KC Dodgers

Sometimes, an organization does not realize its own strengths until it faces adversity. Anyone who has glanced up at the sky or down at a puddle over the past week knows that we have had incredible amounts of rain lately. As recently as Wednesday afternoon (7/9/03), standing water occupied the infield positions usually patrolled by our 13 and 14 year olds. Weather and field conditions like that would paralyze most youth baseball organizations. But not Kyle Chapman Pony League. On this bleak, wet, overcast Thursday afternoon, the K.C. 14 year old all star team took its preparations for the upcoming District Tournament on the road to Sharpstown High School. While the baseball field was mired in muck, the football field had excellent drainage and provided a venue for infield and outfield practice. The Sharpstown H.S. batting cages and bullpen were dry enough to allow batting and pitching practice to continue, even under the adverse circumstances presented. Virtually every player on the team was present. About ½ hour into the practice, lightning bolts were hurled all about the field. Thunder reverberated off of the outfield fences. Sheets of hard, pelting rain soaked the fields and everyone on them. Did those conditions stop the K.C. juggernaut? Of course not. The players and coaches wrung out their t-shirts, gathered in a dugout and continued their tournament preparation with a dugout skull session about signs, baserunning, and situation fielding. Finally, the rains subsided and allowed hitting, pitching and fielding practice to continue for an additional hour. The team's hard work and efficient preparation under the conditions presented demonstrates the players' dedication to Kyle Chapman Pony League. Special tips of the hat to dugout coaches Jay Dushkin, Mike Winner and Nick Ozuna, and parent coaches Bennie Cernoch, Charlie West, Glenn Robichau, Cliff Gibson, Tom Triche, and Mike Morris, for making it possible for a successful team practice in the newly-formed swamps of southwest Houston. Kudos to the K.C. moms who were left to deal with soaked socks, saturated cleats, muddy pants and juicy jerseys after a rain, sweat and mud filled practice experience. Even a member of the K.C. 13 year old team lent a helping hand and caught in the bullpen to allow all of the K.C. pitchers to get their practice in. Meanwhile, about a mile to the northeast, another hearty band of Kyle Chapman parents and volunteers were hard at work preparing the field for this weekend's director's tournament. Extra special thank-you's to Bill Lamont, Dave Carney, Ted Harris, and Tom Triche, for doing everything humanly possible to have the fields playable for the district tournament, which begins tomorrow (Friday) evening. The next time someone asks you about K.C. spirit, tell them about a certain rain soaked summer afternoon in Southwest Houston, and all the people who came together through hard work and sacrifice. That will tell them everything they need to know about Kyle Chapman Pony League.