecasted to subside, so come on out, Ranger fans, and cheer on your favorite Ranger!

RANGERS RECEIVE SCHEDULE FOR METROPLEX OPENER!

 The Rangers will open their season against a tough Coppell Cowboys followed by the Dallas Royals! Coach Brown said "I can't wait to see what these young men can do! They have worked so hard to keep up the Ranger tradition of winning, and I think they have!" The Rangers will start their 2009 play at 8:00am Saturday morning against the Coppell Cowboys in what will be a test of baseball skills and a endurance of Texas weather! Good Luck Rangers and Ranger Fans need to come out in force to cheer your favorite Ranger on!

The Rangers are preparing for the 2009 USSSA Metroplex Opener NIT to be held this coming weekend.  After practicing hard for the past few weeks, it's always nice to get back into a game situation and see how the boys are progessing.  Evaluating the team through hosting scrimmages the last couple of weeks, the Rangers appear to be on target for another successful season.  Good Luck, Rangers! We'll see you on the ballfield, dressed in the red, white & blue! Click on the GPBBI picture link for more information on the tournament and brackets.

The North Texas Rangers are proud to announce a new partnership with the Davis Skill Center located in South Arlington on the Mansfield line, which will become the Rangers' new indoor home. The facility seems like the perfect match for the Rangers, offering both team and individual practice facilities as well as professional instruction. Facility manager Allen Davis and staff have extended a big welcome to the Rangers who will begin practicing there this week. Allen graduated from Red Oak High School before going to Northwestern State University. After being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Allen played 10 years of professional baseball before retiring in 2007 and taking over the Skill Center. The Rangers look forward to this new partnership, and are also looking forward to a competitive 2009 season.

The Rangers placed 1st in the Cedar Hill Baseball 12 Open USSSA King of the Hill Tournament benefitting the Cedar Hill Food Pantry - Congratulations, boys for a job well done!

NORTH TEXAS RANGERS WIN 11U D1 TRIPLE CROWN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

NORTH TEXAS RANGERS RUNNER-UP IN TARA SAWYER

RANGERS INTRODUCE NEW LOGO

(Click on logo for larger view)

                                                              
                       God grant me wisdom,                                         When I help younger players,       
                       to tell a strike from a ball,                                     let me always give praise, 
                       to know where to throw                                       so they'll see you in me,
                       and never to fall.                                                   in all of my ways.

                       Keep me always in the base line,                       God please guide our coach,
                       running straight and true                                     to be fair and smart,
                       and I'll look for your sign,                                     to teach us to be good,
                       to stretch one into two.                                         let it come from his heart.

                       God give me vision,                                               Let me take a loss,
                       to see every pitch,                                                 just as well as a win,
                       so if a player needs help,                                     to do any less, 
                       then I will see which.                                            is surely a sin.

                       Let me always hustle,                                           As long as I can play,
                       so I'll be at my best                                               let me make my parents proud,
                       and take pride in myself,                                     as proud as I am,
                       in sports and the rest.                                          when they yell MY name out loud.

                       God give me strength,                                          However my games end,
                       when I throw the ball                                            let me always have fun
                       when I'm far from home plate,                            and if Heaven has All Stars,
                       or against the wall.                                               I want to be one. 

                       So I never miss a base,                                        When my games here are over
                       please guide my feet,                                           and my seasons are done,
                       bring me home safely,                                         let me play on your team
                       so my job is complete.                                         just like your son.

                                                                                                                            Amen

 I used to have a normal life. (Actually, my friends and family say the  sentence should say, "I used to have a life", period.) It doesn't really seem all that long ago... Then I became the mother of a  baseball player.

 I used to think anything over $40 was an exorbitant price for a  baseball bat and say things like "I'm never paying that much for a  glove!" Now the contents of my son's equipment bag are worth more than everything else in the house -- clothes, jewelry, watches, and computers.

 I used to work 8-5 and think I was over-worked and under-paid. Then I quit work so my children could have a full time maid, nanny, and chauffer and now I often think 8-5 wasn't so bad. Now my husband Charlie is the sole bread winner in the family. (You have to keep a good paycheck coming in if you want to support a baseball habit!)

 I used to look for little restaurants that served seafood fresh off the boat. Now I'm a connoisseur of nachos and hot dogs and rate a city by the quality of their baseball fields' concession stand!

 Sunflower seeds used to be something I would see at a store and think "Who eats those things?" Now I know who eats them because they're every where! In every pants pocket, in the washing machine, all over the car...

 My lawn used to be like a carpet. I had plants and pretty flowers in the yard and in pots. The grass was green and mowed. Now I have bare spots 50 feet apart, artificial plants and flowers, and dents in every thing around the house that can't move out of the way of a fastball!

 My car used to draw admiring looks. It was clean, waxed, and shiny.  Now it only draws attention when it wins the "dirtiest car" prize and the kids write "Wash Me" in the rear glass. After we load the bat bag, the lawn chairs, the umbrellas (just in case it rains), the blankets (it gets cool when the sun goes down), the coolers, and the water bottles, there's barely room for us.

 I used to have a 2-car carport, now I have a covered batting area, poles to wrap the hit-away round, and I'm lucky if I can fit the  front of my Expedition in at least far enough to keep the front seat  in the shade or me from getting wet when I get out. If I can get out,  I get to
 climb over whatever ball equipment, hitting machine, ball  bag, and/or cleats are stored under the carport to keep them from  getting wet.

 My friends and I used to spend time talking about the new outfit we bought or movie we had just seen. Now I bore them to death with detailed play-by-play descriptions of five or six ball games.

 My summer wardrobe used to consist of breezy little sun dresses in bright colors, strappy little sandals, and the occasional frilly  shirt.  Now I have a closet full of the coolest, thinnest shirts I can  wear without being arrested, the most comfortable shoes I can find,  and T-shirts that have baseball team names on the front and competing  teams on the back.

 We used to spend our summer vacation relaxing on the beach. Now I have no vacation, we hit the road with other parents in a caravan that  could rival some small town parades.

 I used to be concerned that I would fall into the trap of living my life through my children. Now I know that I'm privileged to live my life WITH my children!!! Yes, I'm a Baseball Mom and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Of course, in July when it's 110 degrees in the shade and I’m spending my only summer vacation at the World Series, REMIND ME OF THAT!
(Author Unknown)