Softball Opening Day - March 4th, 2023
Arrive at LC Sportsplex, 8am, and wait for the team to arrive
Line up for the parade on Ashbel Smith Ave near UTMB, LC
Nine of twelve teammates make it to Opening Day with Coach Vanessa
Back at the Sportsplex, the giant American Flag is hoisted aloft
The parade begins after 9am, lead by sirens and a firetruck
Bomber parents watch from the side looking into the sun
See for the first time new Mayor Long representing LC
He wisely tows the World Champion Astros little league team
The Pink Panthers are the first girls softball team!
The Stars are next; The boys only use MLB team names over & over
Cyan/aqua 8U Thunder team after more MLB team named boys teams
One of many Pirates teams has an actual pirate ship to ride
Crush in red makes for separate washing
Aqua blue Tidal Waves have a well decorated trailer
26 year flashback to my old men's team . . . the Diamond Dawgs!
Love the lavender jersies on the Storm!
Great team name and team color! Velocity in purple!
Hope the green Shamrocks have a game on Friday the 17th of March
Millennial named Rockies players make excellent baseball decorations
Sheriff Fullen happy to use position to acquire an impressive vehicle
The Sting refers to a scorpion's business end, not Bilbo's elven sword
Dynasty and Lady Royals roll in a joint parade vehicle
Former teammates Corinne and Lauren play for the 12U competition team
A few grey Dynamite players ride with the Lady Royals
A second and older Thunder team, still in aqua, rolls up next
They have an Elsie on the team, now the 4th Elsie I have encountered!
10U red Raptors roll up next, 14U also has a red Raptors team
The Lady Stros are the only almost MLB based girls softball team name
The Lonestars and Hericanes ride together on this float
Blue Surge is next in line and hopefully only softball related
Coach Stacey leads the Marauders with former teammate Hayden aboard
Daughter Corinne is playing for Dynasty and Marauders this season!
Have a nice five minute lull in the parade where we all just stare at each other
The same parents & smaller kids are pummeled over and over by beads
The parade gets back underway as the Marlins inundate us with bubbles
The 14U girls teams finally make the scene starting with the Raptors
Former teammates Aria, Charlotte & Maylee play for the Raptors
And finally, what we've all been waiting for, the 14U Bombers!
Coach David drives while Saniya sends out beads to the fans
LtoR: Addison, Angelina, Saniya, Ashlin, Gia, Erin, Ella, Wednesday, Norelle & Gracie
Not quite last and definately not the least!
The Pirates directly behind the Bombers are the last team of the parade
With the parade over, parents scramble to find their kids and move on to the next opening day activity
Takes awhile for the far forward trailers to unload their team
Kill an hour pitching with Aria & Charlotte and then bumping a volleyball
Gather on field 5 at 11:45 to announce all the girls and boys teams
The boys have now been playing 70 years, the girls started in 2016
Boys MLB teams include: Astros, Athletics, Brewers, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Giants, Mariners, Marlins, Pirates, Rays, Red Sox, Rockies & White Sox
There are 375 girls playing 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U softball
The two 14U teams (Raptors and Bombers) make out the outer ring
Announcers alternate bet boys & girls and name each team of each age group
10u and 12U make up the largest group of softball teams
14U Raptors cheer on their announcement
14U Bombers do the same! Looking forward to a great year