In 1986, Ben Stevens brought forth a traveling baseball organization geared toward the improvement of young boys throughout Northeast Florida. The organization, known as the Jacksonville Warriors, built themselves up on a solid foundation of moral values: ethics, discipline, and class. You win some, you lose some. But you never, for any reason, lose respect for the game or your opponent.
Acting as a “farm system” for the Warriors, the Jacksonville BlueClaws were created to prepare young players for the rigors that come along with higher levels of play and competition. Another goal was to help facilitate and develop the young players’ overall love and appreciation of the game. As of the end of the 2013 season, the BlueClaws have dropped their former name and adopted a new identity: the Five Star Tigers.
Sadly, Stevens passed away in September of 2009 after a six-year battle with cancer. However, his legacy and his ideals continue to push the members of the Five Star Tigers to thresholds of prominence, in Northeast Florida and beyond.
“On the field our coaches teach respecting the game,” said Josh Baker, head coach of the 9U Tigers Easton team. “Our players play the game with respect for their opponents, respect for each other, and respect for baseball traditions. Off the field, our players are very active in charities, churches, and school sports. We will not turn down a kid that cannot afford the fees of our program. We have sponsors that donate yearly in order to assist those who need help financially.”
Baker has experienced his own triumphs on the diamond. His experiences in high school are valuable when it comes to teaching his players the finer points of the game.
“At the Warriors level, the coaching experience we have basically gives our players a jump start into college or pro baseball,” he said. “Our coaches structure practices more like a college practice than a travel ball practice. For the players to be able to talk to coaches that have been through the recruiting process or major league draft is invaluable.”
The boys don’t have to look far to see where hard work and determination can take them. Several of their coaches have experienced success in their own right. Current director Eric Hurley is a former first-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers. He would be named the Minor League Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year in 2006, and also spent time as a member of the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Hitting instructor Jon Shave was initially drafted by the Angels before opting for college instead. After playing at Mississippi State University, he was taken again in the MLB draft, this time by the Texas Rangers. He was a member of the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox before coming to the Five Star Tigers.
The list doesn’t stop there. 12U head coach Jeff Gidcumb (Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants) and 9U pitching coach Justin Barnes (Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals) have had their share of professional success as well.
“We pride ourselves on being able to coach advanced baseball at all ages,” Baker said. “Where as some younger teams are working on catching and throwing basics, we are advancing to bunt defenses & first and third situations. With the experience our coaches have they are able to take the advanced concepts and simplify them enough for younger kids.”
The boys have responded well to their terrific coaches. On November 15, 2014, the 11U Five Star Tigers (Easton) finished first in the FCA One Day Tournament, and the 12U Five Star Tigers (Orange) finished second. Also, the 9U team is currently ranked third in the USSSA national rankings. In the last two seasons, the 9U team (then competing at the 8U and 7U levels) won back-to-back state titles.
“We separate ourselves by the level of competition we play,” Baker said. “The Tigers’ top-level teams compete nationally in National Invitational tournaments (Atlanta, Charlotte, Auburn, Tampa, Miami) and traditionally play in the Elite World Series at Disney.”
During his time with the program, Stevens would always remark that the best reward of his hard work to build the program was the satisfaction that he felt when he would hear about former Warriors taking the life lessons and values that they receive through the program and “passing it on” to future generations. Coach Baker and his staff pride themselves on living up to that standard, both on and off the field.
“Seeing the boys grow and mature may be more satisfying than the on the field accomplishments,” Baker said. “Last week our 9U Easton team went to an assisted living facility and passed out Christmas presents and served ice cream. I can’t explain how excited I was to see one of our players in particular talking to and helping the residents. Six months ago, he was so shy he would barely speak to me.”
One thing is for certain. With the valuable lessons that the are being taught to the young boys of the Five Star Baseball, you can rest assured that greatness will certainly be passed on.
Northeast Florida/February-March 2015
Five Star Tigers (Travel Baseball)
Jacksonville, Fl.
Five Star Baseball: Building Tradition
By James Washington
