As part of the Kidsports program Pleasant Hill and South Eugene were selected through playoffs to compete in the JBO State Championship Tournament where they played in the Junior Baseball Organization Midget division for age 10 and under.

July 15th – 18th the State Championship was held at North Clackamas Park near Portland, Oregon. What a great experience this was for these young baseball players to compete against the best teams in the state of Oregon.

Win or lose a team that has been chosen to play for the JBO State Championship has already proven by their selection that they are among Oregon’s best baseball players in their age group.

The State Championship is a memorable experience for these youngsters. Traveling as a team to play in the tournament, the camaraderie among the players and a few harmless pranks seemed to add to the fun of the players. Swimming in the motel pool during breaks may not seem big to many but was a real treat for our kids for in the Pleasant Hill area swimming pools are few and far between.

While neither Pleasant Hill or South Eugene took the 2010 state championship, Lane County, Oregon can be proud of these two fine teams.

While 2011 may seem far away, Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth Baseball encourages youth baseball players in our area to participate when our next Spring baseball season rolls around.

Going into the Kidsports playoffs both the Warriors and Running Billies were undefeated during the Kidsports JBO season.

Several of the players on the Creswell Warriors team played on teams with the Pleasant Hill Running Billies and other Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth teams during the spring season making the playoffs an exciting game.

Both the Warriors and Running Billies now advance to the JBO State Tournament. The Running Billies said, “Congratulations  Warriors but don’t get too comfortable with your win for we will meet again!”

June 19-20, 2010 a team composed of players from the Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth 13 and 14 teams played in the Bobby Doerr Baseball Classic.

The team faced a challenging lineup over the 2 day tournament. While they may not have placed 1st they can certainly be proud of their 3rd Place Championship in the 14U division. 1st place went to Oregon Select and 2nd Place Willamette Valley Prep 13 All-Stars.

Pleasant Hill families are proud of our youth baseball players and coaches. All of you are doing a great job. We look forward to following you players as you continue in Babe Ruth or move into High School baseball.

photos by Laura Williamson  More Photos Click Here

Pictured Front Row: Bryson McDonald, Justin Oljace. Middle Row: Chase Olson, Clay Weiss, Davyd Kirkhart, Kyle Bowen, Hayden Kuhnhausen, William Downs. Back Row: Preston White, Lane Hardy, Charlie Updegrave, Zach VanLoon. Coaches Dustin White, Tim Bowen and Brian McDonald

Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth AAA Team Gold has had a busy and rewarding year playing Babe Ruth – Cal Ripken baseball as have the other PHBR teams.

June 19-20, 2010 Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth AAA  Team  Gold(+/- a few players from other PHBR teams) placed 2nd in the 12U division at the Oakland, Oregon Tournament.

The Oakland Tournament was a Majors Tournament with most of the baseball players age 11-12. The Pleasant Hill players were age 9-11. Great job boys!

Thanks to the dedication of the PHBR players and coaches we have seen the youth baseball program and players getting better and better each year.

There is no doubt that 1st place championships await our PHBR players. Pleasant Hill fans and families will be following our players the remainder of this year and next year.

Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth serves the areas of Oakridge, Creswell, Lowell, Cottage Grove, Dexter, Jasper, Pleasant Hill and surrounding areas. We have some very talented athletes in this area and some great coaches.

Congratulation players and coaches for the great job you have done and continue to do. We look forward to seeing you at the Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth – Cal Ripken Spring Baseball sign-ups in 2011 or before.

Pictured: Coach Dustin White, with Pleasant Hill students Chase Olson, Bryson McDonald, Lane Hardy, Clay Weiss, Justin Oljace

photos by Denise Renee Olson
Martha Hardy, team reporter

The Pleasant Hill Running Billies played 6 hard fought games during this tournament losing one game by a single score. On Saturday the Pleasant Hill Running Billies won games against the Cascade Cougars, Eugene Crushers and the Springfield Millers (Hoffman).

The Pleasant Hill Running Billies started off Sunday morning with a 3-0 record and won against the Thurston Colts XL. In the afternoon PHBR lost to the JC Red Sox resulting in a Game for 3rd or 4th against Sheldon Irish LL who had lost against the WVBR All-Stars.

At the bottom of the 4th the Billies were down 8-1. Like the team that they are they pulled themselves back together and fought like Marines using every technique they had practiced so hard and kept their head in the game.

In the next two innings the Running Billies scored 10 runs and in the bottom of the 6th the Pleasant Hill Running Billies won against the Sheldon taking 3rd place in the 10 and under Gold Division with Sheldon Irish taking 4th.

The Pleasant Hill Running Billies team players starting with the front row left to right: Seth Hensley-Weinheimer, Collin Good, Dylan Miller, Brady lane. Second row: Torey Gage-Tomlinson, Tanner Maryanski, Brandon Good, Preston Paparo, Colton Baker, Tyler Cook and Kaleb Miller. The coaches left to right: Kirk Miller, Forest Tomlinson, Chad Good and Leigh Baker.

10U Gold
1st place – Willamette Valley 10U All-Star A
2nd Place – JC Red Sox
3rd Place – Pleasant Hill Running Billies

10U Silver
1st Place – Willamette AAA
2nd Place – Creswell (This team had several PHBR players on it.)
3rd Place – Springfield Millers (Deller)

Speaking for Pleasant Hill coaches and families we are certainly proud of our Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth youth baseball players. In this tournament the Running Billies demonstrated to all of us if you keep on going when things get tough you are a winner.

Terry Weinheimer, team reporter

At the opening ceremonies a United States Color Guard presents the flags of the United States flag and the Marine Corps flag. The Color Guard is flanked by two Marine rifle-bearers. This opening ceremony shows honor to our country and those that have died to preserve our freedoms.

Born April 7,1918 in Los Angeles, California Bobby Doerr played his entire 14 year major league career for the Boston Red Sox. Later he became a scout and a coach for the Boston Red Sox.

The Bobby Doerr Classic has 3 divisions – 10 and under, 12 and under, and 14 and under. This year Pleasant Hill baseball players played in three 10 and under teams including the Pleasant Hill Running Billies, Pleasant Hill Rookie Major, and Creswell Warrior’s which had a number of players on their team that play PHBR during the season. Pleasant Hill also had one team in each the 12 and under and 14 and under.

What a fun and exciting weekend the Bobby Doerr Classic is and thank you Mr. Doerr for taking the time to come out and make this such a memorable event not only for the Pleasant Hill baseball players but for all baseball players, coaches and families that participate in this event.

Photos for your enjoyment

See Photographs of game

June 13^th the Pleasant Hill Major Minor team came in 2^nd in the Willamette Valley Babe Ruth League Playoffs, Eugene Sheldon number 1 and Eugene Willamette number 3.

There is some stiff competition in Willamette Valley Babe Ruth.  While the Pleasant Hill players were disappointed that they did not take first place they can be extremely proud of themselves as are their families and fans.

The Major Minor team may not have that big trophy in their showcase this year though they do have some wonderful memories to carry forward into next year’s 2011 season. The little community of Pleasant Hill and the surrounding areas that comprise our teams have some talented and dedicated players.  The Willamette Valley Babe Ruth teams will once again be playing against teams that not only play harder but also play with strategy, the support of their family and fans and the attitude of winners.

Congratulations Pleasant Hill Major Minor on a fine season. In fact congratulations are in order for all Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken teams.

Have a terrific summer with your summer league teams, tournaments, camps or vacations. We look forward to seeing all of you Pleasant Hill, Oregon Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken players back in 2011.

Pleasant Hill vs. Willamette photos

Pleasant Hill vs. Sheldon photos

Sports is an environment dominated by an athlete’s physical skills. But the mental aspect of every athlete on how they behave in every game goes undefined.

Sport mental is the process of practicing a skill in the mind before physically carrying out that skill. It encompasses drive and stability as well as self-esteem and the ability to control confidence. Even endurance is a mental skill. The athlete’s ability to focus on something other than pain, for example, is a mental skill that is critical to keep the fight going.

Research shows that successful teams places major emphasis on the mental aspect of the game and the goal setting skills of their student-athletes. As coaches continue to assess, plan and organize their athletic teams, they recognize the critical role mental attitudes play in the success of their teams on the playing field and in the classroom. They understand that no matter how much talent the team possesses or how money is spent on equipment and physical training, an athlete’s full potential cannot be attained with just an average mental strength.

Many coaches, therapists, parents and sport psychologists embrace the idea of mental toughness or sport mental. They may know what is in the hearts of their athletes but who knows what is in their heads? A good training for any athlete focuses and concentrates on their mental and physical alertness.

There are also many complimentary factors that are necessary to attain the full potential of mental toughness in sports.

Drive
There are children who are so amazed with sports that most parents find it hard to understand their behavior at a very young age. Most parents take them as nuisance when they are always active and want to play. They play by themselves or imagine themselves playing with someone else and create a make believe situations in which they always ends up winning the game. These children are born with inherent drive to compete and most likely have an inherent mental skill that needs to be honed. They are most likely the ones who grow up to be an athlete.

Passion
Love and devotion for the game in pursuit of excellence, that is what sport passion is. Not all athletes are born with it. Those that possess that characteristic become great players and drivers of their teams. They have that fierce focus to compete and win.

Stability
The field of sports is very demanding. An athlete who doesn’t have the quality of flexibility to cope with stress related training and competition will not succeed. The one who has patience and tolerance in life and in sports have the highest percentage of making it.

Positive Attitude
Exceptional athletes have a positive attitude. They do not mind defeat instead they train better for the next game and don’t stop until the team wins. No pessimist can thrive in sports, as sports have a way of washing away those who think about defeat.

In the end, it’s not who starts the game; it’s who can finish it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_T_Herman

In  way too many games it has been attitude and body language over skill that has won or lost many games.

As youth baseball players, coaches and family we must learn to control and use attitude and body language to our advantage if we are to win not only in baseball but also in life.

I would like to share with you part of an article from The New York Times, Language of Losing Team? Read Their Bodies This article discusses the body language of the Giants when they blew a 21-0 lead against the Tennessee Titans.

Tonya Reiman and Maxine Lucille Fiel do not know much about football, but they are fluent in body language, one of many areas in which the Giants have appeared suspect recently.

Flailing arms and shrugging shoulders and drooping chins were on display in the fourth quarter Sunday, when the Giants blew a 21-0 lead against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville and lost for the third time in a row, 24-21.

”It’s like they all needed a B-12 shot,” Fiel said yesterday after watching tape of the game. ”It’s like nobody was home.”

Reiman and Fiel noticed Coach Tom Coughlin crossing his arms. In their playbook, that was a defensive posture. They saw quarterback Eli Manning biting his lower lip and said that was a sign of regret. They watched the Giants’ players bowing their heads when they were still way ahead.

”Even when they were winning, their body language wasn’t all that good,” Reiman said. ”They seem to have a defeatist attitude. You see disagreement and restrained anger. There’s not a lot of communication among them.”

Reiman and Fiel usually analyze politicians and celebrities. They dissected a Giants game tape that was provided by The New York Times. Reiman, a public speaker based on Long Island, has evaluated Terrell Owens, the Dallas Cowboys’ fiery receiver. Fiel, a writer and consultant based in Queens, has evaluated baseball players, golfers and the racehorse Funny Cide.

”This is extremely important in sports,” Reiman said, referring to body language. ”If you’re trying to work together, you need some kind of rapport. You show rapport through body language.”

Read Entire Article from The New York Times