Have you ever considered baseball as a sport for your child?
Cardinals Baseball junior season has opened and the club is looking for any children between the ages of five and 12 yrs to come try out.
“Children are under extreme pressure in the world of today. Baseball is a good outlet for kids to release pressure with an emphasis on fun and teamwork,” said Cardinals Junior club chairman Craig Keylock.
“With the introduction of television and computers children have less time available to be exposed to play that involves gross motor co-ordination.
“This means we are finding more children being exposed to problems such as low muscle tone and many children need the help of an occupational therapist to assist them academically.
“Baseball will help build your child’s self-esteem and self-confidence.”
He said baseball is great in assisting children with gross motor co-ordination and muscle tone and help to lessen the effects of some of these problems.
“If young people are outside running around, exercising and practising baseball, they will be in better shape and live a healthier lifestyle.
“The skills in baseball are not easy to learn. Players who can hit, throw, field and run the bases often feel pride with each new skill they add.
“This helps drive home the concept that if you work hard you can learn new things and accomplish a great deal that you were not able to do before. This lesson translates well beyond the baseball field.
“Above all, it is fun, which is perhaps the most basic concept of all. Players get out on the field and they hit, run and catch and it’s a very enjoyable activity.
“Youngsters want to have fun.”
Even though baseball is considered primarily an American sport it found its way to South Africa just before the First World War.
Baseball started in 1898 on the gold fields of the Witwatersrand (Gauteng). The Transvaal Baseball Association was formed in 1905 with Wanderers being one of the first clubs.
Practices are held every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the Boksburg Stadium Cardinals Baseball Club (Boksburg City Stadium, corner of Jubilee and Dudley Smith roads).
For any further information contact Keylock on 063 407 4158.
