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Huron Expositor, 2017-06-28, Page 1818 Huron Expositor • Wednesday. June 28. 2017 sports Drop -In Baseball invites players of "any age, any ability" to join league for laidback fun 1116, On June 21, Julie B. from Wingham's 101.7 The One visited Holmesville's Drop -In Baseball league at Gerry Ginn diamond as part of the radio station's "Make Your Little League Big League" program. The community - run drop-in league is in its sixth year and would like to welcome new players (and fans) to come out Wednesday nights for social, non-competitive ball games. Sheila Pritchard Postmedia Network Last Wednesday, baseball enthusiasts from Clinton and surrounding areas gath- ered at the Gerry Ginn Memorial Park baseball dia- mond in Holmesville for a special Drop -In Baseball event that was part of 101.7 The One's "Make Your Little League Big League" program. This month, Julie B. from Wingham's 101.7 The One Morning Show has been attending local soccer and baseball games and turning them into "Big League" games. This week, it was Hol- mesville's Drop -In Baseball league's turn to be recog- nized and get in on the fun. The evening was kicked off with Julie announcing each team over the loud speaker, while throughout the game music was played to get the fans and players pumped up. Julie even got in on the non- competitive fun spirit by get- ting up to bat and running the bases. After the game, both teams celebrated with refreshments provided by 101.7.. . Jessica VanderWal, founder and organizer of Drop -In Baseball, says the 101.7 The One "Big League" event provided an extra ele- ment of fun for the regular Drop -In Baseball players, but she is also hopeful it will help to get the word out about the community drop-in league, which she started with the goal of providing good, wholesome fun close to home for the whole family. "I started Drop -In Base- ball six years ago, for a cou- ple of reasons," says Vander - Wal. "I had just moved back home after living in Australia for almost five years and was excited to play baseball after not playing it for so long since it's not a popular sport in Australia." VanderWal said she grew up playing baseball all her life, but couldn't find a "normal" league near home. "There are a lot of slow pitch teams, beer ball leagues, etc., but that just wasn't what I was looking for." The other reason Van- derWal started the Drop -In league was because as she reconnected with people she hadn't seen in several years, she was moved by the amount of local youth strug- gling with addiction. "I was saddened to discover how many young people in this area had become addicted to drugs, and who weren't doing much with their lives," says VanderWal. "So I thought if I could start up a baseball league that anyone could join and that would be a positive mid -week influ- ence on the whole family, that might just kill two birds with one stone." VanderWal says it took organizers lots of brainstorming and planning, and it was "a bit scary too" because their league rules aren't traditional. "We don't have an ump, we just con- sider three swings your three strikes, and if you don't swing four times, those are your balls and you can take your base," VanderWal explains. "If it's your first time joining us, we'll proba- bly give you an extra pitch or two, and we'll try really hard not to get you out," she adds with a laugh. Holmesville's "Granny" (June Howse) is the league's acting score- keeper. "She just retired from umping also," says VanderWal. "She's been with us from the start and we couldn't run Drop -In Base- ball without her." What VanderWai would most like people to know is that there is a place for them at Drop -In Baseball. "Whether you're an experi- enced ball player, brand new to the game, or just want to come out and watch, you'll fit right in." Drop -In Baseball meets every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Holmesville at the Gerry Ginn diamond on Hwy. 8 and is geared towards "any age, any ability." "So what that means is for 'any ability' we've got any- where from competitive ball players to brand new players who have never played before. For the 'any age' part, what we try to do is include players ages 16 and up for the main [adult] game and then, for under age 16 we do a Kids Halftime Show at 8 o'clock, when all the kids get the chance to hit the ball, run the bases and that sort of thing." The Kids Halftime Show, says VanderWal, is mainly for the really little kids, but she says what the league would like to do is get some high school volunteers who may be looking for some community service hours involved to make a space for teens to play. "We've already paid for the second diamond, so we would love to have a teens' game going over there, if we can get the high school vol- unteers who are willing to do that. I'd love to do that for the summer months, just to give that age group some- thing to do." VanderWal says games typically run for an hour and a half to two hours, .rte tgori Ate Silas Elligson, 5, of Blyth, was ready to step up to the plate for the Kids Halftime Show, and was "so excited" to have the radio station visit them for the game. depending on the weather. With Granny keeping score, and to stay true to the causal nature of the league, final scores are often inaccurate. "It's just a social game and non-competitive," assures VanderWal. VanderWal says most of the league's members come out from Clinton, Goderich, Bayfield and other sur- rounding areas, and there is even one diehard player that comes out from Kincardine. "He has quite a drive," says VanderWal. "But he's a local boy; he was raised around here so he knows a lot of us. He grew up here, and then he heard about us on Face - book and wanted to come back" The participation fee is only $2 per game, and can be paid in person when you arrive, says VanderWal. "Prices are going up every- where, but we've been run- ning for six years and we're still able to keep it at $2," she says. "And I think that is what Julie B. from Wingham's 101.7 The One made the evening special by announcing each team over the loud speaker, while playing music throughout the game to get the fans and players pumped up. attracts a lot of people when they are thinking about com- ing out. There are a lot of teams around where you have to pay a high registra- tion fee and that's every week, whereas this is just show up when you can, pay $2, and have fun" For more information about the Drop -In Baseball league, check out its Face - book page DROP-IN BASE- BALL!! Otherwise, just drop in! "Everyone is welcome to join our Drop -In Baseball family," says VanderWal. "It takes everybody showing up and helping out that makes this league a success year after year."