Black Hills Youth Baseball: A winning program

BY MEG WOCHNICK | The Olympian • Published July 23, 2008

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TUMWATER — As a coach and league president, Pete Peppley couldn’t be any prouder of the organization he’s involved with.

The success that has driven the Black Hills Youth Baseball program this season is only an encore from this time a year ago.

For the second consecutive year, three Black Hills Cal Ripken teams won state championships in their respective age divisions. And four Black Hills teams — the 12-year-old long-field All-Stars (50-foot pitching, 70-foot bases), 12-year-old short-field All-Stars (46-foot pitching, 60-foot bases), 11U All-Stars and 10U All-Stars — either are currently playing or will be playing in their respective regional tournaments this week.

The 12-year-old short-field All-Stars finished second at state but still advanced to the regional tournament, and three of the four Black Hills teams have a shot at making the World Series.

“I’m very thrilled,” said Peppley, who also coaches the 10U All-Star team. “They kids are buying into it, and they’re smiling and laughing and enjoying the game.”

Success is nothing new to the Black Hills Youth Baseball program. Last year, the 12-year-old long-field All-Stars were state champions as 11-year-olds. And it’s the same with this year’s 11U team as 10-year-olds a year ago. And, of course, the 12U team made the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Md., last summer.

Black Hills Youth Baseball had 550 players turn out this season, which is close to the number from a year ago.

While there is yearly turnover in players, about 60 percent of the kids return to their teams the next year, Peppley said.

“A lot of it has to do with the coaching philosophy our coaches have in our league,” Peppley said. “Black Hills coaches and kids stay calm and focus on the task as opposed to the other team that might be focusing on the mistakes. ... I think that’s where a lot of the victories come.”

Many of the Black Hills players play baseball only four months out of the year. During the other eight months of the year, there’s a good chance they’ll be playing another sport.