Westwood Excessive Faculty baseball jerseys cling within the dugout on the college’s varsity baseball discipline for the ‘Very Particular Baseball Recreation.’ (Picture by Andres Armenta/Cronkite Information)
MESA – Chants and indicators crammed the Westwood Excessive Faculty varsity baseball discipline stands Saturday morning. Mother and father cheering from the stands usually make themselves heard at a varsity baseball recreation, however because the February solar shone on the indicators, these cheers have been for one thing related however utterly totally different.
The thrill from the stands surrounded the eleventh annual “Very Particular Baseball Recreation” at Westwood Excessive, showcasing the abilities of particular training school rooms at Westwood Excessive Faculty and Crimson Mountain Excessive Faculty. College students who usually don’t take the sphere have been the celebs of the present.
Baseball gamers from every college’s varsity staff accompanied a particular wants scholar within the discipline of play in the course of the baseball recreation. College students hit the ball, ran the bases and scored runs.
The sport was shortened to 3 innings, however that didn’t cease everybody concerned from having time.
“It’s identical to a no-stress day for the followers,” Westwood varsity baseball coach J.R. Langston stated. “We had nice individuals right here within the stands. These youngsters have a chance to do one thing that they wouldn’t usually have a chance to do. After which my gamers, our gamers, simply have a chance to provide again just a little.”
Westwood Excessive Faculty trainer Jane Dutcher-Pagel helps college students stroll as much as the plate throughout Saturday’s annual ‘Very Particular Baseball Recreation.’ (Picture by Andres Armenta/Cronkite Information)
Alternative is a significant component in fueling the unique thought for the sport. Langston is the occasion’s originator and pitched it to Jane Dutcher-Pagel, a particular training trainer at Westwood Excessive Faculty.
For the reason that recreation’s debut, Dutcher-Pagel has deliberate and executed it with pleasure. Each interplay on the diamond is crammed with a smile and kindness. It’s an occasion and day that she genuinely holds expensive to her coronary heart.
Behind her smile Saturday, there was some disappointment. Dutcher-Pagel plans to retire after this college 12 months after 36 years, and Saturday’s contest marked the final one she’s going to coordinate.
“I cried about 10 occasions in the present day,” Dutcher-Pagel stated Saturday. “A lot of combined feelings, however principally simply pleasure. I imply, I don’t know the way you can’t really feel pleasure. Watching all of our college students, I at all times inform everybody it’s like their World Sequence, the grins on their faces, the high-fives, the pumping the gang up.
“I’m actually unhappy. There’s an enormous a part of me that’s unhappy.”
After greater than three a long time of educating, time has flown by for Dutcher-Pagel. The top hadn’t hit Dutcher-Pagel but till she began to wash out her desk throughout lunch interval the opposite day. It was an emotional second.
“I’ll see you subsequent 12 months,” she tells her college students on the finish of every college 12 months. Not this Could, as she closes her classroom door one remaining time.
“Having a scholar say an extended sentence,” Dutcher-Pagel stated in regards to the experiences she’s going to miss. “We’re making an attempt to extend their utterances as an alternative of pointing or simply making an attempt to get one phrase, after which impulsively, they bust out a sentence. So I feel these every day celebrations are what I’m actually going to miss. Seeing the scholars develop and mature, and I like to look at the friendships they develop.
Over the previous 11 years, the sport has grown right into a beloved group custom. Irrespective of how huge the occasion turns into, its core will at all times be centered across the group Mesa shares. The sport’s development over the previous decade has been exceptional for Dutcher-Pagel. Berge Toyota has even grow to be a sponsor and offers pizza for everybody after the sport.
Whatever the development, this occasion is fueled by the group and household. When Langston and Dutcher-Pagel wanted one other highschool to take part, Crimson Mountain was an apparent choice.
Dutcher-Pagel’s husband, Ross Pagel, coached the Crimson Mountain Excessive Faculty baseball staff. It was a match made in heaven, however the roots return even deeper.
Pagel coached Langston again at Mesa Excessive Faculty when Langston was a participant, and years later, all events concerned got here collectively to placed on a significant occasion.
“I feel that makes it particular,” Langston stated. “It makes it one thing that we are able to proceed to do as a result of now we have a closeness. If there wasn’t that closeness, possibly it might have been a one-year factor.
“However actually, as a result of we’re linked, we’ve been in a position to hold this factor rolling, and it’s simply been actually good for me and my baseball program.”
About 15 members from every roster participated in Saturday’s occasion and collaborated with the scholars to make sure they had fun. Crimson Mountain varsity assistant coach Mike Runge believes the occasion is without doubt one of the program’s finest.
In contrast to an everyday season recreation or follow, gamers acquire the expertise of giving again to their group. He talked about that a few of his previous gamers nonetheless speak about their time collaborating.
“What stuff can we do to assist, and ultimately, that’s what baseball is about,” Runge stated. “It’s not about successful or shedding … It’s about how we deal with individuals. So later in life, they’re going to assist another person out, or somebody’s going to get assist from them.
“And that’s what we attempt to do at Crimson Mountain Baseball.”
In the long run, it’s not about Dutcher-Pagel, it’s not in regards to the gamers who assist out–it’s all in regards to the college students who take part on this occasion. It’s the explanation why Dutcher-Pagel made positive this occasion got here to life.
Westwood Excessive Faculty trainer Jane Dutcher-Pagel participates in an interview with Berge Toyota throughout Saturday’s ‘Very Particular Baseball Recreation.’ (Picture by Andres Armenta/Cronkite Information)
She talked about that the sport is the scholars’ “World Sequence.”
“I used to be so pumped after I received right here,” Westwood scholar AJ Pagan stated. “I used to be so pleased and excited the whole time. My feelings at all times get pleased after I’m in temper. …My favourite half was going back-to-back, doing single runs.”
Pagan’s dad, Alberto, is proud to see his son come out of his shell round individuals and be snug with himself. Pagan shared a ton of snickers and pleasure as he ran the diamond. For his household, it’s a particular feeling seeing their youngster on the grime.
“We’re a baseball family,” Alberto stated. “Making an attempt to show him learn how to be taught baseball since he was a child, since he was a child, so he’s grown to adore it, and he’s grown to see me and the household watch it at dwelling. Him being part of it’s nice. … It’s at all times enjoyable seeing him in his ingredient. Socializing and simply having enjoyable together with his friends. He was so enthusiastic about this recreation, and he’s been speaking about it the whole week.”
All of that is potential by the spirit of 1 particular person forsaking a legacy, an occasion that absolutely will proceed for years to return. She nonetheless plans to attend the sport after retirement.
However whereas she gained’t plan the sport sooner or later, her fingerprints will nonetheless be throughout it.
“It was in regards to the college students,” Dutcher-Pagel stated. “I feel the phrase unfold about how a lot pleasure there may be on that discipline. … You simply plan this enjoyable day, and also you don’t suppose it’s actually going to show into anything, nevertheless it at all times does. It simply will get greater and greater and greater. However simply the general pleasure, and I feel it’s in all probability gonna be even greater subsequent 12 months. … It’s simply joyful. It’s simply so enjoyable to be out right here. My face hurts on the finish of the day as a result of I’ve smiled a lot.”
Daniel Rios expects to graduate in spring 2025 with a bachelor’s diploma in sports activities journalism. Rios interned with Varsity Sports activities Present and OC Riptide. He has additionally written for the Arizona State Press and Walter Cronkite Sports activities Community.
Andres Armenta expects to graduate in spring 2025 with a bachelor’s diploma in sports activities journalism. Armenta has interned on the San Diego Union-Tribune as a visible reporter and is at the moment a broadcast intern for Solar Satan Radio Community.
Cronkite Information is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
Employees members are listed here.
Learn more about what we do and learn how to discover our content material on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms.
Learn the way your information group can use Cronkite News content.
Sign up for every day headlines.
555 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ, 85004
602.496.5050
[email protected]
© 2025 Cronkite Information. All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Privacy statement
