Trail Youth Baseball (TYB) had big plans for the start of the season, but all those have been put on hold.
City of Trail announced last week that thel Butler Park playing field and tennis/pickleball courts, Haley Park Complex, Pople Park, and Andy Bilesky Little League Park would be closed until further notice, due to the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19.
“We had lots of plans and the field was gonna be ready early for a change and then everything was put on hold,” said TYB president Jim Maniago.
Baseball BC and American Legion suspended play indefinitely last week, while Little League International announced on Monday that all leagues will be postponed until May 11 at the earliest.
Related read: Major day for Trail Minor Baseball
Trail Youth Baseball was in the process of finetuning the Junior League to a more structured look that follows the American Legion guidelines, in an effort to keep older players as well as those graduating Little League engaged.
“Whenever we get the go-ahead to start our house league we’ll have a junior and senior division,” said Maniago. “Senior will be grade 10-12. Junior will be grade 7-8. Grade 9 will be split by numbers and skill.”
Maniago says, they hope to have three teams in each division.
“This will be the second part of the transition getting kids playing through grade 12 while retaining the kids from little league.”
TYB also hoped to build on the momentum gained by the West Kootenay Orioles, who won the American Legion Washington State ‘A’ championship title last season, and planned to field three West Kootenay All Star teams this year.
Related read: West Kootenay Orioles capture Washington State ‘A’ title
American Legion usually doesn’t start play until the end of May, so there is still hope for a season.
The AA All Star team is made up of players born between April 30, 2005 and Dec 31, 2002; the A team of kids born between Aug 31, 2006 and Dec 31, 2004; and a 13-year-old team for the kids born in 2006-2007 and graduating out of little league.
“All teams will play out of the Spokane American Legion leagues and because of our success last year we’ve made serious in roads down there and are welcome and now included in league decisions.”
TYB and Trail Little League are also in serious need of coaches, both for house and All Star. Interested people can contact Darren Miracle via email at dj-miracle@shaw.ca.
“Of course all of this is on hold for now,” added Maniago. “If and when we get the okay to get on the field, we’ll get started ASAP and play a shortened season. So the quicker people get registered, the more information we have to work with.”
Registration remains open on the Trail Youth Baseball and Trail Little League websites. Go to www.traillittleleague.ca to register.
sports@trailtimes.ca
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