Seasoned stars
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Today, the best of the best will meet on the diamond.
Two recreation leagues will come to a close tonight with the annual Dixie Youth and Minor All-Star games.
On each of the four teams will be two to three players from around the respective leagues that were voted on the All-Star teams by the coaches of the league, according o the Youth Sports Coordinator, David Dickey.
For Dixie Youth, the two teams will be identified as East and West with players
For the East, the 14 players selected are Charles Allen, Hunter Blackmon, Bradley Blair, Perry Bunn, Blake Childs, Christopher Farrar, Dalton Faulkner, HT Fountain, Morgan Hutchinson, Tommy Price, Carter Ray, Bailey Singleton, John Steele and Ty Witherington.
The West team will be made up of Andrew Arrant, Samuel Bland, Andrew Chance, Marquese Christian, Jacovey Jones, Jack LaBrant, Even rose, Cole Sanders, Morgan Sullivan, Trae Sullivant, Curtis Thomas, Brandon Williams, Jabronski Williams and Tobias Youngblood.
One of the coaches for the West will be Miami Hurricanes’ head coach Ricky Henderson, who will be making his third appearance as a coach in the All-Star game.
“It is always an honor to be a part of the game,” he said. “And I am very glad to do it.”
“Each of these kids worked hard to get here and they are all deserving of a spot,” the coach added.
Henderson said there is one important factor to the game – everyone has fun.
“That’s what it is all about,” he said. “We want the kids to do their best and perform at a high level but we just want them all to have a fun time.”
On the opposing side, Alan Blackmon will be coaching the East team.
“I think every one is looking forward to it,” he said.
“This is really a reward for the kids. They are going to be playing different positions from that they are used to playing, so that will be fun to watch.”
The other game of the All-Star double-header will take place between the American and National teams of the Dixie Minor League.
Like the Youth League All-Star game, each of the teams will consist of multiple players from teams in the league, with both All-Star teams have 13 players on them.
Selected players for the American team are Austin Allen, Seth Arrington, Caremon Bush, Christian Clark, Jordan Dixon, Brady Fuller, Harrison Johnson, Sawyer McKenzie, Cason Murphree, Lil’Cedric Rumph, Mitchell Rushing, Tyler Tyson and Zack Williams.
Those selected for the National team are Tyler Davis, Dalton Earles, William Green, Ridge Knotts, Clay LaBrant, Jahzarian Lampley, Matthew Morrow, Taten Phillips, Payton Robinson, Hunter Steed, Jared Wilson, Logan Wilson and Stewart Wilson.
Jay Wilson will be one of the managers for the National team and said, like Henderson and Blackmon, there is one main objective for the kids.
“We just want the kids to have fun.
“I am looking forward to it,” he said. “It is a reward for them all to be on these teams and playing with some of the other good players from the league.
“The only thing I am going to tell them before the game starts is to have a good time,” Wilson added.