By Staff
Opening day for the 2009 season of Cal Ripken Baseball in Washington at the Susie Gray McConnell Complex is just around the corner. Practices started this past weekend, and another season of baseball is here. Soon we’ll have the smell of hot, buttered popcorn in the air, the bats making contact with the ball and children of all ages running about enjoying friends and fun in the sun-filled days. This community youth program dedicates itself to the advancement in amateur baseball through leadership, opportunity, fair play and enjoyable experiences in a safe, sportsmanlike environment.
Although it is fun to win games, Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth Baseball was established as a national program with the more important philosophy of teaching good baseball fundamentals to all players. All children in the program should learn the game of baseball, increase their baseball abilities, learn a greater appreciation of baseball and throughout their lives enjoy the game. This program should provide a solid base for those players who want to move to higher levels of competition.
The board of directors for Washington’s Cal Ripken Baseball League recognizes that the children participating in Washington’s Cal Ripken Baseball League are well served by hundreds of volunteers who support this league. We extend our appreciation to all volunteers, parents, corporate sponsors and other league representatives who are investing time, energy and financial support to make this experience possible for over 300 children participating this year.
We are committed to providing a positive and meaningful youth baseball experience for all involved. Meeting that commitment requires the league to work with its experienced volunteers and attract new volunteers who help children have fun learning the game of baseball. We expect our volunteers to serve as positive role models for children participating in Cal Ripken Baseball, and we often make decisions ensuring that these role models represent this league in a manner that is, at all times, respectful of our players and their parents, fellow coaches, umpires and officials, spectators, and all other league representatives. Our players and their parents, sponsors and community not only expect our volunteers to behave as good role models, but they deserve it. Our league representatives and volunteers help create a positive atmosphere for the children on the field and its surrounding areas in the ballpark.
We invite you to attend our games and other league-sponsored events and ask that you, too, help make youth baseball fun and positive for all involved by supporting our young players in a positive manner.