A group of spry sluggers stretched and warmed up ahead of the most recent Perry League game, Friday, June 27. (Submitted photo)
Heat, hair and halftime popsicles at Perry League
- Published: July 12, 2025
From obsidian to Leia buns and dinosaur sunglasses — yes, it was that kind of night.
We began our fourth Friday of Perry League under the looming shadow of a heat advisory, which had us planning a shortened session. But, thankfully the weather pulled a twist — the afternoon skies turned overcast, temperatures dipped thanks to the occasional pop-up shower, and it was game on! The field remained slightly damp, so we opted not to chalk the lines — and no one seemed to notice or mind one bit.
We gathered trusty volunteers. Ender’s mom, Jennifer, bravely took on the role of First Base Encourager, though she modestly claimed she was unqualified. Nonsense! She was a first-base pro, guiding each child to their base with warmth and cheer. We also had help from Ender’s older sister, whose name was lost to the summer breeze. Alyce’s mom, Lacey; Coach Beth, with Cassian in tow; and Laryssa, mom to Bash and Harrison — fresh from a Michigan vacation — were all expert Ball-Thrower-Inners. And Harlan, a minor league big brother, helped out at third base. Our gratitude is as big as the outfield!
The kiddos sprinted to the outfield fence for warmups with Coaches Yunus and Rob, then returned to their self-selected starting spots: batting or fielding. And just like that — bam! — our first batter, confident little Humza, age 3, strolled up like a seasoned pro and smoothly knocked the ball off the tee. Week four was officially underway!
This week featured a runway of hair magic:
Ahva, 5, rocked a customized Perry League cap with a high ponytail of tight curls shooting out of a hole specially created in the top of the hat for this functional and stylish reason. Dressed in Barbie shorts — we both acknowledged seeing the movie — she pivoted mid-chat to ask, “Have you seen ‘E.T.’?” I had, and even gave her the classic “phone home” finger. Ahva, however, did not reciprocate. Her brows furrowed and face clouded a bit. She explained that ‘E.T.’ is scary and sad. Both fair and valid reviews.
Daisy and Evie, stylish rookies, let their long curls fly free — no caps, just uninhibited twists and coils of hair. Daisy, a chatty delight, let us know she’s “6 plus 2” — that’s 8! She also shared she had wanted her birthday party at Marion’s but settled for French fries and ice cream at home. Her favorite? Chocolate-vanilla twist from Corner Cone, naturally.
Maya, 8, had a sleek side braid that crossed her forehead like a crown; Sarah, whose eighth birthday was the next day, had her long, never-been-cut hair braided way beyond her waist; and smiling Aquilla, 4, twinned with two sweet braids crafted by Grandma.
Ida, 7, wore her hair gathered in what are sometimes referred to as space buns. However, in the “Star Wars”-loving Westhoff house, they are referred to as “Leia buns.” Ida then admitted to also being a big fan of Stitch from “Lilo and Stitch,” especially his voice. She even gave us a demo: “I love T-ball!” in Stitch-speak. Absolutely delightful. She later revealed her full name is “Ida Trisabelle Westhoff.” Trisabelle was her great-grandma’s name.
Mary, 6, giddy with joy, showed off a new summer bob haircut — a surprise reveal, as she had her hand cradling the back of her head until we noticed. It looks fantastic, Mary!
Nyla, a rookie, donned a Minnie Mouse tee and two high ponytails. Bradlee, 3, had low-set ponytails of tight curls, barely wrangled by hair bands. And white-blonde Elsie, 6, rocked a one-side-down, one-side-high ponytail combo — an ’80s New Wave nod, pure style magic.
Taliese, 6, wore a simple pulled back ponytail that beautifully accentuated her freckled face. It was good to see returning T-baller, Elise, 5, wearing her hair tucked under her Perry League hat and with a big smile when she saw her friends as she ran off giggling.
Then there was Henry, 8, who arrived ready to bat but suddenly became distressed. A piece of obsidian — yes, volcanic glass! — he had brought for a Perry League show-and-tell, vanished from his pocket. Instead of batting, he launched a full-scale search with help from friends, Coach Becky and siblings. Finally, at evening’s end: Ta-da! The stone was in his pocket all along. Relief! He got his at-bat and shared his prized treasure proudly.
Bash, 2, won the title of Supreme Ball Collector, orbiting Coach Rob loyally, returning ball after ball with care. Mason, also 2, delighted us with joyful, left-handed hits and his ever-present dimpled smile.
As Millie, 5, contemplated her bat choice, her dad, Ben, tried to coax her in the direction of the caterpillar bat. Strong-minded Millie paused, her hand shot up to her hip and she shot dad a look of disapproval for his choice. Millie went with the flame bat.
Alyce, 5, returned after a week away, a bit subdued. When asked if she was OK, she replied: “Tired. Very tired.” We noticed her little brother, Arlo, was absent. Aly let us know little Arlo was sick from something he got from camping. Wishing him a speedy recovery!
Connor, 5, brought the cool — literally. He wore dino sunglasses, where the dinosaur’s head perched at the lens corner and its body stretched onto the side arms. After removing them to show the design, he hit a nice shot off the tee and trotted to first, dino-power activated.
Miles, 5, was transformed this week: So many tattoos! Temporary, of course, but total commitment. And Kai was down one tooth, proudly lost at school. He reported only “a minimum amount” of blood and tears. Brave boy!
What started as a cautious evening turned into classic Perry League joy, with halftime popsicles and play continuing until 7:30 after all. Another fun Friday night in the books.
Our all-volunteer program is non-competitive, free, and open to children aged 2–9, regardless of their race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, spiritual inclination or practice, ability or disability. We meet every Friday June through July at Gaunt Park, 6–7:30 p.m.
The next Friday is the Fourth of July, so there will be no T-ball play to make room for fireworks and holiday festivities at Gaunt Park. However, Perry Leaguers, past and present, are welcome to join us to walk in the parade. Wear your vintage or latest Perry League tie-dye shirt with holiday embellishments (both optional) and find us at the parade-gathering spot behind the fire station around 11 a.m. Parade begins at noon.
Perry League play resumes as usual Friday, July 11. We’ll also be offering new and optional “Perry League Plus” on the adjacent baseball field for older T-ballers, ages 6–9, who are interested in a bit more structured T-ball instruction. The goal is to provide more exposure so Perry Leaguers may elect to transition into Yellow Spring Little League Minors with a more in-depth understanding of the basics of the game. Perry League Plus will continue as an option for older kids until the end of the season, in addition to regular play. See you then!
—Coaches Yunus Brevik and Margi and Rob Gay
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