January 12, 2014

By JIM FENNELL

SportsNewHampshire

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RINDGE – The Junior Swamp Bats started three years ago with 16 players and one 12U team. The purpose was to provide additional baseball opportunities for Cal Ripken-age players who were looking for a higher level of competition and do it at an affordable cost for a wide range of families.

Sixteen players, of course, are too many for one baseball team playing a limited schedule, but Tom Stockton was charged with figuring out how to make it work.

He did and the Keene-based travel team had a successful inaugural season. Stockton’s job changed soon after and he was no longer able to coach with the Junior Swamp Bats.

Fast forward three years and the non-profit Junior Swamp Bats now have six teams with players than range from 11 to 18 years old. A lot has changed – including smaller, more manageable rosters - and that has not gone unnoticed to Stockton, who is back coaching the program’s 13U team.

“To see the kids that started with us and to see how they have progressed is great,” Stockton said. “The program is providing more opportunities for kids in the region and that’s a big thing for our communities.”

The Junior Swamp Bats opened their 2014 season Sunday with the first of 10 weeks of workouts at Franklin Pierce University’s indoor facility. The 12U, 13U and 14U teams begin their seasons in early April; the 16U and 18U teams start in June, after the high school season is done.

All six teams compete in the New England AAU, but they will play travel teams from other affiliations.

Eight players remain from that original team. The program grew from that one team to two the following year, to three last year and to six for this upcoming season. There are now over 80 kids in the program. Most come from the Keene, Monadnock and ConVal school districts, but there are two players from Vermont and handful from towns to the north, like Walpole, Charlestown and Claremont.

Jeff Pelkey, an assistant coach at Keene State College, knew about the program up close after watching its 18U team play this past summer. He agreed to coach the new 16U team.

“I thought if I could coach and help improve young players in the area and be able to recruit for Keene State, it was a win-win,” Pelkey said. “I know as a college coach, high school ballplayers are going AAU – that’s where all the talent is.”

The Junior Swamp Bats have built strong relationships in the area’s baseball community.

The team plays home games at Keene State College, the Marlborough School, Hubbard Park in Walpole, Monadnock Regional in Swanzey Center and Cal Ripken fields in Keene and Swanzey. Monadnock Regional coach Jim St. Laurent and Keene High coach Dan Moylan have worked with the teams.

Players and coaches go through stretching to start practice Sunday. (Photo by Noah Clay)

John Luopa does a hitting drill with Joey Fenuccio. (Photo by Alan Stroshine)

John Luopa, who is in the KSC Hall of Fame for his record-setting baseball career there, is the coach of the 18U team and coaching director. Marty Testo, the former Keene Swamp Bats manager and the associate head coach at Keene State, is the pitching coordinator.

Pelkey coaches at Keene State and Peter Wilbur, the 14U coach, coaches at Franklin Pierce. Both were standout high school players in the area who played where they now coach.

Stockton helped guide teams at the Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth levels to age group World Series. Ray Boulay and Jeff Brum are the 12U coaches; Boulay is fresh out of Plymouth State University and Brum is a veteran coach who has managed teams at every level in this area, from youth to college.

Stockton said he is likes working with a team that includes many players who will be playing on the 90-foot diamond for the first time.

“You can see they’re really excited to move up,” Stockton said.

The program has expanded to include small group lessons in November and December and an ongoing strength and conditioning program with noted coach Justin Goulet.

“You can see they are very determined to be the best they can be,” Pelkey said. “There’s a reason they are playing at this level.”

(Editor's Note: Jim Fennell is on the Junior Swamp Bats board of directors.)