Baseball forms lasting bond for teammates - Arkansas Online

FORT SMITH -- It's been a bittersweet summer for a group of six Fort Smith Sportsman players coming together for a final season.

For the past 10 years, they've made a lifetime of memories playing travel baseball together. Logan Taylor (Alma), McCade Moody (Fort Smith Northside), Ben Brooks (Poteau, Okla.), Izac Sizemore (Sallisaw, Okla.) along with Reed Carroll and Bryce Morgan (Greenwood) all joined forces when they were about 7-years-old to play for a team called the Wildcats.

They continued that bond ever since that season playing across the sandlots of the River Valley and beyond over the years. It continues for one last ride with the Sportsman this summer.

"Being around these guys so much over the years. It's either become friends with them or hate your life," Reed said with a laugh. "Baseball has provided us this unique opportunity to play together for a while. It's basically all we do. School and baseball. These are the guys we have been around the most growing up playing the game. These are my guys."

With the group so spread out across the area, they have mostly come together for baseball in the fall and in the summer. There aren't a lot of hangouts off the field when school is in session.

This group's fellowship is baseball, and the playing field is their temple. The missed time during high school for the group has been more than made up this year with the Sportsman. There have been plenty of road trips for tournaments, good food, hotel hangout sessions and catching up over the past few months. The team even watched together several games of the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., this summer.

"It's been so much fun connecting again with all the guys," Moody said. "We step away for a bit with our seasons. With all of us coming back together, it has been a great experience. I've loved every second of it. It's always fun catching up with them because some I haven't seen in years."

Their favorite memories together are the dogpiles after big wins. The group has accomplished quite a lot over the years. They were the winners of two state championships and won a World Series title when they were in their early teens. They've had many tournament placements and runner-up finishes as well.

Sportsman Coach Trey Prieur over the years always hears about groups playing together prior to joining the American Legion team. But Prieur doesn't ever recall hearing about this big of a collection playing together for as long as they have.

"It's awesome they have been able to stick together throughout all those years," Prieur said. "That speaks to their personalities and the good values of the parents and families. You often see people move around a lot. That speaks very highly of them on and off the field. They did it the right way, forming bonds together on and off the field."

The group brings plenty to the table for the Sportsman, making up more than a third of the roster. Taylor, Sizemore, Moody and Brooks all provide quality arms with their abilities to pitch. Carroll is hitting in the heart of the order and blasting home runs all season long while playing shortstop. Morgan is sometimes his double play partner at second base.

Sizemore, Taylor and Brooks also play in the middle infield.

"They all play a key role for us," Prieur said. "They are a big part of our team because of the chemistry they have. That's a nice bonus. There is a good mix of guys who can pitch and can hit. Key positions for us on the field are in this group. They have played well for us."

The players' families have gotten to know each other pretty well over the years as well. Within the group, each has special connections with others. Carroll and Morgan played together for the Greenwood Bulldogs. Brooks and Sizemore are the out-of-state players from Oklahoma who have loved having an Arkansas baseball family in addition to their instate friends.

Some of the bonds on the team go even further back than just 10 years. Taylor and Carroll have played together the past 14 seasons. They will make it 15 when Taylor joins Carroll at Carl Albert State College in Poteau, Okla. Sizemore and Moody will be heading to Carl Albert as well to keep part of the band together.

Prieur knows well how memorable later in life it is growing up playing baseball with friends surrounding you. He is reminded constantly of people he has become great friends with over the years through baseball when he also played in the River Valley.

"There are several friends that we played a lot of baseball together and to this day I still talk with," Prierur said. "You build these relationships for a lifetime. I've been to a lot of weddings with guys I played with growing up. You meet a lot of lifelong friends playing baseball. You make friends that you will grow old together with. This is a special time for this group playing right now."

With the group coming back together before most go down different paths in life for one final season there is just one goal left they can achieve, and that's another state championship -- this time at the American Legion level.

"It would be pretty sweet to win a state championship again," Taylor said. "We've had some big games as a group before. It will be fun playing with this group again to see how far we can go this season. It's a lot of fun with these guys around me for one last season."

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Baseball forms lasting bond for teammates - Arkansas Online
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