New Legion Team In W. Forsyth Co.?

Any thruth to the rumor of a new American Legion team forming in Western Forsyth Co.? If so, where will they play home games, who are the coaches, and what are their boundaries for players? My nephew, a left handed pitcher from FL., is moving to that area and I would like to let him know.

 

This past summer a new Legion team, the Winston-Salem Warriors, Post 128, was formed from players at North Forsyth, R.J. Reynolds, South Stokes, and West Stokes High Schools.

The Warriors' Head Coach is Shane Hatcher. The assistant coaches are Jamie Lowe (North Forsyth), Doug Welch (R.J. Reynolds), and Doug Brown (South Stokes).

The team played its home games at the North Forsyth High School field.

You can reach Coach Hatcher at [email protected] .

 

Several rumors flying around the hot stove this Winter in Winston-salem and Mocksville. here is a few that i have heard

1. Heard lewisville team was not granted.
2. Heard Mocksville will fold
3. Heard Rowan County will pick up Davie County players
4. The typicall Mad parent my son did not play enough so i can start new team.
5. My son played aau and won so we will try to start new legion team so son can continue to play all the time instead of earning position.
6. Assistant coaches son cut from team so he quits and jumps on forming team bandwagon.
7. Heard boundry lines will be drawn to accomadate teams.
8. Several of the college prospects have said will not get involved with this mess and will play travel ball.
9. Mocksville, Yadkinville, Rowan officials will not talk to anyone on this matter.

My answer is just leave everything like it is before Legion baseball is ruined with little league parents and extended high school teams. if i had a boy that was a pretty good baseball player that excelled on the varsity level this is what advice i would give him. if i played at West forsyth i would encourage hime to play at Mocksville, if he went to Parkland i would encourage him to play for Kernersville. Mt. Tabor i would encourage him to play for Winston-salem.

 

Sounds like some Mocksville people have gotten their feelings hurt. There shouldn't be a need to fold. You would think you could find at least 16 boys who would want to play legion ball in that area?

I learned Friday the Western Forsyth team was given final approval back in late Nov. and will be sponsored by post 522 in Lewisville. There will be both a junior and senior team. The coaches are supposedly very good and none will have players on the teams. Also heard there are some deep pockets funding the program. There has been a board of directors who have been meeting for several months and this new legion program has gotten off to a great start. :applause:

 

No offense to anybody, but "just trying to find 16 players" sounds like a rec. ball mentality to me. Legion ball is better than that, and especially over in Mocksville. I just feel that legion baseball is getting too watered down with all of these new teams being created. Legion baseball is not supposed to be for any 16 players that you might be able to find. The purpose of legion ball is to give the best players the chance to compete with the best players.

 

You are exactly right . These liitle league people will hurt legion baseball.
Also heard this morning from someone in Rowan county that the lewisville team was not granted due to the fact that it will water down the league.

 

I contacted the head of post 522 in Lewisville, Mr. Hendley, and he confirmed the new Western Forsyth teams have been approved and will begin play this summer. Uniforms and equipment will be ordered within the next 30 days.

In regards to "watering down" legion ball, it is my understanding that close to half of the Mocksville team were kids form Western Forsyth co. anyway. So I would think having a new team in Clemmons will only provide more opportunity to the talent in both areas. Western Forsyth Co. and Eastern Davie co. are 2 of the fastest growing areas in NC. One would think there would be enough quality talent for both Mocksville and Clemmons to field quality teams. Unless they were pitchers, a lot of the kids from Western Forsyth were cut from the Mocksville team or didn't play muchv any way. Seems the coach favored the local boys from Davie co. and one can understand why.

That brings up another question...will the kids who live in eastern Davie Co. play for the new Clemmons team. I was told that if they played in Mocksville previously, then they will have their choice of teams. Most of those kids actually live closer to West Forsyth high school than Davie County hs. Apparently, you play for the team that you live closest to.

Any time there is more opportunity for these young men to play legion ball, does not mean a little league mentality by anyone. Both Clemmons and Mockville will be able to field very competitive teams.

 

is the western forsyth team going to play their home games at west forsyth? if so....talk about high scoring games in that small ball park...lots of homeruns...that field should provide some classic legion games

 

Did Mr. Hendley say which specific high schools would feed this new team?

 

Mr. Hendley did not tell me this, but in conversations with a board member, the schools will be West Forsyth, some from Mount Tabor, possibly Parkland, and Reynolds, the new Reagan high school and a some from Davie County hs (only if they live closer to West Forsyth than Davie hs). This list schools should not be considered as 100% correct, but as things stand now and where the fields are that have other Legion teams, this list is what the board is working from in their planning.

The interest in this new team apparently has been tremendous. There have been several area college coaches who have been calling board members and directors at American legion confirming if there will be a team and wanting more info on who is coaching.

In regards to the size West Forsyth field, I'm not very familar with that field. Most of the games I watch are in Mocksville. But a smaller field will add some excitement. I did hear however new tennis courts along with a concession stand and bathrooms are going to be built at w. forsyth between the baseball and softball field. One would think you would need to have a concession stand and bathrooms in place BEFORE a new team was given. Maybe they are just updating what they have.