Maumee Little Leaguers Play Ball For Hollywood
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Hollywood came calling at Gateway Middle School last week, and 30 lucky baseball players could end up in a movie.
“We were going for a special look and some diversity,” said Mark Ellis of Sports Studio, the company behind the film Home Run Showdown, about two Little League teams that take on their coaches’ sibling rivalry in the outfield of the Major League home run derby.
The movie, due for release next year, is directed by Oz Scott and features actors Dean Cain, Matthew Lillard, Barry Bostwick, Annabeth Gish and Emma-Lee Hess.
On August 20, the scouting crew hit grounders and fly balls to Maumee Little League players, who will field balls for a final movie scene.
“The boys definitely need baseball experience. They will be catching Major League home runs. They have to be comfortable around baseball,” Ellis said.
The players had to be between ages 10 and 12 and according to Aimee McDaniel, assistant baseball coordinator, the child actors in the film are of a smaller stature.
“Our lead actors in the movie are a little shorter so we couldn’t use any players that were too tall,” she said.
Initially the film crew spent four weeks filming in Southfield, Mich., before coming to Toledo to film the final scenes, which are scheduled for production August 26-27 at Fifth Third Field.
Former Major League player Jose Canseco will be one of those on hand hitting balls to the Maumee players.
“It would be amazing,” said 12-year-old Austin Calopietro, one of the 30 players chosen.
“It would be great,” Aiden Maxwell agreed.
It’s unclear who will make it in the film, since many of those decisions are made in the editing process, Ellis said.
The boys, who will be compensated $64.00 per day, won’t have any lines and will remain on the set for nine hours both days of filming, which means they will also miss two full days of school.
Susi Laranga is excited that her son Frank was chosen to participate.
“What a great opportunity. This is something these boys will never forget,” she said.
Laranga helped organize a Maumee Little League scholarship fund-raiser earlier this month at the Maumee Indoor Theater, raising approximately $600 with a showing of the film The Sand Lot.
“I can’t even imagine if our own kids were in a movie what we could do,” she said.

New Wayne Trail, Fort Miami Principals Are Ready To Start The School Year
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Angela Schaal and Lonny Rivera have spent a lot of time recently getting to know the staff, students and parents at Fort Miami and Wayne Trail elementary schools, where they have been named new principals.
At Fort Miami, Schaal replaces Dwight Fertig, who is now the principal at Gateway Middle School. Rivera was named the new principal at Wayne Trail after former principal Jim Wilson accepted a position out of the district.
Both Schaal and Rivera came from outside of the Maumee district.
For three years, Schaal served as principal at Niedermeier and Eyler Elementary School in Carelton, Mich.
She also worked as a reading specialist and first-grade teacher in the Oregon City Schools.
She completed her master of education and specialist of education degrees at Bowling Green State University. In 2005, she pursued doctorate work in literacy and curriculum at Michigan State University.
One of her goals as new principal is to continue the academic success at Fort Miami.
“The teachers here are very dedicated and seem to be willing to go above and beyond to make sure kids are successful and get what they need,” she said.
Schaal believes that educating children is a collaborative effort between teachers, parents and community members and said she especially enjoys helping teachers reach their academic goals.
“I enjoy facilitating them in their work and I really like watching them grow as professionals,” she said.
For the past two years, Rivera has served as chief of staff for Toledo Public Schools. He also served as principal at Coy Elementary School in Oregon and Sherman Elementary School in Toledo.
Coming to the Maumee district will allow him to get back to working in a school building again – something he has missed doing.
“I really like working with children. It’s what I wanted to get back to,” he said.
Rivera received a degree in special education while attending Cleveland State University on a full wrestling scholarship.
He completed his master’s degree in education and a doctorate in educational administration and supervision at the University of Toledo.
He hopes to create a positive learning environment for anyone walking through the doors at Wayne Trail.
“School climate is really important to me, and I want it to feel warm and inviting for kids, teachers and parents,” he said.
He also plans to implement positive behavior initiatives to maintain the level of excellence he believes currently exists both in the school and in the district as a whole.
“This is a very tight-knit community and district. The administration is a really good group of people and it’s nice that most of them graduated from here and are lifelong community members,” he said.
Rivera and his wife Tammy live in Oregon with their children, 10-year-old Jared, 7-year-old Alec and 3-year-old Gabrielle.
Schaal and her husband Peter recently moved to from Toledo to Holland with their sons, 3-year-old Elliot and 8-month-old Evan.
“We wanted to raise a family here and I’m very happy to be working for an excellent school district,” she said.