The snow has barely melted, but the young baseball players of EBBA are already hitting the fields. May marks the start of the 61st season of Eager Beaver Baseball. From a small group of players 12 to 15 years old, EBBA has grown to a league of over 400 players ranging in age from 4 to 22.
Registration numbers have varied over the years, and the most recent growth has been in the young age divisions. The Little Slugger division (ages 4 to 5), particularly, has grown from two small groups that meet on Saturday mornings at Mornington Park to three large groups that demand all the co-ordination skills of the convener, Lindsay Schofield.
“Organizing almost 100 four and five-year-olds is challenging, but very rewarding,” Schofield said. “The older competitive teams come in to help run the skills stations, and one of our junior players, Ben Flesher, runs the warm-ups and helps keep station rotations organized. It really is a team effort.”
The Tball division has also experienced tremendous growth and will be fielding 16 teams of 6- and 7-year-olds this season. The teams meet on Saturday mornings at Mornington Park on fields across from the Little Slugger field. At any given time on Saturday mornings, there are over 100 youngsters throwing, catching, running the bases and having a great time. League president, Rick Peters, is at the field every session overseeing all the activities and often running the concession booth.
“Watching the players learning the skills required to play baseball and seeing them enjoying it makes all the hours of planning worthwhile,” Peters said.
The growth over the years in the two youngest divisions has trickled up to the Rookie and Mosquito divisions, as the Rookie division (players aged 8 and 9), consists of five teams this year. Mornington Park is also their home field, and away games introduce players to fields in nearby neighbourhoods. Mosquito teams of 10- and 11-year-olds also call Mornington Park home, and this is the first level that players get the opportunity to pitch. The Peewee division calls Mornington home as well, and ensures that bats are swinging at all fields every weeknight.
The Bantam and Midget teams have home fields at Kiwanis Park, and the Junior division plays at CityWide. With the number of players moving up the ranks, EBBA may soon be looking for more fields to call ‘home’.
Some divisions may still have openings. Please check the website for further information.
