Hi all,

Its been a week since my first post and as yet nobody has stepped up to the plate!

I've been reading the Aussie Baseball Forum so I know that many of you have strong opinions on baseball, the competition structure, administration, and of course the Baseball Victoria Research Project.

I don't want to play to an empty stadium so how about helping me understand the good, the bad and the ugly as it relates to baseball in Victoria.

What I really want to come to terms with is how you all got into the game! So 'batters up', tell me your stories, help me to help you and your sport!

Ricky

Hi all,

After joining the Baseball Victoria Research Project, I began thinking back to the way my family became involved in sports.

In the small Victorian town where I grew up, the choices were simple: in summer you played cricket or tennis; and in winter you played Australian Rules football. There were no other options and there was a strong community expectation that you would turn out for one of the local teams. Basketball and baseball were sports we played at school but cricket and football were the dominant team sports we played on the weekends.

When I had kids myself, it seemed that AFL Auskick and MILO cricket were their introduction to organised sports. These programs were based around our local primary school so friends and peer group pressure ensured a large turn up to these programs. As a parent the convenience of having these programs widely available in the Melbourne suburb where we live was another factor that favoured my children’s involvement. However, I have to say that baseball was never on our sporting horizon, and I don't know why not, it’s just that it was never an option we considered.

Given my experiences I wondered how you all came to play and love the sport of baseball. What lead you to the sport, did you have friends or family in the sport, did your school encourage you, or were you attracted through come and try days, T-Ball etc?  I would be very interested in hearing your stories.

Ricky

As confused as Charlie Sheen...

Like Ricky Vaughn and Jake Taylor, we need some guidance to make this (research) effort a winning one!  Do we need a therapist?  Possibly.  Do we need a better coach?  Maybe.  Do we need your involvement and insight?  Absolutely. 

For the next year (at least twice a month) we will be asking the Baseball Vic community questions to make us a more enlightened 'Charlie.' 

Will you join us? 'Ricky' is our resident Australian from Geelong, with an AFL and cricket pedigree, a veteran of Auskick and Milo Cricket but no real exposure to, or appreciation of the game of baseball until post graduate studies in sports management put him squarely into the strike zone.  He'll need your help to get his 'head in the game'. While 'Ricky' will be leading our charge, 'Jake,' a die hard Red Sox fan (and Bostonian) living in Australia, will be around to make sure 'Ricky' throws his 'good stuff'...

Signing out- Ricky and Jake (The Baseball Victoria Research Team)