Shoreline U-12 All-Stars Getting Started This Weekend

At the same time Major League Baseball prepares to enter its' All-Star break, little league all-star teams from around the state are hitting their strides.

The Shoreline area produces two all-star squads in the 12-and-under division that began district tournament play today. Both the Richmond and North King County Little Leagues field teams in the District 8 tournament.

Richmond All-Stars

The Richmond Little League has had plenty of all-star success in recent years, including 2010, when the league sent three different all-star age groups to the state tournament. This years' squad promises to continue in those successful footsteps.

“We have a pretty deep team from a talent standpoint," team manager Roy Riley said. "We have several guys that can play numerous positions and I would say we have the most consistent hitting since I’ve been coaching.”

Riley, along with coaches Aaron Fredrickson and Eric Oxnevad, will be leading an experienced group of all-stars, including eight who played on the U-11 squad that finished third in districts last year. Riley said the fact that most of the players are familiar with one another adds to the experience the players have playing all-stars.

“These guys have been playing together and against each other for several years and it really builds a sense of camaraderie," Riley said. "They are walking away with an experience they can share together.”

The Richmond squad will have to outlast 13 other teams in order to take the district title, but Riley said the team will measure its success in different ways than wins and losses.

“Success, for them, is measured not in wins, but in just coming together as a team, working hard, supporting each other and really playing baseball the Richmond way, which is when you walk off the field win or lose, you can never say 'man I wish I would have worked harder, I wish I would have tried harder,'” Riley said.

The Richmond all-stars start district play at noon on Saturday against the RUG all-stars at the Northshore Athletic Fields.

North King County All-Stars

The North King County All-Stars do not have quite the track record of their friends to the west, but could have one of the leagues more competitive teams of recent years.

“This year, we look pretty good," team manager Steve Officer said. "I wouldn’t say we have a strong chance to win the tournament, but we do have a strong chance to win some games.”

The NKC all-star group is comprised of a group of players pooled from just four league teams, a smaller number of teams than most all-star squads choose players from. But despite having fewer players to choose from, officer said the all-stars benefit from an increased parent-volunteer presence during the all-star season.

“It’s a definitely an advanced skill set that they get to hone," Officer said. "There’s usually a good deal of parent volunteers that help. You get a lot more one-on-one time.”

The NKC all-stars got off to tough start in the tournament, falling 10-0 to the Northwest all-stars on Friday night. The team plays next on Sunday at 6 p.m. against an undetermined opponent at the Northshore Athletic Fields.