The fall edition of Little League Baseball starts in Grand Cayman this month. Leading that charge will be Paul Gallagher.
A sales manager by day, Mr. Gallagher serves as the president of the Cayman Islands Little League. He said his focus heading into the season is to maintain enthusiasm among youngsters.
“Our goal for both seasons is to provide an outlet for kids to have fun and get some exercise, while participating in a team sport where they can learn and improve on skills,” Mr. Gallagher said. “To do this they have to exert themselves a bit, take direction from coaches and apply themselves. We strive to make it fun and while practice may be some work, the games should provide the fun element they need after a hard day at school.”
The upcoming season is tentatively slated to start next Monday, 19 September. As usual the Field of Dreams facility in George Town will serve as the venue. Matches will take place across five division catering to kids aged 5-18.
As with any sport, Little League Baseball has its unique issues. With the programme being completely free for kids, funding is a constant challenge. Another dilemma is keeping the sport a viable option for youngsters who can choose other disciplines such as youth roller hockey (slated to start its second season for 2011 soon).
Interestingly, Mr. Gallagher said he has spoken with hockey organizers to avoid scheduling clashes. He said in spite of the number of sporting options, Little League Baseball remains attractive.
“The interest level has always been there for 22 years now,” he said. “The programme, as any, goes through ebbs and flows but over 400 kids in the spring season says we’re doing something right. This isn’t done in the framework of a school programme such as football. With such a large, diverse group of kids, I’m proud to be a part of this.
“Fall ball is relatively new. This is the opportunity for kids to get exposed early to changes in the game, whether it’s a pitching machine, live pitching or playing with older kids. They can use the nice weather (when it’s not raining) to improve and become more comfortable in the field.
“What will help the interest level is to improve the kid’s understanding of the game and their actual skill. Kids want to learn and get better, they strive to succeed. We just need to provide the tools to do so.”
A highlight of the season is slated to be the next instalment of the Chicago White Sox camp. The session has been ongoing for five years and has featured pitching guru Don Cooper, former pro Mike Huff and top youth coach Pete Caliendo among others. Mr. Gallagher said the upcoming camp will offer changes from previous offerings.
“We are working with the White Sox to offer smaller, more specialized training sessions focused on one skill set at a time. The first two-day camp will focus on throwing and fielding with the two instructors coming down. In this economy, cost is always a concern, along with balancing the needs of the group as a whole so we are still finalizing the dates and keeping an eye on the weather.
“There will be a small cost, compared to years past to help offset the clinic, but I believe the partnership with the White Sox academy is important to give parents, coaches and kids the support we all need to teach the game better. Those who have gone through it before will not see the same things as before. It’s improving and specialising and I believe every kid can benefit from taking part in the camp with an ex-Major League Baseball player.”
The White Sox camp is part of a large partnership between little league baseball here and the pro club. One aspect of the arrangement is the presence of Caymanian players in Chicago for skills camps, which Mr. Gallagher feels could reap long-term benefits.
“One opportunity that came up recently was the ability to send three older boys to a college audition, of sorts, in Chicago with the White Sox programme,” Mr. Gallagher said. They will be showing off their skills in front of college coaches from division one, two and three of the National Collegiate Athletics Association. If baseball can help kids further their college education, then we all win. Good luck to those boys travelling to Chicago in October.
“Speaking of great sports, our 11-12 year old travel team, coached by Chris McField, Jeff Pouchie and Vernie Coe went to St. Thomas for the Little League World Series regional qualifier tournament. They won one game but most importantly, they received the Best Sportsmanship trophy out of all the countries participating. This is what little league baseball is all about: not winning or losing but displays of good character. Those kids deserve much praise for their efforts this summer.”
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