Beginner Baseball Buddies
April 11, 2024
In celebration of baseball season’s Opening Day, our littlest Eagles took a trip down to Founders’ Field to learn about the sport in a fun, interactive way with the help of ESD teachers, coaches, program directors, and varsity baseball players.
Beginner teacher Mrs. Monica Frymire and lower school physical education instructor Mrs. Dena Geier paved the way for the celebration, connecting with athletic director Thad Lepcio, who then reached out to baseball coach Gregg Bennis and the varsity players for volunteers. For an early morning gathering, you’d think there would be crickets regarding volunteerism. Yet, our students were beyond eager to participate, with some light competition around who got picked to be there bright and early at 8:30 a.m.
“When I asked for volunteers, almost every hand went up, which was great,” Lepcio said. I think that said a lot about our students who were so willing to do that.”
Dressed head to toe in baseball gear, Beginner students were brought to the dugout, where they sat like team members while Mr. Lepcio read the book Froggy Plays T-Ball from the charming amphibian-based children’s series. After picking up some of the basics from the book, each student got to hit the ball off the tee and run the bases, where three varsity players, Nate May ‘27, Jake Conroy ‘26, and Truitt Baker ‘26, were stationed. It was then that our Beginners took matters into their own hands (literally) by touching the bases with their fingers, of course.
“There was a little song attached to how to run the bases, so we tried to teach those kids before they ran the bases. It was ‘First, we run the first, second, we run the second, third, we run the third, and then we go home.’ I could hear a couple of kids singing that when they were going around,” Lepcio said amusingly.
When asked about their favorite part of the day, the students’ voices filled with excitement, echoing, “Run, run, running!” and “Going to the bases!” The joy was palpable, and for many, the highlight was the ice cream station at the far end of the field, a sweet treat courtesy of our ESD wrestling program director and PE teacher, Mr. Kwinten Brown.
The sense of connectedness that defines our ESD community was beautifully demonstrated during this event. Individuals from different departments and divisions came together, cherishing valuable time playing, learning, and teaching. Our upper school students showcased their initiative and leadership skills, while our middle and upper school faculty had the opportunity to bond with our littlest Eagles, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
“I love it—the chance to connect with the Lower School—any chance I get. It’s only gonna be a few years before they’re up here with me on some of our ESD teams, so I want them to get to know me, and I want to get to know them,” Lepcio said. “I thought it was just an awesome display of what our community can do. Our players had a great time… it put smiles on a lot of people’s faces.”
