ONCE A Sandlapper, ALWAYS A Sandlapper

The loyal fans, the satisfying saltiness of a sunflower seed on a hot summer day, and the crack of a bat perfectly connecting with a ball are all gratifying moments that entice the five senses and are collectively experienced during the game of baseball. There is something about this sport that is like no other and once you’ve encountered it, there’s no going back. You’re hooked! Coaches Trae Allison, Brandon Hyman, Kenny Gray, and Terrance Scott share a passion for baseball and are in the business of helping others discover their skills. Through the newly founded Sandlapper Baseball League (SBL), the group of four is dedicated to developing young men to be successful on and off the field.

After years of playing and coaching baseball themselves, the Sandlapper staff came together to offer a league that promotes unity amongst players. In 2012, Coach Gray, head coach at South Florence High School, started a summer program for his baseball players with the purpose of keeping them together while continuing to develop them and help further prepare them for the next spring season.

“It was also a way to continue to build team chemistry which is very important at the varsity level,” explains Coach Allison. “When I came on board in 2015, we continued doing this but at times ran into situations with Junior Legion Baseball where returning players weren’t eligible to play over the summer with us because of age restrictions even though they were rising seniors and eligible per High School League Rules. It was at that time that we first discussed starting a new league that would be governed under South Carolina High School League Rules where the age restriction would not affect programs that had rising seniors that were ineligible to play due to their age.”

With the SBL, all of the kids in a high school program have a place to play over the summer if a coach chooses to take advantage of the two leagues offered. “This is great for the continued development of the great programs in our area,” says Coach Hyman. He continues, “I’ve coached high school baseball for six years and one of the most critical parts of developing a championship program is ensuring your guys have a place to play over the summer so they can continue to develop and get better.”

Sandlapper Baseball League has had an incredible response from coaches, parents, and players in its inaugural year. When the four began recruiting teams and players, they received several verbal confirmations but when it came time to play ball, they were overwhelmed with the commitments from so many teams. Coach Allison added, “Much like any new league, there are going to be hiccups but we encourage parents, players, and coaches to be honest with us about how things are going so we can fix them for upcoming seasons. We told our coaches and the teams that it’s going to take a collective effort from all of us to make this league work so that we are doing right by our kids.”

Haley Sink, a rising junior at Francis Marion University, helped bring the Sandlapper dream to life by creating a logo that encompassed their league’s values. “Even though we had visions of what we wanted this league to look like, her logo brought it full circle,” says Coach Allison. The Sandlapper staff considers themselves family. Coach Allison continues, “It is a brotherhood, exactly how you would hope a coaching staff would be. At South Florence, in my opinion, we had one of the better coaching staffs and were able to get the most out of our kids. I believe this was because the kids could see the trust and camaraderie we shared. Coach Gray is a big reason we are the coaches and family men that we are and his leadership and guidance is why the league is where it is.”

The guys agree that this venture is built upon the values instilled in them as young baseball players. Coach Scott says, “I love being around a game that has given back to me more than I can repay it. Working with young people who want to become better ball players and people through baseball is very rewarding.” Coach Hyman adds, “I was blessed with some really great coaches growing up and they had a tremendous impact on my life. They taught me how to be a better player and a better man. My coaches prepared me with all of the tools and lessons I would need to be able to step out into the world and do great things once my playing days were over.”

The goal of Sandlapper is to be the premier summer baseball league for high school players and coaches in South Carolina. The staff hopes to create an environment where the great high school coaches within our state can continue to build their programs without worrying about age restrictions. In addition, they want to reduce the financial burden of summer baseball for programs and parents. “The SBL does not need their money to operate and therefore the cost to the coach’s program and parents will be significantly less without sacrificing the quality of the league,” says Coach Allison. Instead, the league relies on community support, especially from local businesses, and has received incredible support in the Pee Dee area during its first year. “We would like to thank everyone that has been involved with our league so far and we look forward to many great years of baseball ahead of us,” says Coach Allison.

Get To Know The Sandlapper

Kenny Gray has been a teacher and coach at South Florence High School since the fall of 1992. He teaches AP Macroeconomics, Economics and Current Events. Kenny was an assistant baseball coach from 19921998 and became the head coach in 1999. During that time, the teams made have made the playoffs 20 years, won the region three times, and played for the lower state championship once.

Coach Brandon Hyman

Brandon Hyman was born and raised in Florence. He played high school baseball for Coach Gray at South Florence High School from 2004 to 2008 before signing to play at Florence Darlington Technical College. Brandon is employed as a pharmaceutical rep with Novartis and is also the head baseball coach at Trinity Collegiate School.

Coach Trae Allison

Trae Allison is a graduate of South Florence High School where he played baseball from 1994 to 1997. He was a three-year starter for the Bruins and in 1996 they began the season winning the IP Baseball Classic and finished the regular season ranked number one in the state in all classifications and was ranked number seven in USA High School Baseball. Trae signed with the University of South Carolina to play baseball while also earning a Bachelor’s degree. He has been employed with Capstone ISG for over 12 years where he manages day-to-day operations in NC, SC, VA, and MD.

Coach Terrance Scott

Terrance Scott teaches Social Studies at Southside Middle School and is in his second year as the Social Studies Department Chair. Terrance played varsity baseball at Lucy C. Laney High School in Augusta, Georgia. He then played at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida before transferring to Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. After several coaching assignments both in and outside of South Carolina, Terrance has served as an assistant coach at South Florence High School for the last four seasons.

For sponsorship information on helping to sustain the Sandlapper Baseball League and ensure they can effectively develop their young aspiring athletes, please email sandlapperbaseball@gmail.com or call Coach Allison at (843) 992-9123.