GRAY, Tenn. (WCYB) — On a warm summer night in East Tennessee, the sound of future ballplayers fills the air as the Bristol Little League’s 9-10-year-old All-Star team takes to the field. For these young athletes, baseball is more than just a game; it’s a passion.
“It feels amazing I just love the sport. It’s really fun for me. It’s what I enjoy to do,” said Liam Belcher, a member of the Bristol Little League team.
Despite the summer heat and school being out, kids from across the area gather to spend their evenings playing baseball. Aiden Musser, another player on the team, shared his enthusiasm for the sport, saying, “I chose baseball because I feel like baseball is the funnest sport there is. I think it’s just fun to be out there with the team whenever you win because you get to celebrate with the team.”
Barry Meyers, who manages the Bristol 9-10-year-old All-Star team, began coaching a few years ago when his youngest son joined the team. “I started coaching accidentally a few years back. My youngest son was on the team and the head coach left. And so I started coaching and have been doing it ever since,” said Meyers. “During Covid we didn’t have a whole lot to do as far as typical exercise. So we started playing tennis, some baseball, and the boys just fell in love with baseball. Actually all of us did.”
For Meyers and the team, the All-Star season is an extension of an already long stretch on the diamond, but it remains a rewarding experience. “It’s a lot of fun coaching 8, 9, 10-year-olds,” Meyers said. “You got the normal challenges. They’re 10, so the attention span and their hand-eye coordination is still developing. But to see a kid make a play or watch them succeed. Or to watch them fail and persevere anyway oh gosh. It’s worth all the difficulties, all the sweat, all the aggravation, all the late nights. It’s worth every bit of it.”
Despite concerns about the decline of youth sports in recent years, there is hope in the Tri-Cities that it can still thrive. “Youth sports is one of those things where I believe will always have a very important place all this stuff that can distract a kid. But there is something special about a team. Playing with others, developing teamwork skills. All the things you get with team sports and don’t get anywhere else, is just one of the reasons why baseball is thriving,” said Meyers.