News and Announcements
PELHAM CHALLENGER DIVISION FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES
The Challenger Division of Pelham Little League Baseball is a program for mentally and physically disabled youths to enjoy the full benefits of Little League participation in an athletic environment structured to their abilities. Little League Challenger Division is found in the proven therapeutic and socialization benefits of participating in sports, the participants’ self-esteem, the disciplines of teamwork sportsmanship and fair play.
Each player gets a chance at bat. The side is retired when the offense has batted through the roster. Pelham Little League does not keep score during games. The Challenger players wear the same uniforms and safety equipment as other Little League players.
One of the benefits of having a Challenger Division is that it encourages the use of "buddies" for the Challenger players. The buddies assist the Challenger players on the field, but whenever possible, encourage players to bat and make plays themselves. The buddy is always nearby to help when needed.
Teams of no more than eight players participate, and games are played once a week on Saturdays (9:00am or 10:30am) at Lyon’s Park in Pelham, NH. Outs are not used to mark an inning; players bat until they hit the ball, using a tee if necessary. Game duration is one hour, and may consist of a few (3-4) innings. Players typically enjoy a snack following the game. Practice is held once a week, lasting from 1 to 1.5 hours. The season lasts approximately six weeks, while school is in session, and even beyond, depending on the schedules of volunteers and participants. In 2009, the program fielded four teams, and they would love to improve upon that.
Information regarding the program is on the Pelham website shown above. Registration can be done online (click “Register Online” on the site) or through the mail: P.O. Box 282, Pelham, NH 03076. Forms for registration are located on the site (click on links to download form): Challenger and Buddy. Note that proof of residency is waived for the Challenger program. However, participants do need to supply a proof of birth certificate, which may be uploaded or mailed in. The cost is a total of $50: $25 for registration and $25 for a calendar fundraiser (the idea is to sell the calendars to make back the $25, thus reducing the cost back down to $25 for the participant).
Note that this is not an LBA sponsored event; it is a program managed and operated by Pelham Baseball, Inc. Any questions, please contact Beth Young, bethyoung60@comcast.net, 603-635-9256 (H) or 603-508-0841 (C).
Regards,Pete Moore
President
Litchfield Baseball Association
LBA Board hs been preparing for the 2010 Spring Baseball session. Preparation activies for the upcoming session includes updating and improving the LBA Constitution and By-Laws, and discussing proposals for improving communication during the Spring session to team managers, coaches, and parents.
New Website Announcements:
2010 Spring Baseball Registration
Registration for 2010 Spring baseball is now. Register Today!
Important 2010 Events
Mark those calendars
New Handouts/Documents:
LBA Constitution - 2010
LBA By-Laws - 2010
2010 Age Chart
2010 LBA Reg Form PDF
Meeting minutes December, 2009
See LBA Handouts Page
LBA Board Decisions, Proposals, and Updates
Proposal - All-Star rules maintained in an operational document
The Board recognized that the All-Star section of the 2009 By-Laws described a process, rather than abiding laws. The Board agreed that the All-Star sections from the 2009 By-Laws document should be removed and incorporated into an operations document. Work is underway on completing the first draft of the operations document.
Proposal - Include Article of Dissolution and Conflict of Interest statements in Constitution/By-Laws
To be recognized by the State of New Hampshire as a not-for-profit organization, specific language relating to Article of Dissolution and Conflict of Interest must be present in the organizations Constitution/By-Laws. The Board agreed to incorporate these sections into the 2010 LBA Constitution or By-Laws (not necessarily both).
Proposal - Rules committee should meet earlier in the year compared previous years
Meeting date for rules committee, which includes LBA division coordinators, and team managers to be announced.
Update - Installation of irrigation well at GMS field is completed and operational
2010 SPRING BASEBALL - MARK THOSE CALENDARS!
| Feb 1 - Feb 28 | Registration Opens | Registration is the entire month of February. 2010 Spring Baseball Registration article describes three methods parents can use to register their child for the upcoming season. |
| Mar 1 | Registration Closes | Last day of registration for all divisions. |
| Mar 13 | Skills Assessment - Minors/Majors | All players wanting to play in these divisions must attend the skills assessment. The location of the assessment will be officially announced in February. |
| Mar 20 | Skills Assessment - Rookies | All players wanting to play in these divisions should attend the skills assessment. The location of the assessment will be officially announced in February. |
| Mar 21 - Mar 25 | Coaches Clinics Week | All new coaches should plan on attending at least one of these clinics. Parents that have coached for LBA previously should consider attending to give feedback to new coaches. The clinics will cover various baseball drills, managing a practice session, tips for coaching during a game, and communication with parents. It is a great opportunity for new coaches to find out what works and what doesn't. |
| Apr 17 - 18 | Field Clean Up Weekend | Volunteer parents work together and get those fields in playable condition. The work parents do on this day is tremendous and really makes a difference for the kids and coaches for the remainder of the season. Please consider volunteering for field cleanup weekend when registering your child. |
| April 24 | Spring Games Begin | The first Spring baseball games will be in late April. Game schedules will be posted in March. |
| May 14 | All-Star Nominations | Coaches must submit nominatiions for All-Star teams. |
| May 22 - 27 | All-Star Assessments | Players nominated to participate on an All-Star team must attend the All-Star Assessment(s). An All-Star Selection Committee (First Vice President, Major Division Coordinatory, Minor Division Coordinator, Player Agent, and Umpire-in-Chief), will be attending the All-Star assessments. |
| Jun 26 | All-Stars Tournament |
LBA All-Star team travels to Cooperstown Dream Park (Cooperstown, NY) for tournament games. |
Locations and times will be announced at the LBA Calendar prior to each event. All event dates are subject to change. Visit the LBA Calendar often for the latest updates to each of the events above.
