- November 16, 2024
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Janessa Samblanet watched her 5-year-old son, Brantley Strong, play in the dirt at third base before opening ceremonies for the Lakewood Ranch League Little on Saturday.
"As soon as he woke up this morning, he asked, 'Can we go?'" Samblanet said.
Brantley's dad, Travis Strong, played baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization so the love of baseball runs in the family.
The love of baseball and softball obviously runs in a lot of Lakewood Ranch families. While the Lakewood Ranch Little League was hosting its opening day ceremonies, Miss Manatee Softball was holding a similar celebration in the fields adjacent to the Little League park.
Both organizations paraded their teams into the parks.
"The start of the season, it's here," said David Bay, the president of the Lakewood Ranch Little League as he greeted the players before the opening ceremonies. "This is what the kids gets excited about. We've got over 400 kids, our biggest season ever.