BOYS OF SUMMER:.
Cole Ruddell (left), Cameron Haynes (centre) and field manager Cameron Boyd get ready to toss the ball around during the Muskoka Hornets baseball tryouts on Saturday.
TAMARA DE LA VEGA
HUNTSVILLE - On Saturday, the Muskoka Hornets held its first tryouts for its three 2012 select teams.
Interest in the program continues to grow, with 35 or so players out for the Saturday workouts. In a sign the program is truly a Muskoka project, there were even a half dozen players trying out from the Parry Sound area.
In 2012, the Hornets will field three select teams, one for mosquito (2001 to 2002 birth year), one for peewee (1999 to 2000), and one for bantam (1997 to 1998). While management of the Hornets was concerned about participation from the older bantams (it is hard to get players to start playing competitive baseball at age 14), turnout for the bantam tryout was enough to ensure a team for 2012.
The next tryouts for the Hornets will be Saturday, April 21 at the gym at Pine Glen School on West Road in Huntsville. The mosquito tryout will start at 10 a.m., peewees at noon and bantams at 2 p.m. All interested players are welcome to attend and there is no charge for the tryout.
Of note, the Hornets are looking for more players for the young mosquito team. It is imperative the program has teams at all age groups for proper development and continuity as players graduate through the different age groups.
For more information on the Hornets program, please see the program website at www.hornetsbaseball.ca or call Peter Haynes at 416-944-5385 or email at peter.haynes@tdsecurities.com.
Separately, the minor peewee rep team started its exhibition schedule on the weekend with two controlled scrimmages with Barrie. While the locals lost both games, the team looks very strong heading into its move up to rep in 2012, particularly ace lefty Logan McKnight, who threw hitless ball in two innings of work.
Next up for the Hornet minor peewees is a round-robin exhibition next Sunday with two Toronto-based teams in the loop, Bloordale and Leaside.
— submitted by the Muskoka Hornets Baseball Club