Travel baseball supplements Little League

The Eastern Maine Eagles traveling baseball team for 9- and 10-year-olds is designed to supplement local Little Leagues. The program is helping players further develop baseball-related skills and serves a local need.

“Although travel baseball is played in many other parts of the United States and travel teams are available to Bangor-area kids in other sports such as hockey, basketball and soccer, travel baseball has not previously been played … by preteen players in the Bangor area,” co-coach and founder Jim Moore said in a press release.

The independent travel baseball team schedules games and tournaments during the weekends. The season runs from May through August, according to Moore, and the team plays games against Little League all-star and AAU teams in Maine and Massachusetts.

Moore and David DeLaite co-founded and coach the 11-player team.

“We called local all-star coaches in the area and they recommended these players,” Moore said, “and we now have players from six different Little Leagues. We sought a level of competition that was greater than any local league could provide. It’s a very talented group of players.”

Moore emphasized that the team is hoping to support Little League efforts by giving younger players more playing time, but the team tries to avoid scheduling conflicts.

“This team was created to supplement the local Little League programs, which are outstanding and provide more time to play,” he said.

“It’s helping this age group particularly, because [in Little League] 11- to 12-year-olds get more playing time than 9- to 10-year-olds, so this helps [the younger players] with pitching and hitting skills because they get more playing time, ” Moore added.

It’s also helping the players develop friendships.

“It’s great,” Moore said. “They’ve made new friends from different communities. The opportunity to spend weekends together has allowed for greater team bonding. Kids are getting along well – and families are making new friends. It’s a whole new network.”

Moore said the players’ families are committed and have been very enthusiastic and supportive.

The team uses fundraisers to pay for travel expenses.

“We are very pleased with the generous support of people in community,” Moore said, “and the kids worked hard to achieve it.”

Next year Moore is hoping to add 11- to 12-year-old and 13- to 14-year-old teams. They also plan to travel to New York for a tournament.

The players are Logan Rogerson, Ryan Hoogterp, Jordan Dysart, Ryan Moore, Drew Powell, Thomas Archambault, Liam Reading, Eric Hoogterp, Nicholas Moore, Trevor DeLaite and Corbin Sherman.