Krejci connects with youth at LLWS

ANKENY — Last week, Bill Krejci found himself right in the middle of a new initative by Major League Baseball in partnership with USA Baseball to generate more excitement about the sport among America’s youth attending the Little League World Series.

The former Southwestern Community College baseball coach and athletic director has been involved with USA Baseball as an instructor and age group team coach for 22 years. Along the way, he has coached 23 current or former major league players.

But, he said last week’s duties at the Little League World Series made an impression on him as one of his favorite experiences in the sport.

“I’m 67 years old and I’ve never been to Williamsport,” Krejci said. “I played Little League baseball and I’ve watched the (Little League) World Series all my life. It was a like a dream-come-true to me to go there. Obviously, I never went there a a player. To see everything there is a lot different than watching it on TV. It’s like a state fair without the rides.”

Krejci attended the world’s biggest youth baseball event for five days, from Aug. 16 through Sunday night’s major league game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates at BB&T Ballpark at historic Bowman Field, home of the Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York-Penn League. The team is the Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Krejci and Brett Radcliffe of Garrett, Indiana, were USA Baseball coaches working with softball instructors and representatives of Major League Baseball to launch the opening of Play Ball Park on the Williamsport Little League grounds.

Krejci tossed balls to hitters at the home run derby in the new park, and helped youths at skills stations such as bunting and sliding.

“It was really popular,” Krejci said. “The two days I worked it, I started one morning at 9 a.m and the other at 11 a.m., and both times I was still tossing balls at 7 o’clock at night. I’m not saying we never got breaks, but the flow of kids was constant. There was always a line. At the home run station, where they were hitting plastic balls over the fence into the hillside, you’d get dads and moms and sisters and brothers giving it a try, too. It wasn’t just the Little League players.”

Located behind Lamade and Volunteer stadiums, where the Little League World Series games are played each August, the new Play Ball Park is geared toward getting more youths interested in the game. Kids rotated through a sliding and bunting station, an inflatable throwing accuracy station where they got four chances to throw a ball through a small target, and the fan-favorite home run derby station.

“We’re string to stay consistent to the overall Play Ball theme that you don’t always have to play in an organized team structure,” said David James, Major League Baseball vice president of youth programs in an interview with mlb.com. “Our goal isn’t necessarily to make big-time ballplayers, but to be sure we are generating baseball players.”

James said the presence of coaches like Krejci was important, because the participants had a chance to work directly with national team coaches wearing their USA Baseball uniforms.

“Hopefully that makes them go back to mom and dad and, if they’re not playing, make them go, ‘Hey, I want to play,’” James said.

In an online interview for mlb.com, Krejci said the goal at the new park is to allow youths to have fun with the game.

“These kids are the future of USA Baseball,” Krejci said. “These kids are enjoying themselves, and that’s the key. I can tell you, when I coached Joe Mauer and Bryce Harper, they were having fun. Obviously they wanted to win and obviously we were working them, but in the process they were having fun.”

Major league game

Krejci attended Sunday’s major league game at the Williamsport complex and was impressed with how the game was presented.

First of all, Major League Baseball conducted an extensive renovation of the minor league ballpark to make it suitable or a prime time major league game shown on ESPN.

“They put between $1.8 and $2 million into that park to make it happen,” Krejci said. “They replaced all of the seats, put in a jumbotron scoreboard, built brand new fences and changed the configuration of the park. It was 411 feet to dead center.”

Players from both the Cardinals and Pirates were introduced before the game in front of a capacity crowd of 2,500, which included all 16 Little League World Series teams, their families and winners of a ticket lottery.

The way the ceremonial first pitch was conducted was a highlight for Krejci.

“They had one player from each of the (LLWS) teams stretched out from center field to the mound,” Krejci said. “They did a series of 16 relay throws all the way to the mound, where finally one kid threw to the catcher at home plate. That was kind of neat. Each team got a chance to throw the ball before a major league game.”

Sportsmanship was on display throughout the nationally-televised game, including the teams shaking hands after the game, which Krejci said was not an accident.

“If you were watching, you noticed there were no arguments on the field during that game,” Krejci said. “I’m thinking that was talked about ahead of time, to have good sportsmanship with the national TV game promoting Little League Baseball.”

That game, won by the Pirates, 6-3, capped an enjoyable stint in Williamsport for the longtime SWCC coach.

“It was an experience like I’ve never had in my life, and I’ve been to a lot of places in this sport,” Krejci said. “That complex itself is probably two or three times the size of the Southwestern campus. Between the two main stadiums it’s like a state fair, with entertainment and concessions located there in a beautiful part of Pennsylvania. You don’t appreciate it until you get there.”

Krejci said there are no charges for admission to the games or for parking. Revenue is gained from each team involved in Little League Baseball around the world, as well as concessions and souvenir sales.

This weekend, Krejci is back on the road to lead another “Play Ball” initiative event in Rapid City, South Dakota, in conjunction with the American Legion tournament there.

“MLB and USA Baseball are co-sponsoring this program,” Krejci said, “so we’re trying to get out to some of these bigger events and promote the sport. It’s great to see the kids having fun with baseball.”