Summer's green turns to gold beyond the outfield fence as Westside's Kyle Hartman stands in the on-deck circle at Sherman Field during the Husker Classic.

Pennant races, Division Series, League Championship Series, the World Series (a/k/a the Fall Classic) . . . fall is THE time for baseball, right?  Certainly, that is true for Major League Baseball.  But in Nebraska high school baseball, at summer's end ballplayers have generally moved on to other sports or to an off-season conditioning program instead of getting back out on the diamonds.  This pattern seems to be shifting as increasing numbers of high school players are opting to take advantage of opportunities presented by fall baseball participation.

 

"Fall baseball has been very big in other states and is really gaining in popularity here in Nebraska," observed University of Nebraska head baseball coach Mike Anderson.  Anderson was on hand at Sherman Field in Lincoln last weekend as his Husker program hosted the two-day "Husker Classic" baseball tournament.  The event was held at Sherman due to re-sodding currently underway at Haymarket. 

 

"This is a great recruiting tool for us," noted Anderson about his tournament.  "It allows us to bring kids in here to see our program and for us to see them in action on the field.  The whole fall baseball scene in Nebraska is really picking up.  Our Nebraska Baseball Academy has grown from eighteen teams in ages nine through sixteen three years ago to more than 380 kids playing on thirty-eight teams this year."  Add to that the approximately 100 teams playing fall ball in the Metro area (see chart below), and it amounts to something in the range of 1,500 - 1,600 baseball players at various age levels playing on baseball diamonds in Eastern Nebraska this fall.

 

UBA Head Coach Bill Olson (left) and Nebraska Head Coach Mike Anderson

Anderson was wearing two hats at the ballpark -- not literally, of course -- but was watching the action both as a Division I coach and as an interested parent.  His son Taylor, a sophomore at Lincoln Southwest High School, was on the field playing shortstop for Coach Bill Olson's Ultimate Baseball Academy Green Team.  "Bill does a great job with this group," commented Anderson. 

 

Olson, a former Omaha Northwest head coach and inductee in the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, has been a key figure in the growth of fall baseball at the high school level in Nebraska.  For several years, he coached an "Elite" team through the Strike Zone baseball facility in Omaha that competed against area colleges.  Interest in that team eventually led to the formation of a second team Strike Zone Elite Team the past two seasons.

 

Olson parted ways with the Strike Zone last winter to join the start-up Ultimate Business Academy which fields three high school age fall teams in addition to a number of youth teams this fall.  Meanwhile, the Strike Zone continues with a single Elite Team coached by Burke coaches Kevin Koch and Scott Hodges as well as numerous youth teams.  And, a third Metro hitting facility, Hitter's Edge, fields a younger high school-age fall team coached by Rollie Kenny.  Thus, the expansion from two Metro fall teams to five over the past year has resulted from changes in the baseball training facility landscape as well as from growing interest on the part of players.  The other new Metro baseball training facility, Frozen Ropes, does not have a fall high school team this year but plans to do so next year according to co-owner Mike Heard.

 

Strike Zone Elite Team shortstop Tyler Hoffman (Millard North) picks a low throw out of the dirt and tags a Concordia College baserunner to foil a steal attempt.

The Strike Zone offers a comprehensive package of training opportunities for its Elite Team ballplayers in addition to the game experiences against college teams, according to longtime General Manager Joe Siwa, a former catcher in the Minnesota Twins organization.  Siwa observes that the Strike Zone's 16 and Up Wood Bat League with games on Sundays is a great companion piece to the Elite Team which does not play on Sundays.   "Take a guy like Tyler Hoffman (Millard North).  He's doing both the Wood Bat League and the Elite Team this fall, and between the two programs, he had something like 20 at bats under game conditions last weekend.  Plus, these guys get speed and agility training once a week, indoor hitting circuits, a recruitment seminar in October -- all that in addition to the work that they're getting on the field with Coach Koch and Coach Hodges."  Siwa also noted that following the conclusion of the fall leagues, the Strike Zone is set to kick off  its indoor winter wood bat line drive league in November which features live pitching.  "This season we've added a couple of pretty solid arms in Pat Venditte and former Husker Luke Gorsett.  They've both just come on board with us, and we're excited to offer our hitters that quality of live pitching to hit against."

 

In addition to all of the skills development that takes place during the fall and off-season months, Siwa noted that probably that one of the biggest benefits for a high school player to be gained by playing on a fall team is learning how to fit in with a new group of ballplayers.  "That's big with college coaches," he noted.  "They want to know that a kid coming into their program can click with other players and contribute to positive team chemistry.  It's just a real big part of the game as you move on, and fall ball presents a great opportunity to develop those people skills that a ballplayer needs to succeed at the next level."

 

From a baseball player's perspective, fall baseball is all about having fun, facing better pitching and better competition, improving one's skills and getting looks from college coaches.  The latter is of little importance to Creighton Prep senior Ryan Briggs who has already signed with the University of Virginia.  "This is fun, playing good competition," commented Briggs, a pitcher and outfielder.  "We're traveling around quite a bit and playing some good teams." 

 

Ryan Briggs Creighton Prep	Patrick Johnson Elkhorn	Ryan Tarletsky Lincoln Southeast

Playing in front of college coaches is important to Elkhorn left-handed pitcher and first baseman Patrick Johnson who has not yet committed to a college.  "This is a great way to get some good looks from college coaches plus we're seeing what college ball is like, what is expected," noted Johnson.  Johnson and Briggs play on the UBA Green Team which played the Iowa Western Community College varsity last Wednesday.  The Reivers' starting lineup included former Nebraska high school standouts Brandon Winkelmann and Derek Nelson, both of whom performed very well in the game.  A third Reiver freshman, former Ralston standout Derek Landis, is currently sidelined with a hand injury. "That's the best team we've played all fall," observed Johnson.  "Definitely."

 

"This is an eye opener as to what is expected at the next level," commented Bruce Tarletsky of Lincoln, whose son Ryan, a senior infielder for Lincoln Southeast, also plays on the UBA Green Team.  "Plus, the college coaches get to see the demeanor of these players both on and off the field.  They might have seen them in a camp, but here they see them in action in real game conditions.  It's just great exposure for the kids." 

Central's Josh Samuelson takes the mound for the Strike Zone against Concordia College.  Fall ball pitchers generally throw only a couple of innings to avoid arm problems.

The younger Tarletsky is one of several non-Metro area players who drive considerable distances for practices and games during the fall season.  The UBA Green roster includes nine Lincoln players while the Black team roster includes two Columbus players and three from Sioux City, Iowa.  The Strike Zone Elite Team includes two Lincoln ballplayers and two from Nebraska City.  "Fall baseball shows a level of commitment on the part of the prospect," noted Coach Anderson.  "They can still play football and do other things, but to be here out here playing baseball in the fall tells a coach that the kid is committed to the sport."

 

For fall players that commitment includes road trips to weekend games around the region at places such as the University of Iowa, Kansas State University and Butler Community College where they play teams from other states.  The teams also play in local tournaments such as the Husker Classic and one hosted by Creighton University earlier in the season as well as games against local small colleges and each other.

 

So, for the high school baseball fan who is already starting to suffer from withdrawal -- good news, you don't have to wait until March 19, 2009 for the next game.  Just head to the ballpark during the next couple of weeks to see some of the top returning players in action.  You're likely to find the weather to be much more pleasant than in the spring.

 

Upcoming games:

 

Tues September 30 - UBA White Team vs. Hitter's Edge @ Northwest HS, 5:30

Wed October 1 - UBA Green Team vs. Dana College @ Dana, 5:30

Wed October 1 - Strike Zone Elite Team vs. Iowa Western CC JV @ Iowa Western, 5:00

Sat Oct 4 - UBA Black Team vs. UBA Green Team @ Northwest HS, 10:00am doubleheader

 

 

 

See "Fall Team Page" for more information.