Columbia, SC
Established in 2024, Soda City Rise baseball is committed to developing young players in all facets of the game, growing both on and off the field. On the field, the focus for younger players is sharpening your skills as a multi-tool player with other highly skilled athletes, while increasing overall baseball IQ and, importantly, learning to play the game the right way (P.G.R.W.). Off the field, maturing daily harnessing humility gained from winning, perseverance through losing, and the ability to grind and overcome at all times. Simply put, Soda City Rise will be a family. Iron sharpens iron in life and on the baseball field. (Proverbs 27:17)
Philosophically, the focus will not be how many tournament games we can squeeze in during a season. The idea is to get liked talented kids on the field together, improving daily, with ultimately the opportunity to compete in several tournaments each season. While we will most certainly seek to be competitive and win, as that’s a reward for working hard, families should not worry about their child losing a spot due to vacations or other commitments. The goal is not to peak at age 13 or 14, or worse yet, learn to hate the game of baseball and walk away…but instead, to love and appreciate this awesome game God gave us and have fun while you grow and develop.
Soda City Rise will kick off with 9U and 10U teams. Please see the age calculator below in FAQs or in the drop-down menu to see where your child would land. Kids cannot play down an age group, but could play up.
Locations
Practices &
Tournaments
Practice Locations
Practices will be primarily be held at Trenholm Park fields (3900 Covenant Road, Columbia, SC 29204) and will be held 1-2 times weekly. While some preparations will begin this spring, the team will start in earnest with more field accessibility after Little League all-stars completes early summer 2024.
Tournament Locations
Tournament play will primarily be locally in the Midlands of South Carolina, with seasonal “excursion” tournaments requiring some travel. Tournaments are primarily on Saturdays/Sundays, although preferentially we will seek opportunities to play Friday night/Saturday tournaments when available.
We will be playing Richland County Recreation tournaments primarily with some USSSA tournaments sprinkled in. Other tournament affiliates may be sought.
FAQ
Questions Answers
How much will this cost?
There is no administrative cost to be part of the Soda City Rise team. Costs incurred will include jerseys/team wear, tournament fees (when applicable), and travel if playing in an “excursion” tournament away from Midlands. Again, those intend to be infrequent, especially in younger kids, as there is so much good baseball right here.
So, coaches will be volunteers?
Yes, that is correct. For love of the game.
What age group will be child be in?
This site can be used to calculate your child’s age for the 2024-2025 season: TRAVEL BALL USA AGE CALCULATOR. May 1st is the cutoff to determine age each year. For example, if your child’s birthdate falls between 5/1/2015 – 4/30/2016 they are considered 9U eligible for the 8/1/2024 – 7/31/2025 season. They could play up an age depending on skill level, availability, etc.
Does my child have to be affiliated with Trenholm Park to play?
Simply put no, your child does not need to be affiliated with Trenholm Park. I will encourage the kids to register and play Spring Little League baseball though, when that time comes around.
What if we are out of town some weekends/weeks for vacations or other commitments?
Not a problem at all. I would appreciate open communication so absences are known to help with preparation. While there is a team commitment expected here in order for teammates to gel, there is also no expectation of foregoing other things to focus solely on this travel baseball team. Again, this is not meant to have kids peak at 13 or 14 years old, or to grow to hate baseball. So, in short, please do other things! We will be doing the same as coaches.
Will we play on Sundays?
We will avoid playing on Sundays when possible, however, when we do play on Sundays, the team will share in a devotion time.
Will all teams be run the same?
Coaches of each team (e.g., 9U, 10U, etc.) are given autonomy on how they decide to do practices, games, etc. While there will be some differences, the core information will remain the same.
Will we have a team store and be able to order branded apparel?
Yes! This is forthcoming and will be available during the summer!
Where did the name Soda City Rise come from?
Soda City is a popular nickname for Columbia (aka Cola), South Carolina. The name was inspired by a conversation with a fellow little league coach (Josh Stoler) and the work of JC Shurburtt, well known college sports media member and founder of Carolina Rise (now absorbed into Garnet Trust).