Buddy Baseball Newsletter
February 2019
Hello Buddy Baseball Fans, 
 
I am ready for the season to start! Are you? This will be our 20th season. Welcome to all of our new players, buddies and coaches to the league. I look forward to meeting you. Welcome back to all of our returning families, it will be good to see you again too.  Our Meet and Greet luncheon will be on Saturday February 16th and the season will start on Saturday February 23rd. More information below.
 
This season we will award at least two Buddy Baseball scholarships. High School seniors who have played a minimum of three seasons are eligible to apply for this $750 scholarship.
 
If you collected any parade beads at Gasparilla and don't know what to do with them, we are here to help. Bring your beads to a game this season and we will toss them out at the 4th of July parade this.
 
 
Russ Oberbroeckling
Executive Director


Meet and Greet
Meet and Greet - Saturday, February 16, 2019
The Meet and Greet is where our players, buddies and coaches get a chance to meet for lunch and get their team shirts and hats.  We will be serving McDonalds Cheeseburgers and Chicken McNuggets, deli sandwiches, salad, fruit, cookies and drinks.  Please check when you team is scheduled to meet. 

Session 1 - 11:15 am - 12:00 pm
Blazers, Bobcats, Cobras, Cyclones, Hawks, Hit Squad, Sharks, Rockets

Session 2 - 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Bombers, Jaguars, Mustangs, Ravens, Scorpions Thunder, Tigers, Wildcats
 
Location:
Omar K. Lightfoot Center
10901 N. 56th St.
Temple Terrace, FL  33617
(On the corner of 56th St. and Whiteway Dr. across from the 7 - 11)

Buddy Training
Buddy Training - Saturday, February 16, 2019
We will have our buddy training for all of the new buddies and new coaches in between the two Meet and Greet Sessions on Saturday, February 16th from 12:00 pm to 12:40 pm. This is for the buddies and the coaches only, not for the players. 
Sarah Otteson Buddy Scholarship
Our Sarah Otteson Buddy Scholarship is available to graduating seniors who have played at least three seasons of Buddy Baseball. An independent panel of judges will select at least two winners. Each winner will receive a $750 scholarship.
Application deadline: Saturday, March 16th at 6:00 pm.
Click on the link to apply. Good Luck!

Player Spotlight -  Jeremiah Bertic
Jeremiah Bertic
Jeremiah has played over 15 seasons of Buddy Baseball. He attends Broach School and is into monster trucks and loves to eat out. His favorite restaurant is Qdoba and favorite food is tacos. Jeremiah has three cats and a dog. His favorite thing about summer is swimming.
Buddy Spotlight - Ashley Birdsong
Ashley Birdsong
This will be Ashley's fifth season with Buddy Baseball. She is a senior at King High School and just turned 18 years old. Ashley has two dogs and an older sister. If she were famous it would be for golf. She won the Alvin Casey award for Girls Golf in Hillsborough County.  It is awarded to the Most Valuable player who exemplifies sportsmanship, character and leadership. Ashley would like to meet Jordan Spieth.
Rookie Spotlight -  Devin Webster
Devin Webster
Devin is 14 years old and is home schooled. He likes fly fishing in the Nooksack River in Washington State. Devin's favorite subject is Physical Science. His favorite food is crabs and his favorite restaurant is Joe's Crab Shack. He would like to meet himself in the future.
Coach Spotlight - Thomas Meeke
Thomas Meeke
This will be Thomas's sixth season coaching Buddy Baseball. He learned about Buddy Baseball from his friend Jeff Walter who used to coach with the Cyclones. He was born and raised in Tampa and graduated from USF. Thomas is a Financial Controller at Pool Troopers. He met his wife Ashley, while attending Gaither High School. They have a two year old daughter named Magnolia and an eight year old black lab named Mister. His hobbies including cooking, shooting nerf guns and testing movies on their home surround system.

Thomas's most memorable moment from Buddy Baseball was from last season when Devyn hit him with a line drive and it was caught on video. His favorite part of Buddy Baseball is the game ball ceremony.
Parent Spotlight
Molly and Tom Cross
Molly and Tom Cross
Molly and Tom have been married for over 18 years and have three sons, Wyatt, a high school freshman, Mason, a 7th grader, and Owen, who is in 4th grade. They have been with Buddy Baseball since 2014 when Wyatt volunteered as a buddy. This is Wyatt's 11th season and Mason's 6th season, both now with the Bombers. 

Molly is from Alexandria, Virginia and works part-time for a contractor doing data entry. Tom is from Nashville, Tennessee and is a Civil Engineer with Tetra Tech. They met at the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!) and have lived in Temple Terrace since 2004. Prior to parenthood, both ran marathons with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training. In addition to Buddy Baseball, they stay busy with other youth sports including soccer, baseball, and cross country. When not transporting kids to games or practice, they enjoy spending time with family, traveling and relaxing.
Sponsor Spotlight 
One Team Financial Group
One Team Financial Group
 
Whatever your life stage or financial situation, you can prepare and protect yourself and your family financially. The One Team Financial Group offers resources that can give you the information and confidence necessary to create your strategy for building your financial future. For individuals, families and businesses, they strive to create financial stability and security to provide financial independence and peace of mind. I am proud to work for this company and appreciate their continued support of Buddy Baseball.
 
Contact Us
(813) 416-5742
Until next time...   PLAY BALL!!

Russ Oberbroeckling
Executive Director
In This Issue
Upcoming Issues
End of Season Party
Spotlights

Buddy Baseball | (813) 416-5742 | Russ@Buddybaseball.org | http://www.buddybaseball.org
P.O. Box 290361
Temple Terrace, FL 33687-0361

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