Russia's Raider Classic this weekend

Respect, hard work and fun are fundamentals you'll see at the Raider Classic (Picture via Twitter)

Russia's annual Raider Classic gets underway this Thursday, July 6th and runs through Sunday. It's the highlight of summer for lots of little league baseball players from the area. It's also a showcase for one of the nicest community parks you'll find anywhere. Tournaments for four divisions include 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U. To see all the brackets, click here.  

The event is hosted by the Russia Community Junior Athletic Association and is made possible by a long list of volunteers and sponsors dedicated to its success. They have everything covered for families spending their entire weekend at the diamonds and even casual spectators just stopping by for a few games. Two concession stands will offer hot foods, cold sports drinks and plenty more items. Past tournaments have even made golf cart transportation available to senior citizens and those unable to walk the entire park.

If you enjoy everything that's right about baseball, small schools and great kids, do yourself a favor and come to Russia this weekend.

More than a few future state champions have played in the Raider Classic (circa 2012)