The Baseball Blog by Bryce (The BBB!)

Silverdale PeeWee baseball is on deck!  I’ve been coaching and volunteering with the SPWAA family for 8 seasons, and I’m even more excited for 2023. For starters, recreational baseball in central Kitsap is growing based on last season’s record turnout of 505 players.  To match that enthusiasm, community sponsors stepped up to support major facility upgrades, uniform costs, and special investments.  Finally, we knocked a massive number of volunteer projects out of the park!

Here are just a few of highlights from baseball 2022:

• All new catcher’s gear!  Black, Red, & Blue to match team colors.

• We had two (2) baseball field improvement events and a postseason clean-up event .  I received so much great feedback on how productive these events were. Thank you to everyone who put in so much hard work.

• Pitching mounds on Fields 1, 3, and 4 were rebuilt by the Seattle Mariners grounds team.  Throughout that process, we learned about better infield mix materials and field care techniques.  Field 1 was chosen as the prototype for a dedicated infield playing surface refresh project, where we hauled in and graded a special infield mix and eliminated dangerous lips.  The results were fantastic and everyone is excited to refresh all fields on a continual basis.

• Water.  Everywhere.  Into June.  The commitment and relentless effort to make our fields playable and manage/reschedule events was unprecedented in spring 2022.

• Integrity Roofing is nearly finished with a major sponsorship to replace dugout roofs & siding (see pic), build attached dugout gear sheds, and provide critical structural repairs to the Clubhouse.  This work was followed up by an amazing team of volunteers who caulked and painted the Dona Ross building and all the dugouts before winter weather hit.
• Our Seniors division (previously 13/14) was able to play several games on Central Kitsap School District (CKSD) turf fields to avoid game cancellations due to the rain
• New Silverdale Spartan color scheme throughout the complex.  Rodda Paint was our sponsor who helped make this happen!
• The members voted and registration has expanded to include 4 year olds for T-ball and 15 year olds for our Seniors division (age on Apr 30, 2023).

BREAKING NEWS:  In the next two months, Viking Fence is going to be onsite.  Look for a major front entrance facelift that will include upgraded gates and 6-ft south-end fencing to improve security.  Even more exciting, Viking Fence is sponsoring a new backstop for Field 3 (Minors Division), replacing a 45-year old structure.  In 2023, an “Adopt-a-Field” campaign will be launched to secure sponsorships for the other fields.  Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in contributing!

COMMUNITY:  Starting in early March, a new partnership with CKSD will enable school fields to be revitalized to a baseball-safe condition and maintained better throughout the season.  We initiated discussions with CKSD, and they are committed to working with us!  We need your help in early March to swarm Brownsville Elementary, Silver Ridge Elementary, and Ridgetop Middle School in coordination with the CKSD Grounds Maintenance team.  This partnership gives us critical flexibility for practices and club expansion. Please contact [email protected] if you have interest in jumping into our 2023 project lineup.

NOTE TO FAMILIES: The club is located at Pete Ross Field in the heart of Kitsap County and has grown to over 500 baseball athletes, 40+ teams, and a tight community of coaches and volunteers who love the game.  Since each baseball division has plenty of teams, most games are played within our organization at Pete Ross Field (no traveling) throughout the season. Visit our FAQ page for more info HERE.
Bryce Weber - Baseball Projects Manager, Division Director, Coach, Member