CARY, N.C. – For many of the 12U athletes at the National Team Identification Series (NTIS) Champions Cup, this week provides an opportunity to play the game they love at the highest level of their young careers. The players at this week’s event come from all over the country and love the game for many different reasons, but each of them has something that stands out as their favorite thing and why they want to keep playing.

Many players enjoy the fundamentals of the game like hitting or fielding. The 12U Northeast Stripes have both sides of the field covered as Parker Klug’s favorite part of the game is, “barreling up the baseball and going yard.” His teammate Justin Sawchyn plays second and shortstop and most enjoys, “fielding a ground ball up the middle and getting a guy out at first.”

Isiah Williams, the catcher for the 12U Southeast Stripes, also likes fielding his position, saying blocking and being the backstop for his pitcher and team is his favorite part about playing.

Other players enjoy different aspects of the game that are less fundamental and more about the intangible parts of the game.

Elijah Davis from the 12U Southeast Stars is looking forward to his favorite part of the game this weekend which is the competition the sport provides. “Getting the chance to go against other good players and see who wins is the best,” he explained.

The competition will certainly be on full display this weekend as players were fired up to get things going at Thomas Brooks Park on Thursday. Similar to how the 15U and 16U teams had to come together quickly last week, the 12U players and coaches were meeting for the first time on Thursday morning during their photoshoots and by the end of the day had two games together as a team under their belts.

For one player on the 12U Midwest Stripes, playing on a new team is something he looks forward to as a part of playing baseball.

“Getting to meet new people and playing with the guys is probably my favorite part about this,” said Dewey Young. “You get to learn about new people that all like to play baseball and it’s really fun.”

But it goes beyond just new teammates for a lot of these players as they meet and play with new coaches, in front of the task force, and get to interact with other USA Baseball staff.

“It’s all of the people that are around the game,” said Landyn Singh, a member of the 12U Northwest Stripes this week. “The photographers, the grounds crew, everyone that makes this happen is a part of the game to me and I appreciate it.”

Aside from the fundamentals, competition, and comradery, plenty of the players this week put it simply when asked what their favorite part about playing baseball is: “hitting dingers.”

And that’s a surefire way to make your mark at the NTIS.