SPORTS

Cayman welcomes new baseball league

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

The Cayman Islands Little League (CILL) and the Cayman Islands Softball Federation (CISF) have come together and to form a new baseball league for boys 16 and up.

The league was formed for older boys to continue to play baseball after reaching 16, the age limit for little league.

While CILL caters to kids six to 16, girls already have opportunities to play fast pitch in the CILL and then move on to play at 17 or 18 in the CISF women’s league.

This season, thanks to the willingness of a group of men from the CISF men’s softball league, who have played baseball earlier in their careers, the new league provides boys an opportunity to continue playing.

It has also brought an opportunity for many former CILL players to be able to play baseball again.

A group of CISF men’s league players, Juan Ruiz, Marlon Thomas, Guerison Enriquez, Rudolpo Whittaker, and Charles George, who’ve all played baseball in their youth, is the key to this formation.

They will serve as player/coaches in the league, which has four teams with 12 players each.

Kevin Hartman, a long-time CILL volunteer who spearheaded the organisation of the new league believes it’s a win-win situation.

“The young guys get the opportunity to be coached by guys who’ve actually played the game and can still show how things should be done, and the older guys get a chance to show their stuff for a few innings,” he said.

The new league will play games on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm, Saturdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 7:30 pm, which are the only slots available because the field is heavily-used by all CILL and CISF games.

All players in the new league have to umpire at least two games for the younger CILL kids.

“That’s worked out really well,” said Kevin Hartman. “It’s taken care of a perennial problem of finding umpires. It’s definitely given guys a completely new role and responsibility, and the best part is that they have been doing a great job at it. The coaches really love having them umpire.”

There are still a few slots available on the team rosters for young men between 16 and say 23, and coaches and umpires are welcome as well.
For further information contact Kevin on 926-0388 or Donnie on 916-5696.

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