Impressive..

Ever heard of a Legion team play a season without a true home field? Cary Post 67 is doing so this year and still putting up an impressive year. I believe their record is 15-5 or so and they are one win away from moving to Round 2 of the playoffs.

 

That is impressive. But I have questions. Are they splitting cost of balls, umpires, etc? How are they making any revenue? Why will a home base HS not allow them to play there? Are they car pooling it or busing it?

 

Don't have those answers. I know they've played some home games at Athens Drive HS.

Really, it's sad because Cary is traditionally a strong Legion program in Area I and has been for many many years. They have a strong team this summer and haven't been able to call anywhere "home" for the most part. I know they are currently leading Apex 1-0 in a Best of 3 and all 3 games are scheduled for Apex HS.

Impressive though that they have been able to play so well this year on unfamiliar turf.

 

Good for Cary...

But I'm curious as to how many D1 pitchers they have on their team. Don't they have four or five (two from Green Hope, and two from Athens) on the team? I would think that would have a much bigger impact than where they play. Not to mention that other teams in the area have had roster issues (good players chosing not to play Legion anymore).

 

Clayton is playing at Smithfield Selma

The Cary summer league team is unable to play at home either - I understand the field is scheduled for some work.

 

Many teams play at different places based on situations.

Clayton Post 71 - SSS HS (has been our home since 2007)

The creation of the Scholastic League has had to have a lot of Legion teams relocate or have multiple homes. A couple of years ago Cary had Green Hope as a home. The difference this season is they had to travel for the majority of the season based on field work at Cary High School. Clayton Post 71 had only three dates this season at home (SSS) based on field lights and Johnston County Schools. The legion program was allowed to enter into a year contract beginning on July 1, 2011 for field lights.

It would be great if we all either owned fields or had fields as nice at Pitt 39 (PCC), Durham 7 (DAP), Wayne County 13 (MOC), Wilson 13 (Fleming) in Area 1 alone.

 

Good Point

Being that Legion is a regional roster, not only are up to 2/3 of the teams playing on a field they aren't used to anyways, but many are playing half their games on fields that belong to their high school rivals. At this point the home field advantage probably has very little to do with a team's success.

 

There is no question that talent, especially in the pitching department, is a bigger factor than where you play the games. Still, when you get deeper in the playoffs and the teams are evenly matched, every little advantage helps. If you are an infielder who has played all summer on a field, you have an advantage over a kid who doesn't know the "quirks" of a particular diamond. Likewise, a pitcher tends to have a greater comfort level with a mound he has thrown off of numerous times.

Cary will play their second round games at Garner even though Cary is the higher seed. At this point, though, maybe the Cary kids see this as a point of pride. If they can keep advancing while playing all their games on other people's fields, that should just add to their confidence.

 

Hot Corner Dad...you have hit it on the head...the point is not that the teams come from multiple schools....but that comfort zone has not existed this year....the travelling gets old....but I am with you...hope that pride and confidence will carry them far....home field or not

 

JC

Johnston County / Smithfield legion back in the day had a dedicated home field at Legion Park, but all that's in past history. oh well.