Bigfork Youth Baseball hopes to grow and build fields

The batter hit the ball straight to second.

The ball hit the baseman’s mitt and bounced off, allowing the runner to get safely to first before the second baseman managed to pick up the ball and throw.

It was a fairly typical play for the 7- to 8-year-old children with Bigfork Youth Baseball.

“Just smile, swing hard and have fun,” rookie coach Dan Elwell said.

Bigfork has been home to little league teams for over 30 years, and has churned out some talented players, bringing them up from T-ball to Babe Ruth.

“We’ve been able to produce some phenomenal little baseball players,” Bigfork youth baseball president Patrick Pacheco said. “I believe because Bigfork kids have the biggest hearts.”

But over the last several years, the Flathead Valley League that Bigfork Youth Baseball belongs to has dwindled — with other small town little leagues, such as Kila and Evergreen, being absorbed by the Kalispell League. Now Bigfork Baseball is the only one left in its league.

Joe Bell moved to Bigfork in 1998, when his son was nine. He said the first thing they did was sign him up for baseball. When Bell arrived and began coaching, the Flathead Valley League was going strong, and the numbers and talent on the Bigfork teams were strong. They used to travel around the Valley playing teams from other towns.

“The biggest thing I’ve seen change is the number and the skill level,” Bell said. He has now coached with Bigfork Baseball for 16 years.

Bigfork Baseball finds itself competing with other summer activities, and so the majority of the little league season is crammed into the end of the school year.

“Summer time used to be baseball, you used to go out and play baseball,” he said. “The social thing used to be baseball.”

Bigfork Baseball had its opening ceremonies in the beginning of May and the last games are the beginning of June. Bell said by the time people know it’s baseball season it’s almost over.

The biggest challenge coaches with Bigfork Baseball face being the only team in their league is scheduling games with other leagues so they don’t spend the whole season playing each other.

Every kid who goes out for Bigfork Baseball makes it on to a team. There are six T-Ball teams, four Rookie teams, three Minor teams, two Major teams and one Babe Ruth team.

Bell said when he started with the League there were four teams at the Major level.

“That’s always a fight to keep those numbers up,” he said.

Another frustration coaches have faced is the facilities.

Most of the games and practices are on fields owned by Flathead County. Bigfork Youth Baseball pays rent to the county for the use and maintenance of the fields.

Bigfork Baseball isn’t allowed to do any maintenance to the facilities themselves, and has been frustrated with the lack of attention the parks get from the county.

“Because we’re outlying, it’s kind of like an after thought,” Bell said.

Pacheco said the difference in quality of the fields in Kalispell, and the fields in Bigfork are huge.

“Our kids show up and see these fields and think they’ve gone to the major league,” he said.

Rather than continue to pay rent to the county, Pacheco is spearheading a push to purchase property for Bigfork Youth Baseball and build its own facilities.

The project is in its infancy stages, but they have located a potential location, and are starting to think about funding.

Bigfork Youth Baseball relies on sponsors and fundraisers to cover the costs of running the league. Right now, Pacheco said, they break even.

“Our goal has always been to try to keep Bigfork baseball as inexpensive and family friendly as possible,” Bell said. “The community has been very good about supporting us.”

He thinks the new fields will need to become a community project to make it a reality.

Coaches like Bell and Pacheco, as well as enthusiastic parents, are key for keeping Bigfork Youth Baseball going.

“Youth baseball is just so incredible,” Pacheco said. “All these kids learn from each other. One great hit or one great catch changes the whole vibe of the team. I wish more of the locals would come out and watch the games.”

Pacheco was inspired by Bell to join Bigfork Baseball and throw his energy into it.

Pacheco has been involved with Bigfork Youth Baseball for seven years. His son had played in Kalispell where Pacheco found kids received very little personal coaching.

When he met Bell, Pacheco was impressed.

“He’s an amazing man who has given more to this team than anyone I’ve ever met,” he said.

Bell is just passionate about baseball. “It’s my passion, it always has been,” Bell said. “I grew up playing baseball. It’s my first love, sports-wise.”

After his son finished Babe Ruth, began coaching T-Ball. He’s followed those kids, and is now back as coach for the Babe Ruth level.

“I like coaching, and I like being with the kids,” he said. “It’s one of the things I can do for the community.”

The Babe Ruth team is 0-8 on the season, but Bell still enjoys coaching, and trying to teach life lessons through baseball.

“You can play and have fun, and not win,” he said.

Though Bell is still actively involved in the League, he’s stepped back and let newer, enthusiastic people like Pacheco step up and lead.

“I kind of encouraged him to take it up to the next level,” Bell said. “And he’s doing some great things.”

He said the program needs people who have the energy to do the fundraising and the organizing — especially if they hope to build their own fields.

“For years we’ve had two or three people doing the bulk of the work,” he said.

Now he’s seeing more families start to get involved, and finds it really encouraging. “I’m hoping this new group of parents are up to the challenge,” he said.