Dear Greenville Little League Family:

 

I am happy to say the 2011 GLL Spring season is only a few months away. In some ways, 2011 will be bittersweet because big, positive changes are on the horizon for our league. Even though we will use Timmons Field in the future for practice and the occasional game, this will be our final season there and at Butler Springs. As many of you know, we will begin playing our games at the old Municipal (Braves) Stadium site on Mauldin Road in the Fall of 2011. Our new home will be one of the nicest Little League baseball facilities in South Carolina, if not the best. In addition to the original field being renovated, four new fields will be constructed for our use. The complex will offer a great central building, with a large concession stand and second story press box for each field. Additionally, there will batting cages and hitting stations, bullpens, a playground and ample parking and seating. If the weather is cooperative this Winter and Spring and we get very lucky, our goal is to have a “Grand Opening” celebration and games on Championship Saturday at the new facility.

 

In addition to starting construction on the new fields, 2010 was successful in many other areas. We had more children play and fielded more teams than ever before. GLL had strong showings in the District 7 tournaments (Majors 11 – District Champion; Minors Red and Coaches Pitch – District Runner Up) and State tournaments (Majors 11 and Minors Red – Final Four). Unfortunately, we did not succeed with our goal of getting Girls Softball established. Hopefully with the new facility, we can reach this goal in the Fall of 2011 and Spring 2012. If you have any interest in helping with softball, please let me or one of your board members know.

 

 

All forms had to be returned by mail and have a post-mark date of no later than February 15, 2011 for the younger divisions.  Playing previously in our league does not guarantee you a slot, so please get the registration form in as soon as you can.

 

 Despite rising costs, the participation fee of $135.00 will remain the same as the last few seasons.  In addition to numerous practices and approximately 14 games, the fee also includes a major league logo uniform complete with socks, pants, belt, cap and jersey. 

 

Please note: Your child must be at least league age 7 (7 years old on or before April 30, 2011) or in the first grade to be eligible to play in Greenville Little League.    You can determine your child's  "Little League Age"  by clicking here.

 

Also, please check that your address is within the boundaries of our league. You may check the GLL Territory Map by clicking here  or on the GLL website in the Quick Links section found on the first page. If your address is outside our boundary, you can find out which league you are zoned for by going to the SC District 7  (www.eteamz.com/scdistrict7/index.cfm) website or by contacting the Greenville County Recreation Department.

 

 

Evaluations will be held on February 26 ^th and 27 ^th at Timmons Park. Your child must attend one of these days. For those of you who have not played with us before, this time allows the coaches to quickly evaluate each childs skill level of hitting and fielding prior to the draft. This is a low stress evaluation that helps us have balanced and competitive teams. Please do your best to keep your child loose and calm and make it a fun experience. Check back on the website closer to these dates to confirm specific start times.

 

 

The draft will take place on March 1 ^st and/or 2 ^nd.  Practice and game schedules will be done after teams are selected, but expect practices to begin within a week of team selections. Games will begin late in the week of March 14 ^th and conclude with Championship Saturday on June 4 .  All dates are tentative, so please check the website for more details on this and other happenings in the league.

 

 

We have a dedicated group of volunteers who manage all aspects of our league, but we always need more help to keep the league running smoothly.  If you are interested in donating your time as a coach, team mom/dad, field worker, etc., please let me or another board member know. It can be a rewarding experience for both the parent and child. If you cannot find the time to volunteer, please make an effort to spread the word about GLL to your friends, neighbors and children’s classmates.  

 

Finally, it takes money for our league to run. The registration fees cover approximately one third of the cost, so corporate sponsorship and individual contributions make up the balance of our operational budget. If you, your company or your employer would be interested in donating money to help our league, please let me know or indicate it on the registration form in the appropriate section.

 

Thank you and look forward to seeing everyone this Spring.

 

Bob Shaw

President

Greenville Little League Board of Directors

864.346.4789