STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

More Youth Sports

• Early sign-up slated for new basketball league
• Summer brings basketball mania on Marco
• Little League golf outing Sunday

Share and Enjoy [?]

Rookies is an apt term for the Rookie Division All-Stars of the Marco Island Baseball League.

Just completing its inaugural year with three divisions, the All-Stars will be the first team to represent the league in a tournament in Ocala on Thursday.

It plays Ocala Highland at noon in the 8-and-under Babe Ruth state qualifying tournament.

Marco will be among 46 teams trying to move on to the state tournament.

The Marco league is part of Cal Ripken Baseball, which is part of the Babe Ruth national organization.

The Island team is made up of 7 and 8-year-olds. The team has two ladies.

Coach Brian Kocak, whose Rookie team the Yankees won the Marco league, got the ball rolling.

“I did my home work, finding out our Minor Division missed the qualifying time for a district competition, but we could play in a state qualifier,” he said. “Some of our division members were 9 years old by the sign-up date so not all our members were eligible. I consulted with other coaches to come up with our All-Star team.”

Many of the All-Stars, six, come from Kocak’s Yankees which won the division. Second-place finisher, the Astros, ended up with two players, White Sox, two and the Mets one.

The team has been practicing twice a week since the regular season ended three weeks ago.

“We’ve really concentrated on the fundamentals,” Kocak said. “We have a good mix of good hitting and fielding. We know we will be going up against teams with more experience, but we are anxious to get an idea of how we match up after just one season.”

The entire infield, including pitcher, are Yankees.

Zach West, 8, will be catching. Kezia Martin, 8, will be at first. Brian Kocak Jr., 8, will be at second. Howard Jordan, 8, will be at shortstop. Cameron Jones, 7, will be at third and Matthew Keegan will be on the mound.

In the Rookie Division a pitching machine is used. Keegan is at the pitching spot in the field because of his good fielding and arm.

Also different is that teams field four outfielders. Gianna Rose, 8, of the Mets, will be in left field. Jayden Noel, 7, of the White Sox will roam left center. Andrew Sprankle, 8, of the Astros will be in right center, while Oliver Wasem, 7, of the Astros will be in right. Justin Furman, 7, of the White Sox will play the outfield and can play catcher.

“The infield has all played together through the season, which should help,” Kocak said. “The outfield has good arms and good speed. Gianna Rose does well in the outfield and can play in the infield. Jayden Noel has a lot of speed and can back up other players.”

Kocak and Cameron Jones lead the hitters, with both batting .800 or more on the season. Kocak and Jordan also can hit the long ball.

Coaches assisting Kocak are Howard Jordan and Greg West.

In the tournament the ball will come off the pitching machine at 43 mph. The game is six innings, with a seven-run rule in effect per inning. Every team is guaranteed two games in the double elimination tourney, with the Marco team playing again on Friday.

Team sponsors are Kozo Productions and Winn Dixie. Guy Harvey’s Island Grill sponsored a dinner for the team on Tuesday night to celebrate its being the first tournament team.

“Teaching kids at this age requires patience,” Kocak said. “I think our kids have the correct mechanics and fundamentals.”