Put me in, coach!
By JANE NORDBERG, DMG WriterArticle Photos
Not for a Battle of the Bands contest, but for the opening ceremonies of the Portage Lake Little League.
About 300 boys and girls from 33 teams processed entered the ball field, where they stood proudly behind their sponsor’s signs.
“We sponsor a team every year,” said Butch Paavola, representing the South Range VFW 6165. Sponsorship runs $250 annually, he said, but it’s something the group feels is important.
“When it’s for kids, it’s hard not to help out,” he said.
Once out on the field, players got brand spanking new ball caps from their coaches, which they hurried to put on, take off, bend, and repeat.
Alex Hill, a 12-year-old catcher for the Hancock Bottling team, said coach John Bostwick and assistant coach Ron Peryam were doing a pretty good job.
“It’s fun, and they make sure we know the fundamentals,” Hill said.
And what made the Hancock Bottling team the best team in the league?
“I’m on it,” Hill said.
As Hill’s teammates debated his assertion, Peryam quieted them down quickly so that player McKenzie Hietala could sing the national anthem. Members of the Hancock High School Junior ROTC color guard processed in formation onto the field while coaches reminded players to remove the caps they had just received.
Players then recited the Little League pledge, which stresses the importance of fair play and doing one’s best.
Parents, watching from behind the dugout and fence, also recited their own pledge, which included supporting the team and its managers, as well as the decisions of the umpires.
“Yes, I did say the pledge,” confirmed Kamaljit Puri of Houghton, whose 6-year-old son, Abhijeet, is entering his inaugural year with the Timber Rattlers. “I will be very supportive.”
Kamaljit said his son, who also swims, plays soccer and does Aikido, was very excited about his first year in Little League.
“It was his idea to join,” he said. “This is his learning phase, and it seems he is interested in many things. I hope he will have fun.”
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
