Marlton Reds 12-year-old baseball team honored by Evesham Township Council
This year’s 12-year-old Marlton Reds baseball team may not have won another Cal Ripken World Series during its trip to Aberdeen, Md., this summer, but in the eyes of team manager Rob Reynolds, his players still came away with plenty from the experience.
At its Sept. 13 meeting, Evesham Township Council honored the 12U Marlton Reds for another stellar season that took the team to its second Cal Ripken World Series in two years.
At that meeting, Reynolds spoke about his team, many of whom were members when the team won the Cal Ripken World Series in 2014.
“We knew we had something special when we were little, when we were 8,” Reynolds said. “They were way ahead of a lot of players and teams that we had seen, and we figured if we could do some stuff with them and teach them the right way to do some things, we could have a lot of fun.”
Since the majority of the team started playing together at 8 years old in 2012, the team has won 240 games in five seasons, with fewer than 40 losses, and it’s won more 30 tournaments.
This year marked the team’s fifth consecutive state title, from which the team went on to win the Cal Ripken 12-year-old 50/70 Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in mid-July.
Once in the World Series, the team’s run ultimately ended in game two of the Iron Bracket against the team from the Dominican Republic.
However, Reynolds said he was still proud of this year’s World Series trip for the way the Reds interacted with other teams from around the world and from different cultures.
“We didn’t play our best while we were down there; the competition obviously had something to do with that, but more importantly I think every one of them grew as men while they were down there,” Reynolds said.
Upon presenting the team with a proclamation, Mayor Randy Brown also emphasized the team’s academic ability as well at their athletic ability. Brown said he had previously inquired about the team’s academics and found great students.
“If you can’t do it in the classroom, you’re not playing. If you have 2.0 GPAs, you can’t play. So I’m more proud of how these kids are growing up and what they’re doing in the classroom,” Brown said.
Brown also thanked the team for bringing a World Series championship to the township’s Diamonds at Arrowhead Park complex in the first year it opened, and said the team would cherish their memories of playing for the Reds for the rest of their lives.
“All these team members have demonstrated the true spirit of teamwork, sportsmanship and dedication,” Brown said.
Reynolds also thanked the community and its businesses for helping support the Reds with travel costs along both of the team’s journeys to the World Series.
“The community that we have here in Marlton has truly supported us, so from all of us and the parents, thank you and thank Marlton for everything,” Reynolds said.
