Town baseball player hopes to make it more of a home run
Thursday, 3rd May 2012.
Suffolk will once again have a baseball team in 2013 if a new club in Haverhill goes ahead.
The team, provisionally called the Haverhill Red Sox, is being set up to play adult baseball (participants are aged 14 or over) in the BBF A League and would play against teams from Chelmsford, Waltham Abbey, Enfield, Finsbury Park, Hemel Hempstead, Richmond, Guildford, Tonbridge and Brighton.
Steven Esdale, who has played, coached and worked behind the scenes for Braintree Rays baseball club for more than seven years, is looking to either relocate the team to Haverhill from Braintree or start afresh.
“Almost everyone I see doesn’t realise that baseball is played in the UK, let alone that there are leagues to play in," he said.
“It’s so easy to get into. I first got into it having watched it on TV and then looked for teams near where I live in Haverhill. I watched Braintree play, thought I could get near that level with some training and the rest is history. Within a year I was a regular starter and I’m still developing new skills now.
“You don’t even need to have any knowledge of the game or be particularly fit or athletic to play, although it does help. It’s also a sport that’s that little bit ‘different’.”
The British Baseball Federation (BBF) currently governs four adult leagues in the UK consisting of 10 'pools' or divisions and 58 teams from around the country.
These teams play between ten and more than 30 games a season between mid April and mid September. There are also leagues for players aged 10-13 and 14-16 with the BBF hoping to set up teams and leagues in secondary schools, colleges and universities in the future.
Esdale is hoping that recruitment will be strong.
“I’m looking to make everyone close to Haverhill aware of the new team, especially via secondary schools and colleges, RAF bases, newspapers, magazines, Suffolk Sport, rugby clubs, cricket clubs, hockey clubs, tennis clubs, Leisure Centres, radio and television.”
“I’m also hoping to get in contact with some supermarkets and shopping centres nearby to set up a stall and make consumers aware of this excellent opportunity.
"It’s a fantastic sport to get involved in and there is a distinct absence of entry level adult teams in the area with the nearest being over 30 miles away in Chelmsford.”
For further information please contact Steven Esdale at sesdale@yahoo.co.uk or in the evening on 01440 704049 or 07811 030564.
The team, provisionally called the Haverhill Red Sox, is being set up to play adult baseball (participants are aged 14 or over) in the BBF A League and would play against teams from Chelmsford, Waltham Abbey, Enfield, Finsbury Park, Hemel Hempstead, Richmond, Guildford, Tonbridge and Brighton.
Steven Esdale, who has played, coached and worked behind the scenes for Braintree Rays baseball club for more than seven years, is looking to either relocate the team to Haverhill from Braintree or start afresh.
“Almost everyone I see doesn’t realise that baseball is played in the UK, let alone that there are leagues to play in," he said.
“It’s so easy to get into. I first got into it having watched it on TV and then looked for teams near where I live in Haverhill. I watched Braintree play, thought I could get near that level with some training and the rest is history. Within a year I was a regular starter and I’m still developing new skills now.
“You don’t even need to have any knowledge of the game or be particularly fit or athletic to play, although it does help. It’s also a sport that’s that little bit ‘different’.”
The British Baseball Federation (BBF) currently governs four adult leagues in the UK consisting of 10 'pools' or divisions and 58 teams from around the country.
These teams play between ten and more than 30 games a season between mid April and mid September. There are also leagues for players aged 10-13 and 14-16 with the BBF hoping to set up teams and leagues in secondary schools, colleges and universities in the future.
Esdale is hoping that recruitment will be strong.
“I’m looking to make everyone close to Haverhill aware of the new team, especially via secondary schools and colleges, RAF bases, newspapers, magazines, Suffolk Sport, rugby clubs, cricket clubs, hockey clubs, tennis clubs, Leisure Centres, radio and television.”
“I’m also hoping to get in contact with some supermarkets and shopping centres nearby to set up a stall and make consumers aware of this excellent opportunity.
"It’s a fantastic sport to get involved in and there is a distinct absence of entry level adult teams in the area with the nearest being over 30 miles away in Chelmsford.”
For further information please contact Steven Esdale at sesdale@yahoo.co.uk or in the evening on 01440 704049 or 07811 030564.
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