American Legion baseball gives sportsmanship award to Elite Heavy Hitters

RIO RANCHO — Coach Chris Yardman was on hand to accept the Sportsmanship Award from the American Legion on behalf of his club baseball team, the Rio Rancho Elite Heavy Hitters (RREHH) last Friday evening.

A small group that included Yardman, director of American Legion Baseball in New Mexico, Leon Martinez, along with his right-hand-woman Lucy Moya, post commander Scott Swanson, first vice Doug Williamson and finance officer Bill Jennings gathered at American Legion Post 118 to celebrate and award Yardman with a plaque.

The award was given out in recognition of RREHH’s efforts in their most recent regional tournament in Fairfield, California, in early August. The team went out in the second round, but according to the director of American Legion Baseball in New Mexico, Leon Martinez, that wasn’t the full story.

“We give out a lot of plaques for a lot of things,” he said. “One of the things I really watch for is sportsmanship. The Rio Rancho Elite Heavy Hitters showed great sportsmanship.”

Yardman, a former player who put himself through college playing baseball, said the award belongs to the kids on the team.

“It’s awesome. It’s a reflection, not only of our coaching, but also these players I have on the team, they make our jobs easy,” said Yardman, now in his 16th season coaching baseball. “They are the reason that I do what I do. And it’s a good group of kids. It’s really rewarding.”

RREHH is part of American Legion Baseball, a youth baseball club league that can often act as a transition from high school to college or lower division professional baseball. Supported and organized by the American Legion, Legion Baseball was born in South Dakota in the summer of 1925.

According to Martinez, 87 Hall-of-Fame professional baseball players have passed through American Legion Baseball, including local talent like two-time World Series Champion (2017 and 2022), Albuquerque’s Alex Bregman.

“We are hoping to get every team sponsored by an (American Legion) post,” said Martinez.

But those interested in helping will need to find another team to sponsor.

“(Post) 188 is sponsoring the (Rio Rancho Elite) Heavy Hitters next year,” Martinez said.

For more information on sponsorship and the American Legion, visit legion.org.