The Moorestown Youth Baseball Federation’s first annual recreation parade for the program’s pre-K and kindergarten players will be held at Pryor Fields on Friday, April 17, at 5:30 p.m.
The weekend opening event will feature food trucks, activities and music from DJ Blake, and coincides with the federation’s Turf Wars Tournament, the program’s biggest travel tournament for the 12U and 11U teams. It will take place the following day at Memorial Field.
“We want to make it as fun as possible,” said federation board member Tim Rumpff. “It’s been awesome to see how well the program is run and how much it really does give back to these kids. To be able to see the growth that they’ve been able to have over the last four or five years that I’ve been a part of it …
“To see their confidence level, their athletic ability – it’s just been really fun.”
The baseball organization is a nonprofit that supports recreation and travel-level leagues from pre-K (age 4) through 10th grade in the spring, summer and fall. Rumpff joined five years ago and now coaches the federation’s 10U team. He says it’s been incredible for him on a personal level because his son met a lot of his friends through the program.
“It’s also helped us feel attached to the community as well,” he noted.
Rumpff explained that the program offers players a level of confidence and sportsmanship, specifically those in the travel program who represent Moorestown.
“Baseball is a very hard game and there is a lot of failure in it,” he observed. “You might get up three times and maybe you only get on base one time. Dealing with adversity and building your confidence is something huge for kids at a young age, but that continues as they get older as well.”
Games on the weekend of April 17 may be the first time many of the program’s players will be on the baseball field.
“It seems like a great way to celebrate the new kids that are beginning their baseball journey, while honoring the kids that are 11U and 12U and coming to the end of their travel part of the program,” Rumpff pointed out. “This town has so much excitement toward baseball, and we want to make this as positive as possible so they want to come back year after year.”
