Newton Aycliffe Spartans are busy preparing for their new campaign in the British Baseball Federation (BBF) Northern AA Division and the team’s 2014 schedule has been announced. It has been a busy off-season and new General Manager and Head Coach Mike Holton has been putting the squad through their paces over the winter months. The team has been training weekly indoors, at Woodham Academy in Newton Aycliffe and with the recent hint of better weather the team have enjoyed some productive training sessions in the fresh air at their home field at Shildon.
2013 saw The Spartans improve as a team, narrowly missing out on the playoffs and with a good mix of players returning from last season and new players joining in the off-season, there is plenty of optimism that The Spartans can mount a real challenge for the title in 2014.
Mike explained further, ‘We’ve had a great off season, really working to improve some of the fundamentals of the game of baseball which we hope will translate when we start the season next month’. ‘The core of the squad that served us well in 2013 are back, plus we’ve added some players with good experience, such as Steve Rixon, who has played baseball to a high standard back in his native Australia.’
The Spartans begin their season on Sunday 13th April with a home double header against Harrogate Cubs.
Spartans 2014 Schedule
13/4 v Harrogate Cubs
27/4 v Liverpool Trojans
4/5 v Manchester A’s
11/5 v Sheffield Bladerunners
18/5 at Oldham North Stars
25/5 at Bolton Robots of Doom
1/6 v Hull Scorpions
8/6 v Bolton Robots of Doom
22/6 at Harrogate Cubs
29/6 v at Liverpool Trojans
6/7 at Hull Scorpions
20/7 at Sheffield Bladerunners
3/8 v Oldham North Stars
17/8 at Manchester A’s
Newton Aycliffe Spartans Baseball Club is seeking to partner with commercial organisations across County Durham to promote baseball as an alternative sport within the community and be part of the exciting development and growth of the club. The club are looking for game day sponsors and title sponsors. Every penny in sponsorship is invested back into the club to help fund the adult team, develop the junior team and outreach programme working towards bringing the sport to more areas of the North East of England.
Newton Aycliffe Spartans is one of very few clubs in the North East that can offer participation in a sporting activity, irrespective of gender from the age of 8 (through the Club’s junior programme). The club’s vision is to increase participation in outdoor sport where can develop life skills such as team work and leadership as well as building self-confidence and for both adult and youth players to gain the health benefits of outdoor sport participation. Newton Aycliffe Spartans Baseball Club activity encourages equality, openness, fairness and sportsmanship.
Any commitment large or small is welcomed by the club. Please contact Mike Holton at mike@mikeholton.net for further information or contact the club via www.newtonaycliffespartans.co.uk
www.facebook.com/newtonaycliffespartans
Spartans Head Coach, Mike Holton (right),player Ian Porley
