Local youth make national baseball team

by Paula M. Fitzgerald
Paraglide

	photo by Paula M Fitzgerald/Paraglide Thomas Troutman, left, and Josh Allyn were recently selected to the Reebok U.S. Specialty Sports Association 15 and under baseball team. Troutman is a 14-year-old freshman at Terry Sanford High School, and Allyn is a 15-year-old sophomore at Fayetteville Christian School.

Josh Allyn and Thomas Troutman have been playing baseball for more than a decade, but neither is old enough for a driver’s license.
Josh, 15, and Thomas, 14, were recently selected to play for the Reebok U.S.

Specialty Sports Association 15 and under baseball team. Each understands that being a member of this team will be hard work, but this is nothing new for the boys, who grew up in Army households. Josh’s father is Maj. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, deputy commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Thomas’ father is Lee Troutman, a retired Soldier and the N.C. Rangers head coach. Both boys have been playing for the N.C. Rangers, a traveling baseball team, for about a year. Five boys, including Josh and Thomas, from the N.C Rangers were selected for the USSSA team. The other three are Adam Todd, Chad Heath and Jordan Chavis.

“This is a pretty big deal for the boys,” said the elder Troutman. “They get some pretty cool Reebok gear, but they also get to play in some tournaments that are coming up soon. They have worked hard for this.”

The first tournament is scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18 in Orlando, Fla.

Both Josh and Thomas said their journey to the Reebok USSSA baseball team was not easy.

“I’ve been playing baseball for about 12 years,” said Josh, who also enjoys basketball and golf. “I am usually shortstop or pitcher, but I can play all the positions if I have to.”

In addition to playing with the N.C. Rangers and the USSSA team, Josh is a 10th grader at Fayetteville Christian School and plays varsity baseball there. His coach at the school and Lee suggested that Josh try out for the USSSA team. Josh’s selection to his newest team was the culmination of years of practice.

Thomas also knows the benefits of hard work. His baseball career began when Lee was stationed in Bahrain.

“I was four or five when I first started playing,” explained Thomas, who also plays lacrosse, soccer and football.

When asked what it was like to learn the ins and outs of America’s favorite pastime in Bahrain of all places, Thomas said with a shy laugh, “It was hot.”

However, the heat did not deter the 9th grader at Terry Sanford High School to keep playing ball over the years. In fact, during the tryouts for the USSSA baseball team, Thomas beat out every other boy to win the skills and speed competition. He also plays for his high school junior varsity baseball team.

Being chosen for the USSSA team opens up future possibilities for the young men. Both Josh and Thomas would like to continue playing baseball throughout high school and college.

As Josh summed it up, “I love playing baseball, and I’m going to play as long as I keep enjoying it.”

Lee would like to invite interested boys who also love to play baseball to join the N.C. Rangers. Contact him by e-mail at leetroutman@nc.rr.com or call 964-7650.