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Archive for the ‘Baseball’ Category

Little League needs players, volunteers

Posted in Baseball, Softball, tagged , , , , on January 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Central Whidbey Little League players are revved up and more than ready to return to the diamond. (Jackie Saia photo)

The fate of Central Whidbey Little League is in your hands.

As registration opens for a potential spring season, the search for a new generation of volunteers to run things is at its most-crucial point.

Virtually every member of the current CWLL board has a child who is about to “age out” of play, meaning new parents (or aunts and uncles, or grandparents, or just community-minded folk) will need to step up to keep things going.

There is a genuine potential that if enough new volunteers don’t surface, the league might vanish next year, leaving Coupeville kids with the choice of traveling to Oak Harbor or South Whidbey to play baseball or softball.

“We are in dire need of volunteers in every capacity,” said CWLL President Gordon McMillan. “These include managers, coaches, umpires, concession stand workers, food handlers, scorekeepers, and board members.”

For those on the fence about volunteering, the league invites them to join its next open board meeting February 1 at 6 PM to “ask questions, give your input, and to see how you can help CWLL be successful.”

With everyone still living in the Age of Coronavirus, CWLL is approaching registration with “excited” caution.

The league is working with little league officials and Island County’s Health and Parks departments to plan for a “safe and successful season with proper mitigation in response to the virus.”

Current plans, if county and state health department protocols can be met:

March 3 — Practices start
March 6 – May 29 — Minors and Majors baseball and softball season
May 1 – June 15 — T-Ball season
May 22 – June 30 — Juniors baseball and softball season

But with so much uncertainty, CWLL won’t collect any money at the present time.

Instead, each registered player will be placed on a hold list. Once there is definitive confirmation of a season, emails will be sent out with instructions on how to finish registration and pay.

To register a player, obtain a volunteer application form, or nab the link to the board meeting, pop over to:

Home (centralwhidbeylittleleague.com)

 

For questions, email Gordon McMillan at centralwhidbeyll@gmail.com or call him at (206) 550-7146 between the hours of 12-4 PM.

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Have mitt, will travel

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on January 21, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Former Wolf Joey Lippo is traveling from Coupeville to Maine to pursue his baseball dreams. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Baseball is taking Joey Lippo on another road trip.

The Coupeville High School grad is joining the diamond program at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, an NCAA D-III school.

The Owls, who are coached by Roger Stinson, are part of the 12-team North Atlantic Conference, which covers Maine, Vermont, and New York.

The last time UMPI played a baseball game was April 29, 2019, as the school’s entire 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NAC Athletic Directors have said they will meet in February to decide how the 2021 season will progress.

“I’m not sure what the season looks like but we are hopeful to play a full season,” Lippo said.

For now, he’ll continue his studies in agricultural science and business, while acclimating to a new school.

Lippo most recently attended Green River College in Auburn, where he was on the baseball team with fellow Whidbey grads C.J. Smith, James Besaw, and Hunter Smith.

At UMPI, the former Wolf rejoins Bailey Corley, a teammate on the Seattle Bombers select squad.

“My friend from summer ball got me in touch with the coach, and the school had what I wanted to study,” Lippo said.

He expects to play mostly in the outfield, but adds, “I’m a utility player, so wherever I’m needed.”

During his time in Coupeville, Lippo played tennis, basketball, and baseball.

He was a First-Team All-Conference selection on the diamond, and teamed with William Nelson to compete as the #1 doubles duo for the Wolf tennis team.

Joey’s twin sister, Skyy, is attending The University of Missouri-Kansas City on a dance scholarship.

UMPI is a public university which was founded in 1903 as the Aroostook State Normal School.

After three other name changes over the years, the school has been known as the University of Maine at Presque Isle since 1971.

Alumni at the school include three members of the Maine House of Representatives, as well as grappler James “Chico” Hernandez.

A world champion in the sport of Sambo wrestling, which is based on Soviet martial arts, he was featured on the front of boxes of Wheaties Energy Crunch in 2001.

Hernandez, who coached the wrestling team at his alma mater, has earned 15 world titles, 53 international titles, and 36 USA national titles across eight combat sports.

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Wolves, get that sweet, sweet Mariners cash

Posted in Baseball, Softball, tagged , , , , on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Chelsea Prescott is ready to make a dash for cash. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Dear Coupeville admins and coaches … the Seattle Mariners want to give you money.

High schools across Washington and Oregon have until December 18 to apply for the Mariners Care Equipment Donation Grant, which aims to “make high school baseball and softball more equitable.”

The big league squad will issue ten grants of $5,000 apiece, and this is the fourth year for the program.

Schools which raked in the sweet, sweet cheddar in 2020 included Toppenish, Bridgeport, Juanita, and Coupeville’s new Northwest 2B/1B League opponent, Darrington.

This time around, applicants will be notified of which programs are being helped by January 15, 2021.

Winning teams will receive funds by the end of February, 2021.

So, where should CHS coaches and/or Athletic Director Willie Smith go to apply, you ask?

Right here:

Mariners Care Equipment Donation Grant | Seattle Mariners (mlb.com)

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Central Whidbey Little League plans for 2021 season

Posted in Baseball, Softball, tagged , , , , on November 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Teagan Calkins (left) and Mia Farris celebrate during a softball win. (Jackie Saia photo)

Onward and upward.

After losing a season to COVID-19, Central Whidbey Little League is moving forward with plans to play in 2021.

The league issued the following letter Thursday morning:

 

Dear CWLL Families!

As we begin planning for the 2021 baseball and softball season, we are reaching out to you to advise that Little League International and our local District 11 have requested that all leagues begin preparations for the 2021 season, subject to current COVID-19 safety protocols.

Accordingly, CWLL is planning our 2021 season, that will include:

T-Ball, Rookies and Minors: 4-11 years of age
Majors: 10-12
Juniors: 13 -15

Players will be placed in a division age-appropriate and commensurate to their skill level, subject to our Player Agent’s approval.

We anticipate commencing with sign-ups early January, 2021.

The district has proposed the following schedule, again subject to the COVID-19 situation and the availability of fields in other District 11 leagues:

T-Ball, Rookies and Minors: Practices beginning early March, with games starting the end of March, and ending the latter part of May.

Majors: Practices beginning mid-late March, with games starting early April, and ending the end of May.

Juniors: Practices beginning the end of May, with games starting the second week of June, and ending July 10-11.

As with all volunteer organizations, CWLL’s growth, much less its continuation, is solely dependent on the number of volunteers engaged in its activities.

CWLL finds itself in a unique and challenging position at this time.

The vast majority of our board, volunteers, umpires, and some of our coaches are presently serving their last year of participation.

Most have kids or grandkids that are ‘aging out’ after the 2021 season.

In our opinion, it is imperative if CWLL is to continue, we need parents, grandparents, family members and/or your neighbors to join our league.

To learn how we operate and how we, you, can continue offering all the kids of Central Whidbey the opportunity to play little league baseball and softball and make lifelong memories!

Regardless of your level of knowledge, CWLL will teach you … coaching, umpiring, concession stand, scorekeeping, administrative, fundraising.

Please consider helping us out so our kids can enjoy this beautiful game for years to come!

If you have any questions or have any interest in ensuring CWLL’s continuation, we can be reached at centralwhidbeyll@gmail.com

On behalf of the 2020/2021 CWLL Board Of Directors, thank you for your consideration.

Regards,

Gordon D. McMillan
CWLL – President

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“Little League has touched so many of our lives”

Posted in Baseball, Little League, Softball, tagged , , , , on October 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Central Whidbey’s John Rachal fires the ball back in during a playoff game. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Celebrating during a run to the state tourney are (l to r) Madison McMillan, Allison Nastali, Chloe Marzocca, and Savina Wells. (Photo by Jackie Saia)

Central Whidbey Little League finds itself at a crossroads.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prevented any games from being played this spring, and the future is hazy.

While CWLL is moving forward with the hope of returning its players to the diamond in 2021, a looming crisis involving a lack of volunteers could become a major issue.

Despite being the smallest league in the region, with 90-100 players, Central Whidbey is required to have the same compliment of board members and volunteers as bigger leagues.

North and South Whidbey, Anacortes, La Conner, Sedro-Woolley, and Burlington have larger parent bases to draw from, while CWLL has had to scramble to fill all of its positions in recent years.

That may get harder very soon, unless a new generation steps up.

“CWLL finds itself in a very challenging position,” said President Gordon McMillan. “Probably not unlike many other non-profits and youth organizations in these unique times.

“And we are facing another huge challenge; the majority of the current board and volunteers have children (or grandchildren in my case!) that are “aging out” of little league in the next year or so,” he added.

“We have very few volunteers that have younger kids playing; with no line of succession, it is clear, in my opinion, CWLL may very well not survive.”

If Central Whidbey is unable to fully staff up, its players might have to try and latch on with North or South Whidbey in the near future, something which could prove difficult – especially if those organizations decide they can’t handle the influx.

“This would be tragic,” McMillan said.

The league president would hate to see Coupeville’s ballfields sit silent.

“CWLL has by far the most beautiful setting,” McMillan said. “I like to call Rhody Park our “Field of Dreams.”

“Island County Parks have been very accommodating and generous in their support of CWLL and it should be duly noted. Rhody belongs to all of us … and the county should be recognized!”

Baseball and softball have a place deep in McMillan’s heart, a big part of the reason he and others have worked so hard to make CWLL the success it is today.

“Little League has touched so many of our lives, the vast majority in a positive manner, I believe,” he said.

“Not every child can play football or basketball, but I venture a guess that every child has picked up a ball, a bat, a glove, and played some sort of baseball/softball/Wiffle ball … neighborhood … sandlot … school PE … or little league.”

For McMillan, little league made an impact on his life, first as a player, then as a coach and official through two generations of his offspring.

“Little League has been a passion of mine since 1956, when I first “made the team” in North Vancouver, BC,” he said.

“I have coached three of my kids and one granddaughter (Madison) and only hope they have, or will have, the same warm and wonderful memories as I have, and look back someday, not remembering the wins and losses, but the fun, camaraderie, and life lessons

“Then, and only then, did we, as coaches, umpires, administrators, concession operators, field maintenance crews, score keepers, spectators, etc. do a good job!”

 

If you’d like to become a volunteer, or have any suggestions for CWLL officials as they navigate the waters ahead, contact McMillan at centralwhidbeyll@gmail.com.

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