by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Play ball!
That happy call is a sure sign of spring, as sure as a robin’s chirp. Yes, spring has arrived, and a busy baseball season is about to begin in Sartell. The Sartell Baseball Association figures it will have 35 teams playing through the spring-and-summer baseball season, with more than 400 players this year – children in second-grade through ninth-grade and, in some cases, adult amateur teams.
The Sartell baseball season will officially open with a game featuring the Sartell Sabres at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at Champion Field.
The following are some of the programs and activities local baseball fans should be aware of as the season gets underway.
Sponsorships
The SBA is seeking sponsorships that – among other things – help children in families struggling financially be able to play ball by defraying their registration and other costs.
Sponsorships also help fund uniforms, equipment, coaches’ and players’ clinics, tournament fees, league fees, insurance costs, field improvements and field maintenance.
There are levels of sponsorship dubbed “Single,” “Double,” “Triple” and “Home Run,” ranging from $100 for “Single” to $1,000 for “Home Run.”
Sponsors will have their names placed on T-shirts and, depending on the level of sponsorship, a Sartell baseball blanket, a banner advertisement for one year at Champion Field, links to the sponsoring business on the SBA website, a sponsor brick as a permanent part of Champion Field.
People, businesses or organizations can either choose sponsorships or donate whatever amount they want.
Checks should be written out to Sartell Baseball Association and sent to SBA, P.O. Box. 268, Sartell MN 56377-0268.
Donations and sponsorships can also be made on the SBA website at www.sartellbaseball.com.
For more information about sponsorship options, call Brent Weber at 320-267-0094.
Registration
Season registration is open until May 15 for players in first and second grades.
More players are also needed for the third- and fourth-grade teams. Players will continue to be accepted via registration until those teams are filled up.
Registration for grades five and higher are closed at this time.
All families of registrants are requested to volunteer at least four hours during the season for a variety of duties, such as serving at weekend tournaments, being part of a ground crew, helping with the scoreboard, park clean-up, coaching a team or other tasks.
Already, there are seven tournaments slated for the fields at Pinecone Central Park and so volunteers are encouraged to sign up to help.
For more information about registration, visit the SBA website at www.sartellbaseball.com or call Mike Connolly at 320-309-9747.
Coaches’ clinic
A free Minnesota Twins Coaching Clinic will take place from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, April 12 at Celebration Lutheran Church.
The clinic is ideal for beginner coaches, and even experienced coaches will be able to learn some new concepts and techniques. The clinic is divided into two 1.5-hour sessions. The first session will cover defensive techniques; the second will cover offensive techniques and tips to improve overall skills.
The Twins will provide all instruction equipment.
Board meetings
SBA Board meetings take place monthly at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell, and all baseball families are welcome to attend them.
The next two are slated for 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 17.
SBA Board members are Brent Weber, president; directors Tony Ahrndt, Pete Johnson, Lesa Kramer, Dave Schlangen; and treasurer Jed Meyer.
For more about SBA, including information about upcoming skills clinics and baseball camps, see its website at www.sartellbaseball.com.
A visiting team practices before a tournament at Pinecone Central Park in Sartell. This photo was taken during the grand opening of the park in 2014. The park will be used often for tournaments hosted this spring and summer by the Sartell Baseball Association and its many teams.