Saturday was sign up day for Little League and in Delmar the cost of signing your child up is now $80.00 per child.
The cost of having a child get involved in a very important part of American history and possibly deliver the next Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and other greats is just out of reach any more.
Why would ANY child be socially denied because their parents can't afford to sign their child up. Because one of their parents didn't pay child support or lost their job. What has America come to any more.
This is NOT a knock on Delmar. This is happening all across America. ALL CHILDREN SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY!
So what can we do as communities to change this. I'm sure many of you would agree, get these kids off the computers and out exercising and playing ball if they want to.
Bake Sales at local Fire Departments, fundraisers, what can I/we do to help? I make an incredible cake, so I'm told. I'm sure we could get Doug Marshall or Pete Richardson to get involved and help auction off some baked goods.
Let's do something RIGHT for these kids and ALL come together and help these kids out. Each Town can do their own thing but I want to make sure every single kid who wants to play ball gets to play ball, period. How about you?
39 comments:
Fruitland Little League is hitting you with a mandatory $ 20
extra (fund raiser) so there costs
are $ 95.00 "WTF" !!
I think it's just horrible that these leagues charge all this money. So many kids want to play ball and there are some really good ball players that deserve to play but can't because their parents cannot afford to pay these exorbitant fees. I hope these kids get up a "sandlot" league of their own and play the heck out of ball all summer long. Everything around here always, always has to be about money and it's just not fair. So many kids get left out because of this.
80- 100 for you child to play ball is nothing. As much as some spend on cigs, soda, beer and so on that is pennies.
anonymous 9:46, GOOD, sounds like we have our FIRST person to pony up a donation to help those Families who can't afford it.
FYI to the poster - there will NEVER be another Jackie Robinson. PERIOD!
I do agree that little league should be a very economical sport for our youth; HOWEVER, parents need to be more involved! I grew up playing baseball locally from little league through college and I still give back to the baseball community and the kids. About 5 years ago, I was asked to coach a team for a local little league because they had a lack of parents interested in coaching. I agreed to do such despite not even having a child on the team (didn't even have a child of my own at the time). I did it purely for the love of the game and to give a little back to the little league that started my baseball ambitions.
What I discovered during that season was very disturbing. Out of the 12 players on that team, I didn't have one single parent that wanted to be a team Mom (actually had to get my wife to do it), not one parent could dedicate the time to be an assistant coach (I had to ask a friend to help me out) and I was constantly asked to pick up several players for games and practices (which I did). I have been coaching kids for nearly 10 years competitively and I have never experienced such a lack of interest or time investment from parents as I did from that one season of coaching little league. Like I said, I had no child in the program; I was simply investing my personal time for the gain of others' kids. In fact, there were two other coaches and two umpires volunteering that season with no children in the program.
Sure, Little League should be affordable, but before you go complaining about the cost ask yourself, "how much TIME (not money) do I invest in my child's little league experience?" It's not just coaching either. Grass needs to be cut, lines need to be laid, concessions need to be sold, jerseys and equipment need to be ordered, games need to be umpired, fund raisers need to be administered, etc. Look at the more successful and economical little leagues in the area (take Berlin, Fruitland and West Salisbury for example). They by far have the most parental involvement, which is directly reflective in the players' little league experience.
Parents these days are quick to pass the responsibilities of raising their kids to other people. There are always things a parent can do to help their kid along even if they have no clue about things like baseball.
Molding a star athlete isn't what little league is all about. It's about teaching them team work, and it takes work in practicing to better yourself. Those are core values young people need throughout life. Sad
Anonymous 9:45am said:
[I hope these kids get up a "sandlot" league of their own and play the heck out of ball all summer long.]
Let us know how all that works out for you.
I don't know about Delmar but I know Fruitland has a scholarship program for Little League. set up for kids that want to play ball that can't afford it
Delmar charges $80 for the oldest baseball group only. Why, I don't know. Softbal, T-Ball and Coach pitch all cost $60. 9-12 baseball costs $70. So, while you do say that this is not "knocking" Delmar, that league is probably the cheapest of all. They also do fundraisers and rely on concessions. They do not receive money from their municipality, or the county with the exception of possible grants that are few and far between. Local leagues have to pay Little League Inc. fees which include insurance (not cheap). Delmar provides the shirts, hats and socks to all players. We buy new dirt, lime to line the fields, drying agent if the fields get wet, any repairs that must be made, gas for the farm tractors,...you see where I'm going. So yeah...maybe auctioning some cakes could put small dent in that, provided you can find anyone to bake them. Vounteering is at an all time low and the people that do get so burnt out after a few years, they disassociate, so you hope to get new volunteers. $80 for a season may be expecsive to play ball, but it's a pretty cheap fee for babysitting which is 9 times out of 10 what the coaches are since many parents can't be bothered. End of vent. Thanks.
delmar little league has had alot of money gone missing. not with this set of admin, but the former admin. maybe they are trying to replenish there funds. its a shame. this is common knowledge, not a rumor. ask anyone.
I agree with you. I fully understand helping out a person in need, but I also fully disagree with being used by someone looking for free hand out. so yes if you can afford your cigarettes your alcohol then you can afford for your child to play baseball.
Just get OOOOO Bahma to pay for it like your phone.....
Anon 10:54. I know who you are and I'm thinking you'd better watch your step. You can be charged with libel/slander. The last administration caught this and was told (the same as the new administration) that there was not enough proof to charge anyone. You've been told this countless times as well...you know, right before you lost every election you've run in for Delmar Little League because no one likes you.
Ha, I wish it was only $80 a year for my daughter to participate in ballet. Try $80 a month...that doesn't include costumes, etc.
LOL. Funny 10:54. Audits were done and if I am not mistaken, receipts and checks were all accounted for. If there was money missing, it was cash. No paper trail which means no proof. Also means that unless the admin was handling cash, and I can tell you they weren't, it wasn't anyone on the board.
As a kid I didn't play ball because we couldn't afford it. I turned out ok. I still got plenty of exercise and moral support from my family. With that being said, do what we have to do. Work harder. Go with out. Sacrifice a little of your budget. Sign them up and play ball.
Anonymous said...
Fruitland Little League is hitting you with a mandatory $ 20
extra (fund raiser) so there costs
are $ 95.00 "WTF" !!
February 10, 2014 at 9:23 AM
How dare you get on this blog and tell that lie. You know darn well that the $20 fee tacked on to your child's registration is not mandatory. You were told that at check out if you even were there. That is a $20 "donation" for a fundraiser. You have/had the option to pay it, deny it, keep the tickets and attend the function or sell the tickets.
If you are to cheap and lazy to buy or sell those tickets then I feel sorry for your child. It's parents like this one that gives the Managers and Coaches a hard time and refuses to volunteer in the concession stand. By the way it is "their" not "there."
Fruitland Little League consists of numerous board members who volunteer their time for free. Fruitland Little League provides your child with a safe place to play baseball. There are fields with brand new turf and now lights so your child can play baseball at night. The volunteers man the concession stand for free. The kids get the opportunity to try out for the all star team and play more baseball than the first scheduled games. There is also the opportunity for your child to play tournaments on weekends after the regular season.
Fruitland Little League is all volunteer and they work hard to provide your child the opportunity to play baseball in the Spring and Fall Ball in the Fall.
There are many parents that just drop off their child and comes back 2 to three hours later. That is a cheap baby sitting service for the lazy ones that don't want to help improve their Little League by selling 2, that's right TWO tickets for a fundraiser.
Last year the 11/12 year olds(Major League) had the opportunity to play on a brand new professional quality turf field with lights. This year the 9/10 year olds(Minors) and 13 y/o (Intermediate League) will be playing on brand new field with professional quality turf and lights. In the Fall Fruitland Little League will be putting in lights on the 13/14 y/o (Juniors) and 15/16 y/o (Senior League) so your child and many others will have the opportunity to play on a top notch field.
Every year the Board members and volunteers work hard to make Fruitland Little League the best league in the District. To the spineless Anon February 10, 2014 at 9:23 AM who do you think pays for all of this? Obviously you don't volunteer or want to sell 2 tickets to have a safe baseball league with safe fields and a top quality baseball program.
If that $20 bothers you that much please come back this Saturday between the hours of 9am and 12pm and we will gladly buy your tickets back. We have over 400 kids playing baseball and only 1 person did not want to buy and sell the tickets.
Buy the way Fruitland Little League does have a scholarship program for families that can't afford to pay for their child. All you have to do is ask them for the Scholarship. We don't dig deep in your credit history so please don't be a tightwad or cheapskate and ask for the scholarship.
For a fee of $75(Not including the fundraiser tickets) for your child to play more than 16 games, get a hat and team shirt I would say that is cheap entertainment when you think about how much time your child gets to play baseball. Fruitland Little League is one of the cheapest leagues in the District. We want the kids to play baseball and we do our best to give them that opportunity. Try to go to a travel ball league and see how much that will cost you. You will be spending $1,500 to $3,000 easily.
For more information you can go to www.fruitlandlittleleague.org.
Look up any board member and contact them for more information.
Joe thank you for allowing me to get the correct information out to your readers about Fruitland Little League. Fruitland Little League is by far on of the best leagues around and we have the compassion and heart to teach a child about the game of baseball.
I have been a manager/coach for nearly 10 years now and I have to agree with February 10, 2014 at 9:53 AM. There are some lazy parents out there. One season I had no one to help me coach and I had to use mothers or friends of mothers to help me with drills during the practices. What is sad was I never saw a father come out to watch their child play. I don't think there was a father in the child's life at all.
Many parents are lazy and refuse to help out. Last year I never had the opportunity to talk to all the parents at one time for a Manager/parent meeting. To this day I still do not know who the parents are of some of these kids I coached.
80$ a piece to watch the Coach's Son Pitch -play Shortstop - and Bat cleanup on every team.
Where does the cash go? To finance Parks and Planning's bloated staff who often meet in Bars to do their business?
Anonymous Anonymous said...
As a kid I didn't play ball because we couldn't afford it. I turned out ok. I still got plenty of exercise and moral support from my family. With that being said, do what we have to do. Work harder. Go with out. Sacrifice a little of your budget. Sign them up and play ball.
February 10, 2014 at 11:52 AM
So now you hate sports.
I think most little leagues have money that goes missing when you have cash sales.
More kids are playing soccer and lacrosse, baseball has a hard time keeping up. Kids are bored
sitting on the bench and standing in the outfield. Just saying..and yes, the coaches sons should play the main positions because they are the ones putting in all the time.
Where does the cash go? To finance Parks and Planning's bloated staff who often meet in Bars to do their business?
Who the heck is Parks and Planning?
Most leagues do have a scholarship plan in place. I don't think any of them require much background. Of course, I think you'll find that the parents of these children don't do much in the way of volunteering either. You'd think the least they could do it take their turn in the concession stand, pick up trash after games or help get fields ready. That's usually too much to ask of someone getting free registration for their child though.
Coaches kids usually get worked with the most at home, so they are usually a little more advanced. I personally believe in coaching ALL kids no matter their athletis. In other words, if you see a kid with a poor batting stance, then correct him. Don't just figure he'll never hit a ball any way. However, you have to remember the safety of the player. You can't put a daisy picker at first base because a lack of attention can get him hurt. You don't want someone who plays in the dirt at SS position. As a parent, you need to understand your child's limitations.
Anonymous said...
Anon 10:54. I know who you are and I'm thinking you'd better watch your step. You can be charged with libel/slander. The last administration caught this and was told (the same as the new administration) that there was not enough proof to charge anyone. You've been told this countless times as well...you know, right before you lost every election you've run in for Delmar Little League because no one likes you.
February 10, 2014 at 11:45 AM
You don't know who I am. You must be the thief that stole our money. Yes you and I know who you are. You should have been arrested and locked up!
Maybe you should start a fund raiser Mr. Albero or take donations so some kid can play ball. Looks like it's all for the rich, I would donate 10 dollars, Maybe the rest of your readers would contribute. Sheamus
Anonymous said...
I think most little leagues have money that goes missing when you have cash sales.
February 10, 2014 at 3:55 PM
Are you speaking from experience!
Anonymous said...
More kids are playing soccer and lacrosse, baseball has a hard time keeping up. Kids are bored
sitting on the bench and standing in the outfield. Just saying..and yes, the coaches sons should play the main positions because they are the ones putting in all the time.
February 10, 2014 at 3:57 PM
You are correct to an extent, but the kids playing lacrosse and soccer have to sit on the bench as well. All teams have to have substitutes. By the way lacrosse isn't a real sport. My little baseball player can play baseball, lacrosse and soccer, but yours can't play baseball. Sad I know, but it's the truth.
Anonymous said...
Coaches kids usually get worked with the most at home, so they are usually a little more advanced. I personally believe in coaching ALL kids no matter their athletis. In other words, if you see a kid with a poor batting stance, then correct him. Don't just figure he'll never hit a ball any way. However, you have to remember the safety of the player. You can't put a daisy picker at first base because a lack of attention can get him hurt. You don't want someone who plays in the dirt at SS position. As a parent, you need to understand your child's limitations.
February 10, 2014 at 4:22 PM
Agreed. I am a manager/coach and I try to work with my kid daily. It is nothing to take him to the batting cages and throw a hundred pitches a day at him.
There is nothing more that I can't stand is watching a kid play a vital position like SS and 3B and then watch them look at the base hit that goes by them as they just stand there. Yes my kid plays short stop and I trust him there. There isn't much that gets by him and he isn't afraid to dive for a ball and get dirty.
Lacrosse is not a real sport and it is loaded with a bunch of pansies that can't play baseball. Just a lot of running around. In baseball you have to act quickly to make a play. You have to know how and where to hit a ball. Your mind is always working. It's a sport for intelligent people and not someone that is told what play to make.
i just want it to dry up so we can start working on the fields let play ball
8:37 why so harsh on Lacrosse, it is a great program and look at the success of SU, maybe its the other way that the "pansies" are playing baseball because they can not handle the contact sports.
Anonymous said...
Anon 10:54. I know who you are and I'm thinking you'd better watch your step. You can be charged with libel/slander. The last administration caught this and was told (the same as the new administration) that there was not enough proof to charge anyone. You've been told this countless times as well...you know, right before you lost every election you've run in for Delmar Little League because no one likes you.
February 10, 2014 at 11:45 AM
You don't know who I am. You must be the thief that stole our money. Yes you and I know who you are. You should have been arrested and locked up!
Yes, I do know who you are. In fact, everyone in Delmar knows who you are because you;ve been trying to stir up this "missing money" thing for a couple of years now with no proof. You've been told this numerous times. Maybe if you worried as much about what goes on right under your nose you'd be a much happier person.
As a former board member of a local Little League I can tell you that we had a policy of accepting every child into our league regardless of their parents ability to pay the registration fee or not.
joe-start a free league for the kids whose parents qualify.
5:16, Yeah, leave it all for Joe to fix everything. Come on people, if your interested in making a positive change, it takes a COMMUNITY, not an individual. I think I work hard enough to serve our communities each and every day.
Starting a "sand lot" group is a nice idea but where would they play? Opps! can't use school yard you would be tresspassing, Board of Ed rules, Opps! can't use ball feilds at county parks they are for organised teams only! As far as the county ball fields go you can not go out there with your buddies and play ball, even though your taxes pay for it you can't play a game with friends there you have not paid the 'dues' plus you will 'mess the feild up for organised teams'! We tried once and got run off! Unless you got the "$" the kids are left to the streets.
I am going to chime in here, as read the article and responses I would first like to thank all of the people that do help out, you manage, you coach, you lay lines, you pick up trash, you work the snack bar, you paint, you repair fences, you dry fields, you clean bathrooms and you give up time with your own kids to help all the other kids and you do it for the kids, and you do it for FREE! All of you guys including myself give up hundreds of hours for all the children. Little League is the best value for your money, you get 12 to 16 games and 6 to 12 practices plus a hat, shit and socks all for $40 to $100 depending on the league. Other sports programs may cost $80 to $150 and you may have to buy the uniform, and you get 6 to 8 games and may have to pay extra for practice. Most Little Leagues have scholarship programs for kids that truly can't afford it. As far as where the money went?? Well we have to pay for things like electric, phone, grass seed, fertilizer, gas, law care, drying agent, paint, lime, repairs to irrigation systems, scoreboard repairs, umpire equipment, catchers gear, balls,uniforms and the list goes on and on. Small leagues budgets can run $20,000 large leagues budgets can run $200,000 nothing is cheap. the lights that were put up at Fruitland were very expensive. The new field with the fantastic turf was very expensive, but you know what?? To see those kids the first time playing under those lights and then playing on the new field the first time, it was worth every penny. To hear all of the parents talk about how much has been done over the past years to improve the place, it is all worth it. I am proud to be part of it. I hope you help out at your league and if you don't try to get more involved and try to understand what we all put into these places to give the kids a nice place to play ball. And thank you to all the positive responses to the original article.
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