A Proper Sendoff For Rhode Island High School Baseball Seniors

Posted May 6, 2020 by theribbe

Way, way back in time when I played high school baseball at North Kingstown High School, we had a character building exercise during spring practices. My coach, Joe Gilmartin, who went on to become one of the most successful football coaches in recent years here in Rhode Island, initiated the exercise. Coach Gilmartin would have us stand at home plate, bat in hat, and pretend to hit a gigantic, game winning, championship capturing home run. At which time, we would then swing the bat, run around the bases like a 5 year old, jumping up and down as we sprinted around the bases, and returned to home plate to the cheers and congratulations of our teammates. He wanted us to envision greatness and visualize a great moment in time and act it out as a team building and character exercise. Personally, I loved it and had a blast doing it each and every year Coach Gilmartin would order it.

In the spirit of Coach Gilmartin’s Greatness Realized Visualization Exercise, why not have our Rhode Island High School Seniors take one more lap around the bases? Take one more trip out to the mound and fire one last strike to end a game? Take one more massive swing and hit one out of their home park. Run the bases, yell out and be emotional, thank Mom and Dad, thank your teammates, thank your school, your coaches, your best friends, your family! You can have a pitching machine groove one to a Rhode Island High School Senior and let him RIP one right out of your home park or into the woods. Flip the bat, you just won the RI State Championship. Let the frustration of a lost season come out with one mighty swing or one mighty throw to home plate.

I would love to see Seniors dress in their school’s uniforms, full eye-black, cleats laced up, heck throw some dirt on your pants or jersey to look like you’ve been playing a real game. Have one of your favorite teammates or your favorite coach groove one right over the plate. Have a friend or family member videotape the whole thing and share the entire experience on your social media page. Send it to me and I’ll share it with everyone I know. You deserve one more curtain call, one more time on your home field that you worked so hard on for 4 years. This might be the last time you ever play on this field. Why not go out in style?

Let me know your thoughts. Email me at ribaseballexperience@gmail.com. I would love to see hundreds of these videos pop up online.

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The RIBBE is The Rhode Island Baseball Experience. It is promoting the game of baseball here in the great state of Rhode Island for the entire baseball world to see. The RIBBE is positive stories, photos, videos, and responsible social media posts. The RIBBE is an information resource for families looking for an AAU team or a summer camp or a great place to buy a first baseman’s mitt. The RIBBE is a network of coaches, tournament directors, parents, leagues, and baseball junkies whose passion of the game of baseball is unquestioned. I believe that providing expert analysis, information and directions to ballfields, and coaching advice from some of the top RI baseball minds will help promote the game of baseball here in RI to a whole new level.