FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — With warmer weather quickly approaching – there is no denying that summer is on its way! For many families within our community, school is on break and the kids are enjoying some much-needed time off. However, for my little brother, summer is the busiest time of the year. My brother, Andrew, has been playing baseball his entire life. Shortly after he started walking, he started throwing and then attempting to pitch. Then, shortly after he mastered throwing the ball he began swinging a bat and by the time he was two, you could not convince him that he was anything other than a baseball player. For Christmas one year, my parents purchased Drew the smallest set of catchers equipment I have ever seen and he wore it around the house, proudly, for months on end. It was at that moment we knew that baseball was undoubtedly going to be his thing.

Drew is ten years younger than me, which has always been pretty hard for me to fathom, given how mature he is. Although initially, the age gap was pretty difficult for me (I was the constant babysitter – and my rate was, as my parents would say, “a roof over your head”) I eventually began to embrace the decade between us. When Andrew started playing T-ball, I was well into my teenage years and quickly became his unofficial hype-woman. While most of the kids on his T-ball team were there to have fun, Andrew was there on official business. He didn’t want to use the tee, he didn’t want to stop for juice breaks and he definitely didn’t want to lose. As the years went on, Andrew grew older and his love of baseball grew deeper. He became more confident in his abilities as a player and quickly took those talents to multiple travel teams. Year after year he has poured himself into becoming a better version of himself, both on and off the field. After 14 straight years playing within a league, this summer will be his last season before he goes off to college.

Andrew will be attending North Carolina State University to play baseball this upcoming year and we couldn’t be more proud of him. It is so gratifying to see how his hard work and determination have paid off – yet we can’t help but feel like time just flew by. Despite how emotional we have been thinking about his last season as a “kid,” we are thrilled that he will get to play alongside so many amazing young men he has known for years. The Post 116 Nationals baseball team is composed of a dozen local players who are already gearing up for an incredible season. The American Legion Baseball League is a national institution founded in 1925. Currently, over half of the Major League Baseball players have participated on a legion team, with the alumni list growing every year. Today there are more than 3,400 teams around the country; including 111 teams right here in North Carolina. The league hosts upwards of 50,000 players and provides them with a unique opportunity to play at a high level.

The Post 116 Nationals are a local legion team based in Fuquay-Varina. These young Allstars have started their season and will be traveling all over the state this summer to participate in the game they love. Their team is hoping to raise enough money to offset some of the cost of hosting the 2022 American Legion Baseball State Tournament at Campbell University.

If you would like to get involved or even learn more about their upcoming season, feel free to inquire at the following: https://alpost116nc.org. 

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.