By Andra Moss

It has all the classic Opening Day markers: “We Are the Champions” streaming through portable speakers, coaches knocking pre-game grounders to players and a huddle of dedicated fans on the bleachers. Caps come off for the national anthem, and suddenly it is time to “Play Ball!”

As the first and second grade girls and boys of the Norfolk farm league baseball team sprint onto the field, it is more than the start of a new season. For the first time in six years, Norfolk has assembled a full team and is playing on its Mountain Road home field.

Previously, Norfolk and Colebrook made up a combined Norbrook farm team. This year, though, there are 10 players—just enough for the Norfolk Rockies to make their debut.

After realizing they’d hit the qualifying headcount, volunteer parent-coaches stepped in to rebuild the local program. Mike Listorti and Chris Gomez prepared the field, tilling the compacted soil and painting fresh lines. Then Jessica and Mike Listorti and Henry and Robin Tirrell began teaching their young squad the fundamental skills of the national pastime.

They also learned to pitch. At the farm level, coaches pitch low-compression “safety” baseballs to their own team in a non-competitive format. The six innings each have 10 batters and 10 defensive players. Batters get 10 pitches—to boost confidence—and there are no strikeouts or walks. The farm league doesn’t officially keep score, but each run (and there can be many) earns a big cheer.

Coach Jessica, clipboard in hand, seems the organizational heart of the Rockies. Coach Robin is designated pitcher this game, with Coach Henry behind the plate and Coach Mike supporting the fielders. They get a hand from Coach Jessica’s father, James Harrington, who has coached in some capacity inNorfolk for 40 years and whose granddaughter is a returning player.

Harrington played Little League in Norfolk himself, under Coach Teddy Giansiracusa, and was Coach Chris’s coach years ago. Harrington’s favorite part of farm-level ball? “Watching them play. The level before this, every time the ball was hit all of them would chase it. Now they’ve got the basic gist of playing.”

The T-ball and minor league teams are still part of combined Norbrook teams, practicing in Colebrook. The Rockies have the Norfolk field all to themselves for their six home games. They welcome all friends and neighbors to come out and support the team on May gamedays—Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. As Coach Jessica says, “We’re just looking to get on base, score some runs and have some fun.”