Sunday Night Baseball showcases rising talent in Hawaii

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The crack of bats hitting baseballs at Ala Wai field means it’s Sunday Night Baseball, a weekly scrimmage featuring some of the state’s best high school baseball players.

”I think it’s a great environment for these players to come out, face some of the top pitching in the state, and face some of the top hitters in the state. They just go at it,” said Reid Nomura, founder and CEO of Nomura Academy.

The players are urged to throw hard, swing for the fences, and run the basepaths aggressively.

It’s all about development. Every teenager on the field wants to up their game.

”The talent in the state right now is really top notch,” Nomura said. “There’s a lot of great players; a lot of high upside guys.”

Reid and his brother, Rick, run Sunday Night Baseball along with their father, Ron, a former University of Hawaii baseball coach.

They started Sunday Night Baseball three years ago with the goal of helping players hone their skills and tap into their full potential.

”We’re not a business. We’re not here to make money off these kids. It’s really to help give back to these kids and pay it forward. Our family really enjoys that,” Nomura said.

Every game is filmed. Player highlights and stats are posted on social media sites that college coaches, recruiters, and Major League scouts turn to in search for talent.

”Biggest thing I would say is you just never really know who’s watching,” Nomura said.

The weekly showcase is a proven stepping stone. Players who participated in the past can now be found on rosters of some prominent collegiate programs or playing ball for junior colleges, or D-I and D-II schools.

”It’s great when we see players come through for the first time. They experience some adversity, but then they bounce back and they continue to build on it and develop their game and grow the confidence,” Nomura said.

He also credits other coaches around the state who are doing their part to expand Hawaii’s pool of top-notch baseball players.

”There’s a lot of people around the state that are helping and supporting these kids get to the next level. So it’s just awesome to see,” he said.

If you want to see the talent of tomorrow playing on the diamond today, check out Sunday Night Baseball.

It’s definitely in a league of its own.

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