Swampland League sparks competition, friendship

Some kids meet at the mall.

Others take camping trips or convene at the community swimming pool.

Area baseball players, however, see the Swampland League as the perfect summertime outlet to rekindle old friendships and establish new ones.

“Swampland is a lot of fun because you get to hang out with your teammates and get affiliated with the new players who you will be playing with next (high school) season,” said Thibodaux center fielder Brandon Talbot.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the league also provides players an opportunity to sharpen their skills.

“You also focus on baseball, which is most important,” Talbot added.

Swampland Baseball kicked off its third season yesterday (Tuesday). The nascent league concludes with playoff games the first week in July.

“The short season gives players a chance to enjoy part of their summer vacation and get in some good, quality baseball, too,” said Thibodaux baseball coach Wayne Grenfell. “It also gives the kids who play football a little time off before they go into their football grind. Football coaches appreciate that.”

This year’s Swampland League is comprised of 13 teams and is divided into two divisions.

The American League contains Central Catholic, Central Lafourche, E.D. White Catholic, H.L. Bourgeois, Lutcher, St. James and Thibodaux. The National League consists of Berwick, Morgan City, Patterson, South Lafourche, South Terrebonne and Vandebilt Catholic. Each team will have a varsity and junior varsity lineup.

Games will be played Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Grenfell and Berwick coach Mike Thomas were put in charge or organizing this year’s schedule.

“It (scheduling) was definitely a challenge because I’m friends with all of the coaches in the area,” Grenfell quipped. “If you don’t do something right, you might lose a friend over it.”

The Swampland Baseball League was created in 2005 as an alternative to Legion baseball. It was hoped that the organization would act as a vehicle to develop returning high school baseball players and cultivate new talent.

So far, so good.

“It (Swampland) has been very successful so far,” Grenfell said. “We get compliments from everyone who has ever participated. It’s a competitive league that the kids enjoy playing, and they usually know the players on the other teams.”

Talbot said he might consider continuing his baseball career in junior college. If he does, the Swampland League will only assist him in his journey to the next level.

In the meantime, it will also afford him an opportunity to pal around with his teammates during his break from the classroom.

“I think you get more friends out of baseball than you do other sports,” said Talbot, who always suits up with the Tigers football squad each fall. “You get to bond with them more.”