PONY Baseball: Bronco Blue manager honing players' skills

Lance Geiger has been playing baseball all his life and he hopes that if he can keep it fun for the kids he coaches, they will do the same.

Geiger is coach of this season's PONY League Bronco Blue 10- and 11-year-old All-Star team as well as a member of the Ahwatukee PONY League board of directors.

"My focus is to keep these kids playing baseball," Geiger said. "Typically you see a drop-off of kids playing as they get older. My goal is to enhance the experience so 9 and 10 year olds keep playing, 11 and 12 year olds have a great experience so they continue to play, and so on."

This is Geiger's fifth season of coaching young PONY League players. His son, Jackson, is on his team and he has two older boys, 11 and 12, who play.

"I really enjoy working with the boys," Geiger said. "I enjoy working with the younger kids and teaching them how to play baseball and how much fun it can be."

This season his team is a little older.

"I really enjoy both levels," he added. "When I coached the 9 and 10 year olds, they were just learning the game and it's fun to teach them at the age.

"What makes the 11 and 12 year olds fun is that they know how to play the game and it's just honing their skills to become better players."

There are a few players on his team that he has coached for the last five years.

"We always emphasize that we want them to have fun," Geiger said. "That will keep them coming back."

The younger Ahwatukee PONY Mustang and older Bronco teams are gearing toward the annual state tournament that starts July 10 in Scottsdale.

"Historically, we've put some very good baseball teams in the tournament," Geiger said. "This is a hotbed for good, young players."

See Also:

Ahwatukee Foothills PONY Baseball:

Bronco Red manager relaying life experiences

Bronco Blue manager honing players' skills

Mustang Blue manager out to make baseball fun

Mustang Red manager passing on love of baseball

Ahwatukee Little League:

Majors manager finds himself in unique role

10/11s manager enjoys watching players interact

9/10s manager looking forward to teaching