HVA STORM Baseball - D'Angelo

Alicia Perdue Hall

Sharing a great story

A little snippet from my weekend I thought I'd share. I love baseball. I love being at the park. If you dont know I assign umpires , not on a huge level or anything.......youth ball, travel ball, a little high school stuff here and there. I'm always at a park.....like...... ALWAYS at some park somewhere. It's not some fly by night hobby or something to do every now and then.....I live eat and breathe baseball and everything that comes with baseball. I'm also an avid "keep calm and baseball on" guy. Nothing disgusts me more than drama at a youth sporting event....whether its harassing the umpires, coaches bickering, fans going at each other......if you do this at a YOUTH baseball , softball, football, basketball game....I do not like you at all. My take on it is this......for 90 minutes or 6 innings which ever comes first (my umpire voice).....these kids are super heroes.....they are in awesome uniforms with their buddies, the crowd is there for them......someone has paid umpires to come work their game....theres a lineup card with their name and number hanging in the dugout......they have a position to defend in the field against the dallas tigers, or texas raiders, or ntx outlaws, or the prospects or whoever they are playing that day. Its them vs another group of kids that probably feel the same way. For 90 minutes no matter what may be going on at home, or school or in their personal life away from field 5 at whatever randomn park they're at.......they are baseball players. Its pretty cool stuff. To spoil that day even for 5 minutes, with pointless bickering, arguing, WHINING, complaining is beyond my comprehension......its border line child abuse...psychologically.

I had an umpire pretty much give up after this past weekend. Dude was supposed to go to a easter egg hunt with his kid on Saturday, but really needed the money so he had to make a tough decision and take the games. Bills dont stop. He has a real job too. Works over 40 hours a week, but kids, a home, lights, food arent cheap. Most of us that do this arent doctors and lawyers. Its a great way to supplement your income, make pretty good bread plus you're at a baseball field. By game 5 of his day, his partner tells me "i think _______ is done, they been giving it to him all day" "they" of course, being the "fans" and a few coaches that will remain nameless.

I go talk to my umpire and you can see in his eyes he's done. He's not happy to be there. I let him go home and I cover his games.

I quickly see what hes been having to deal with. But if you know me, you know I dont do the bs, two quick ejections.....warranted ejections, after screaming at my field umpire, storming off the field like you're stone cold steve austin, then going nose to nose with me on me on a judgement call that didnt go your way.......followed by all 7 of your coaches rushing the field like its the beaches of normandy.....you got to go.

Broke my spirit too. I didnt want to be there. I dont see the reasoning behind being so unrelentingly angry over a childs game. No matter what happens outside of your child being assaulted or threatened. Its just a baseball game. Things dont always go your way.

I finished the day. Championship game was AWESOME. Kids fought hard. Coaches were great as always. But i was honestly still a little upset with how the whole day played out prior.

Then out of the corner of my eye some kid came running up, not a player in the game, but the coaches son.....he says whats up blue with the biggest smile he could give. I knew this kid, ive been calling a few of his games a year for about the past 3 years.....not many, maybe 3 or 4 a year, but I have kinda watched him grow up from a 9 year old to 11/12 year old. Great player....always happy to be on the field, works so hard when he plays and I think we always kinda had a mutual respect for each other in a player/ump way. Made my freaking day.........in a split second I wanted to be back at the park doing what I love.

Just remember why we're there. Not for us. Try to control yourselves at the park, make it a fun place to be. Cheer your kids on, relax and enjoy the day. I know sometimes umpires can be the worst, put yourself in their shoes......but hey they're being paid!!!!! Look, I've called Joe West 95 times, he has no clue who I am and he isnt coming to call your games for 40-45$......you get Frank...who loves what he does and loves umpiring, but probably isnt as good as Joe West. Cut the dude some slack, adjust, coach, but most importantly remember you have 22-24 sets of 9, 10, 11 year old eyes watching you when you lose your mind at a baseball field. Be better. Be a good example.

Storm 12U D'Angelo - June 2018 in Cooperstown, NY.

The boys played great baseball again this weekend. The USSSA Super NIT was the best competition they have faced this fall. 1-1 Saturday and dropped a tough one run loss to STIX today. I want to congratulate the boys for keeping the best ATTITUDE & EFFORT this fall. Keep working hard.

Storm -D'Angelo played great baseball today. Beat C3 Futures then played STIX Black in 9 inning back and forth dual. Both teams played great and the coaches are super proud of this team.

1-1 today in Toys for Tots TCS Championships. Great start. Let's do it Sunday.

HVA Storm - D'Angelo 12U Major team. The boys have started the fall season very well and are looking forward to playing in the TCS Toys for Tots Fall Championships tournament at Oak Grove Grapevine. Good luck this weekend to an awesome group of boys.

TCS - Pool And Bracket Information

The Storm-D'Angelo 11U Major team out of Highland Village is looking to add boys now to grow our team for the fall 12U season. We are a program with a winning tradition built to prepare boys for high school baseball. Our coaching staff has been together for 9 seasons, teaching fundamentals, hard work, discipline and teamwork. We will play an eighty (80) game yearly tournament schedule with one major travel tournament to NY the spring of 2018, PM coach Tom D'Angelo to schedule a private tryout.

ATTITUDE & EFFORT

TCS World Series Roundup 11U Major Champions. Great ex*****on boys, congratulations. Keep up all the hard work and continue the ride.

https://www.triplecrownsports.com/Classic/EventResults/showbrackets.asp?tournyid=7565&divisionid=2069

Follow Storm 11U Major - D'Angelo Tom D'Angelo this Memorial Day weekend. Playing TCS Div 1, best teams in Texas. Support, ask, join the team. GO STORM

Attitude & Effort