Colfax area baseball players David Campbell, left, and Devon Loomis are headed to Cooperstown, New York with the Hard 90 Slam 13-and under baseball team. The Slam will compete in a 48-team National Tournament of Champions tournament. See story below for details.

Aug. 6, 2008

Colfax area youth baseball players

Headed to Cooperstown, New York

For National competition

For Colfax area youth baseball players Devon Loomis and David Campbell, a visit to the hallowed grounds of Cooperstown, New York is a once in a lifetime trip.

However, a trip to visit the site of major league baseball’s Hall of Fame and a chance to play in a national youth baseball tournament at the same time makes the long journey even more special.

The Colfax pair will be doing just that this weekend as they accompany the Hard 90 Baseball Academy 13-and under Slam team to New York for competition involving teams from across the country at the National American Tournament of Champions.  The week long tourney will include regional tournament winners from across the United States.

The Hard 90 Baseball Academy is a Roseville-based youth program which fields 11 teams in several different age groups.

Coached by Rick Sunberg, the Slam team won an earlier tournament this season to qualify more the national event. The team is comprised of players mostly from Placer County with a few Folsom and Sacramento area players sprinkled in.

According to Sunberg, the Cooperstown tournament will be contested as the Cooperstown Dream Park, a 22-field complex which is called the “Crown Jewel of Youth Baseball” in the country.

“It’s a pretty nice set-up,” said Sunberg of the Cooperstown facilities. “All of the 22 fields are self enclosed and lighted. The complex is on about 15 acres.”

While Little League Baseball conducts its Little League World Series and involves only 16 teams, once a year, the Cooperstown Tournaments host their versions of National Tournaments every week. That allows nearly 1,000 teams to vie for national honors in different divisions.

Loomis, who will be an 8th grader at Weimar Hills School, and Campbell, who will be in 7th grade at Colfax Elementary, have been filling in at several different positions for the Slam this season.

Both players passed up the chance to compete in the Sierra Foothills Little League program this season to vie in the more competitive Hard 90 competition.

“Both Devon and David are integral parts of our team,” said Sunberg. “They’re very coach-able and doing a great job.”

Sundberg noted that the National Tournament in Cooperstwon gives players more of a baseball look at a younger age.

“We play with runners leading off and pitcher’s throwing out of the stretch,” said Sunberg. “It’s more like real baseball.”