Little League baseball is pushing for year-round action and thus far response has been strong for the upcoming Fall Ball programme.
Already over 150 players have committed to the Cayman Islands Little League initiative. Numbers continue to climb as children aged 5-18 are split into five age divisions that play on the Field of Dreams facility in George Town.
The Fall Ball programme is an attempt by local Little League to go back to its roots. The emphasis is on fun and instruction as the endeavour is free of charge for players. The set-up sees coaches and pick-up teams, but no uniforms. Among the supporters of Fall Ball is Little League president Paul Gallagher, who states it’s about building a passion for baseball.
“This Fall Ball programme will allow kids who love baseball to play all year round, while honing their skills to potentially compete within the Caribbean,” Gallagher said. “We’re excited to have more coaches come to the programme. Kids can play this short season independently or as a lead-in to the spring programme. Within the organization, we will use this to help us get better organized.”
Interestingly the high numbers of early registrants comes in spite of torrential rain hampering the initial registration drive on 10 September. That fact is a positive for Little League board member Robert Harris, who serves as commissioner for Fall Ball.
“The plan is for less formal, instructional games,” Harris said. “They are more than practices, more like remarkably fun practices. I’m pulling this all together with help from veterans Cheyenna Stewart (T-Ball coordinator), Jeff Pouchie (Little League Vice President) and coaches Chris McField, Jon DaCosta, Jeremy Rice and John Cridland among others.”
Practices and games are slated to start this Saturday, 24 September. The short season will last just eight weeks, finishing in early December (including two weeks for rain-outs).
Fall Ball will run alongside the fall season of the adult co-ed slow-pitch programme, with some 450 players on 21 teams in three leagues playing mostly in the evenings under the lights. The current season ends mid-November.
Going forward, Little League is developing a series of shorter seasons to compliment the main February-May programme. One such endeavour was the recently concluded summer co-ed softball session.
Registration is still open to the public and remains free. Individuals can sign up at the Field of Dreams at 5.30pm this Thursday and Friday (ask for LaToya).
For more information e-mail Paul Gallagher at [email protected].
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