The Indianapolis Kings Baseball Organization
Established 2005
Established 2005
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In the summer of 2004, Mark Judy’s oldest homeschooled son Greg was in need of a varsity team so he could continue playing baseball throughout his high school years. Having done an internet search for something that would qualify, Mark found only travel teams which played year-round and on Sundays. Mark, being a pastor, knew he needed something that would work for his son, his family, and his faith, so he began thinking about organizing a team.
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Mark immediately began his recruiting efforts with a family from his church who also homeschooled and had boys who played baseball. That same year, Mark had aided his brother-in-law in his efforts to form a homeschool football team. It was through their call-out meeting where Mark met Joe Burfield, a fellow homeschooling dad who had just moved his family to the area from Pennsylvania. Joe was also looking for a homeschool baseball for his son. When Mark shared his idea to build a team, Joe committed to help. Mark immediately started calling public and private schools to get some games. Most weren’t interested, but he did get about 18 games scheduled, all prior to having a roster.
Mark’s recruiting efforts continued in the stands throughout basketball season. His family was involved with homeschool basketball. He boldly asked players from other homeschool basketball teams if they would have any interest in playing baseball. He also asked coaches if they knew of any players who might be interested. Larry Moran was just one dad who called Mark and said his son Joel, who played basketball for the Indianapolis Wildcats would be interested in playing. Mark signed him up! Soon after, Mark received a call from Susan Wible, who also had a son who was interested in playing as they were moving to Indianapolis from Michigan. Susan asked if her son, Evan, could try out for the team. Mark told her, “How about we skip the tryout and just sign him up!”
Slowly but surely throughout that winter people contacted Mark with an interest in getting involved. With Mark’s sons Greg and Mike, brothers Josh and Micah Sowders, Joel Moran, Evan Wibel, the two boys from their church who had played baseball, and three additional boys who had never previously played, plus a few others, Mark had a roster of 15. That first Indianapolis Kings Baseball team consisted of more homeschool basketball players than it did baseball players. Since there was no other option but to wait for basketball season to end, the Kings first practice was held just one month prior to the first scheduled game.
The Kings' very first game was against a small, IHSAA single A class, private Christian school in Fort Wayne, Lake Park Christian School. They had had a baseball program for a while, unlike the Kings who had one for all of one month. "We didn’t quite know what to expect, but we had a team, new jerseys, and were trusting in God that we could play well and represent homeschooling." On that brutally cold day, the Kings were scheduled to play a doubleheader. The very first game was lost in extra innings. The second, when the sun came out and warmed things up, “We beat them by the ten-run rule!" That double header was a great birth to the first homeschool baseball team in Indiana. Under Coach Joe Burfield, the Kings were 10-4 that inaugural season.
Nearly 20 years later, the Indianapolis Kings Baseball organization has grown to field three levels of competitive play with its varsity, junior varsity, and middle school teams. Each season's schedule boasts of talent and worthy competition from area public and private schools as well as other homeschooling teams. The Kings have recently joined a conference consisting of four additional competitive homeschool baseball organizations. No one could have seen this coming when Mark called to schedule those 2005 games without even having enough players to field a team. We are proud to say that many families and many more young men continue to benefit from Mark Judy’s vision, commitment, and hard work in beginning this homeschool baseball organization.
Mark’s recruiting efforts continued in the stands throughout basketball season. His family was involved with homeschool basketball. He boldly asked players from other homeschool basketball teams if they would have any interest in playing baseball. He also asked coaches if they knew of any players who might be interested. Larry Moran was just one dad who called Mark and said his son Joel, who played basketball for the Indianapolis Wildcats would be interested in playing. Mark signed him up! Soon after, Mark received a call from Susan Wible, who also had a son who was interested in playing as they were moving to Indianapolis from Michigan. Susan asked if her son, Evan, could try out for the team. Mark told her, “How about we skip the tryout and just sign him up!”
Slowly but surely throughout that winter people contacted Mark with an interest in getting involved. With Mark’s sons Greg and Mike, brothers Josh and Micah Sowders, Joel Moran, Evan Wibel, the two boys from their church who had played baseball, and three additional boys who had never previously played, plus a few others, Mark had a roster of 15. That first Indianapolis Kings Baseball team consisted of more homeschool basketball players than it did baseball players. Since there was no other option but to wait for basketball season to end, the Kings first practice was held just one month prior to the first scheduled game.
The Kings' very first game was against a small, IHSAA single A class, private Christian school in Fort Wayne, Lake Park Christian School. They had had a baseball program for a while, unlike the Kings who had one for all of one month. "We didn’t quite know what to expect, but we had a team, new jerseys, and were trusting in God that we could play well and represent homeschooling." On that brutally cold day, the Kings were scheduled to play a doubleheader. The very first game was lost in extra innings. The second, when the sun came out and warmed things up, “We beat them by the ten-run rule!" That double header was a great birth to the first homeschool baseball team in Indiana. Under Coach Joe Burfield, the Kings were 10-4 that inaugural season.
Nearly 20 years later, the Indianapolis Kings Baseball organization has grown to field three levels of competitive play with its varsity, junior varsity, and middle school teams. Each season's schedule boasts of talent and worthy competition from area public and private schools as well as other homeschooling teams. The Kings have recently joined a conference consisting of four additional competitive homeschool baseball organizations. No one could have seen this coming when Mark called to schedule those 2005 games without even having enough players to field a team. We are proud to say that many families and many more young men continue to benefit from Mark Judy’s vision, commitment, and hard work in beginning this homeschool baseball organization.