Love of the game: RBA’s Garcia guides youth baseball
HUNTLEY – Two Raiders Baseball Academy (RBA) teams, U9 and U13, concluded the 2022 season at the McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championships in Crystal Lake.
A 13U team of future Red Raiders players vied with the likes of Chicago-based squads and teams from Japan, Puerto Rico and California. The elder Huntley squad squared off against Windy City, Genoa City, Wis. and Peoria teams.
“We try and have a team here every year and the big pull is the international competition,” RBA President Carlos Garcia said.
Garcia coaches both teams who played at the Crystal Lake and Woodstock-based tournament. The U9 team finished in second place in week one followed by U13’s games the next week.
The academy is proud that it offers baseball instruction for ages 7 to 18 and its ranks total about 130 youngsters. Teams competed in divisions of 8U (eight and under); 9U; 10U; 11U; 12U; 13U; 14U; and two 17U teams.
The head coaches are: 8U, Tim Hedrick; 10U, Edgar Comacho;
Steve Shower and Blake Pawlikowski, 11U; Keith Larson, 12U and Jason Eojek and TJ Adams, 17U.
RBA’s facilities include not only ball fields but a 10,000-square foot indoor location in Huntley. So lessons begin for the 2023 season in the fall.
“We’re the oldest not-for-profit youth baseball organization in McHenry County,” Garcia said.
Garcia described the season, which begins with a Huntley tournament at Tomaso Park in April, as having its ups and downs as the young players work on skill levels of offense, defense and pitching.
Garcia’s baseball background includes playing high school baseball at Streamwood, then played baseball at Elgin Community College. He played infield spots shortstop and pitcher before playing center field in college. He was a member of the ECC’s junior College World Series team. He passes his love for the game on to his son, Jace, a 13U team member and youngest son Jax.
Garcia, who has lived in Huntley for 12 years, explained skill development is aided by coaches with specialized knowledge.
The instructors are: for pitching, Joe Maskivish, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, played his college ball at West Liberty College and is junior varsity baseball coach at Dundee Crown High School. Also, Mike Kaska, a Richmond-Burton alum who starred at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and coaches pitching in southern Wisconsin.
Tyler Mindak handles hitting, fielding and catcher skills. He is a Huntley and McHenry County College alum and has been at RBA since 2015.
Brian Freese, who coached at Barrington’s baseball program, also instructs in hitting.
International tournament
MCYSA Board President John Streit looked on Thursday afternoon as the second session of games began in the tournament’s 29th season.
“It’s a labor of love,” he said. “We have a lot of people who have volunteered here a long time. We have about 50 volunteers.”
Streit said the tournament has a solid international reputation for good competition. The near constant toots of horns following hits in some games are part of the fun. Locally, the organizing board awards scholarships to high school students, which are presented at the tournament’s festive parade of players.
Age division title games concluded the tournament July 24. It was then time to begin to plan for the 30th year in 2023.
