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Tee Ball gets underway at AMP
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Posted on May 30 2005
The littlest Little Leaguers of the CNMI finally got their long awaited chance to play organized ball, as the Saipan Little League Baseball Association took the wraps off of its highly anticipated Tee Ball Program with the opening ceremonies this past Saturday at American Memorial Park.
After spending a month’s worth of Saturdays learning the basics, the youngsters were finally ready for the real thing, as over 100 players from the Bombers, Red Sox, Rookies, Little Red Sox, Cubbies, Sluggers, Little Braves, and Lions lined up side-by-side to take the Little League Pledge for the first time.
Though the emphasis in the new program has been placed on learning the fundamentals of the game rather than on winning, some the players entered each game with dreams of hitting a homerun or turning a double play, while others were still trying to figure out which one of the bases is first.
The youngest players of the four team 5-6 age group used batting tees while the slightly older players in the 7-8 age group used the “coach pitch” format.
The games continue this weekend, as the Bombers take on the Little Red Sox, the Rookies face the Red Sox, the Cubbies challenge the Little Braves, and the Sluggers try to tame the Lions on Saturday, June 4. All games start at 9am.
New players are still welcome to join the new program, as league officials announced that they are still allowing interested kids to register, but the sooner the better. There is a $5 registration fee required per player that covers the cost of insurance, the awards and the three remaining games, the round-robin tournament, and the end of season barbeque.
As a reminder to all interested in the success of the Tee Ball program, parents and volunteers are needed to assist with managing the field and providing support for their children, and all volunteer coaches need to obtain a police clearance from the Superior Court in order for the league to comply with International Little League Requirements.
For more information about the Saipan Little League Tee Ball program, contact commissioner John Reyes or deputy commissioners Joey Dela Cruz and Mario Sablan by calling 664-2502/03.
