Best of MPTLL #2: Dedicated Coaches

Jake Wade, Harry & Bryant
Manager, 1957-Present

The eight Major League managers at Myers Park Trinity Little League have over 150 years of cumulative experience coaching their teams. The Minor League division has a few dedicated coaches of its own who return each year. The same can be said for our 13 and over MP Academy teams and some of the other areas of our league. You would be hard pressed to find many leagues in the world that can make those statements.

Myers Park Trinity is fortunate to have many parents that are willing to coach a team or help the league in some other capacity. Volunteer organizations depend on these types of valuable participants.

But being a parent with a child on the team is not a requirement for coaching at MPTLL. In our Majors division, it is the exception to the rule. Some of our longest serving coaches' children aged out of the program many years ago. Others do not yet have kids old enough to play. And some have kids who aged onto their teams after more than a decade of coaching. Volunteering to coach at Myers Park Trinity is a choice we make based on our dedication to our teams, the league and the game. We are caretakers of our teams and we strive to perpetuate the positive effects that youth baseball has had on our players for generations.

We do not coach our teams in order to create an ideal situation for our own children. We are here to stay, so we think long-term regarding what's best for our teams and the league - not just what makes our own kids have an enjoyable experience. "Daddy-ball," as it is often called, is a problem in many areas of youth sports. That is why many people have advocated for non-parent coaches. By having dedicated, full-time coaches in these divisions of play, Myers Park Trinity takes "daddy-ball" out of the equation for most of its players aged 10 and up during the regular season and all-stars. That is extremely rare these days, and it is one aspect of our league that sets us apart from so many. It is one of the fundamental reasons that MPTLL is a great league.

In case you missed it......

Best of MPTLL #1: Community Atmosphere.

Best of MPTLL #1 - Community Atmosphere

Online registration for Spring Baseball, Softball and T-Ball has begun. Not a bad time to reflect on what makes Myers Park Trinity so great. And it is great. So here are some of the best things about MPTLL, starting with....



1. Community Atmosphere. 

Whether you're at Randolph Park or Independence Park, MPTLL is a great place to spend a day at the fields. There's nothing quite like being at the ballpark on game day. It's a quiet and peaceful setting at the start of 9am batting practice, with perhaps a lingering chill in the air.  The well-manicured fields surrounding the cages are untouched apart from the work of the grounds crew and coaches to prepare them for the day ahead. The ping of bats begins to wake up the park.

A buzz of energy quickly takes over, with a couple dozen kids on each field starting the day of games simultaneously, each player full of hope for a successful day on the diamond. The parents settle in on the sidelines or head over to the concession stand with little ones for an early treat. The grounds crew can rest and enjoy the fruits of their labor - watching kids play ball.

And it continues like this into the late afternoon. On a nice day, the kids don't want to leave after their games, so the park is most full of life at midday. They can bask in the glory of a big win, or congratulate others on a job well done. They may grab lunch at the concession stand or the Burger Shack and watch their friends play. By age 12, they know almost every other player so there's always a game to watch. Or there is surely a game to be invented behind the backstop, because of course someone has a tennis ball in his bag. The young ones can just find a good spot to dig in the dirt.

The parents and coaches are happy to stay too. It's much better than the yard work or errands awaiting them. Why not stay another hour and catch up with old and new friends?

I think Jake Wade, who has coached his Harry & Bryant team since 1957, summed up the Myers Park Trinity atmosphere best: "In our league, everybody wins. Everything is good and right, as it should be. One can leave the real world and go out there and get refreshed. There are no diversions for the kids, no distractions, no drinking, drugs, smoking or cursing... just baseball."

What else can you say? This is how we spend our Saturdays. It's nothing new to MPTLL. It has been this way for over 60 years, and it will continue into the future....

Leaf Pickup Day - Saturday, December 1

Please mark your calendar and plan to volunteer some time on Saturday, December 1st for the annual MPTLL Leaf Pickup Day at Randolph Park. The festivities will begin at 9am and continue into the afternoon until the leaves are gone.

Our volunteer grounds crew does an amazing job for the kids of Myers Park Trinity, spending countless hours at our park on a year-round basis. Baseball doesn't stop for them, and they are the main reason we have the best park around. But for a project this large, they need our help. Collecting the leaves now will allow them to work on other needed projects over the winter. So please support them with at least a couple of hours of your time, hopefully more, on the 1st.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves, rakes and gas-powered leaf blowers if possible. Snow shovels and tarps also come in handy for scooping large amounts of leaves off the ground. And a pickup truck or two would be useful for transporting leaves to where they need to be gathered. Remember to mark all tools that you bring with a name so nothing gets lost.

Please join us on December 1st. I hope to see the MPTLL community in full force.

Support Our Myers Park Trinity Fall Ball Sponsors

Thanks to our MPTLL Fall Ball sponsors. Please keep them in mind and support them as they have supported us.

They are:  Leroy Fox Kitchen, Griffith Real Estate Management, T.R. Lawing Realty, JJ's Red Hots, Urban Building Group, Sunset Slush, MedChex, Clark Pediatric Dentistry, Cassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate Services, Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Bell, Davis & Pitt P.A., StrikeCity and Aardvark Engineers.

Fall Ball Games Have Started

MPTLL fall baseball games began this weekend with a full slate of games on Friday and Saturday. It was great to be on the field again and the games were exciting.

Our new and improved 11-12-year-old player pitch division includes 30 returning Major League players among the four teams. The action started with a bang, with AB's R.J. Scholtus landing a 1st inning blast on top of the T-Ball storage container beyond Founders. AB's Raul Beltran went mammo twice, with a grand slam and a 2-run bomb. The late game featured HR's by CH's John Mateleinen and BS's Hayden Malchesky, also a grand slam. The park was alive both days with 9-10 player pitch and 7-8 machine pitch games being played as well.

The action continues this week with more games on Friday and Saturday. The full schedule is at www.MPTLL.org.

Final Week of Fall Registration

This is the final week of Myers Park Trinity Fall Ball registration. Go to MPTLL.org and sign up before it's too late. Registration closes August 19th.

The fall season runs from late August through late October. It's an instructional program, with the main emphasis placed on teaching fundamentals. As discussed on this blog before, Fall Ball is a relaxed, fun season with no standings or tournaments. If you need more convincing, here you go.

Baseball and Girls Softball are available at MPTLL this fall. Click here for information on the various divisions of play. This year there will be new and improved 11-12-year-old and 9-10-year-old player pitch divisions, allowing those kids to play among their own age groups. This should create a more advanced league for older players and a better learning environment for younger ones.

Sign up online today.

Myers Park 14's Southeast Regional Update

The Myers Park 14-year-old All-Stars are preparing for their fourth day at the Southeast Babe Ruth Regional Tournament in Northern Virginia. The team lost game one on Thursday 11-1 to a good San Jose, FL team, but came back to beat Manassas, VA 5-4 on Saturday to stay alive in this double-elimination tournament. Caston Rudisill pitched a complete game for MP and Tom Hay Coggins delivered a clutch 2-RBI single.

Myers Park plays South Carolina today in another elimination game at 11:00 a.m. You can tune in and follow all the action on the Myers Park Twitter page. The updated bracket is here.

UPDATE:  MP beat South Carolina 5-2 on Sunday, but lost to Alabama 12-2 on Monday morning. It was a great run by this team. The league is proud.

MP 14's Car Wash Fundraiser on Sunday

Help send the Myers Park Trinity 14-year-old All Stars to the Southeast Regional Babe Ruth Tournament. The team is having a car wash fundraiser on Sunday, July 29th from 1pm-3pm at Randolph Park.

The boys will leave Charlotte on Wednesday for the tournament in Purcellville, VA. They will have a minimum four night stay. Proceeds from the car wash will help cover travel costs for players and coaches needing financial assistance.

You can help the team by having your car washed on Sunday or making a donation online. No amount is too small. Spread the word. Thank you for supporting MPTLL and the 14's.

Myers Park 14's Are Western NC State Champs

The Myers Park Trinity 14-year-old All Star team won the Western NC State Babe Ruth Championship in Matthews this week, sweeping two games in the finals in dominating fashion.  For the tournament, the team played seven games in four days, winning six, including the final five in a row. This is the first state championship for Myers Park Trinity in 60 years of baseball.

The title puts Myers Park into the Southeast Regional, August 2-5 at Fireman's Field in Loudoun County, Northern Virginia.   Myers Park’s first game will be Thursday, August 2nd at 11am against San Jose FL, a team out of the Jacksonville area.   MP fans can follow the team's progress on the MPTLL Twitter page.

The Southeast Regional will match up 12 teams from Alabama, the Bahamas, North Florida, South Florida, Georgia, Eastern North Carolina, Western North Carolina, South Carolina, Eastern Tennessee, Western Tennessee and Virginia. The winner will advance to the 14U Babe Ruth World Series in Murray, Utah in mid-August.

The 14's are managed by Mark Crowther. Coaches are Mark Mensheha, Craig Holder, Boyd Coggins, Bo Coggins, Mark Smith, Rick Hutchins and Trevor Beasley. Players are: Gardner Atkinson, Calvin Cara, Hayes Christenbury, Tom Hay Coggins, Parker Dennis, Michael Hawes, Sam Little, Matt Long, Antonio Misenhaimer, Joe McGoldrick, Kyle Pace, Henry Richards, Caston Rudisill, and J.J. Schacht.

The players will be holding a car wash fundraiser to help offset the cost of traveling and staying in VA.  Please support this group as they represent Myers Park Trinity next week.

Myers Park 11's Win District 3

The Myers Park 10-11-year-old all-star team captured the District 3 Championship on Thursday night with a 10-0, 4-inning victory over Weddington National on Wade Field at Myers Park.

The team blew through district play in four games, outscoring its opponents 51-2. The pitching staff allowed no earned runs and the defense was stellar all week. The championship game was highlighted by a 2-hit shutout thrown by Henry Merchant, an incredible 3rd-inning ending play from the hole by Patrick Alvarez and a double play by Khristian Ellington at 3rd base that set up the final strikeout.

When a team scores 51 runs in four games, obviously the bats are red hot, which was the case for Myers Park. The boys wasted no time, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the 1st inning of game 1 over TOC champ Weddington American. That game ended 10-0 on a game-winning sac fly by Pres Cavenaugh in the 4th that drove in Ben Heaton.

Game 2 was a 22-1, 4-inning affair over Dilworth that included 2 home runs by Raul Beltran, 4 doubles by Ellington and home runs by Alvarez and Hayden Malchesky. Alvarez hit another home run in Game 3's 9-1 win over Weddington National. He didn't stop in the championship game, hitting a home run and 2 doubles. Malchesky also homered again, and Merchant had 2 hits and the complete game victory.

This makes three banners by the Little League Class of 2013. The age group won TOC banners at ages 9 and 10, and they now have the District Tournament banner they wanted so badly. With those three banners, they are the most decorated class in Myers Park Trinity history.

Now they will attempt to go farther into the summer than previous MP teams. They head to the league's third official NC Little League State Tournament in the past five years, following the success of the 2008 10-year-olds and the same group that won the District in 2010 as 12's. No Myers Park team has gone beyond the state semifinals in recent memory, the 1987 All-Star team being the last.

The 11's will head to Morganton today for a 5:00 State Tournament matchup with District 5. The tournament will be played at Catawba Meadows Park, only an hour and a half drive from Charlotte. If you cannot make the trip to Morganton, head to the Myers Park Twitter page for live updates on all the action. I will be live tweeting from games as I have all summer.

The boys hope to make a good run at States. On Friday, they raised money for the trip by hosting a car wash at Randolph Park. They are also raising money for the league and their trip online. This team is playing to win and wants to make it an extended stay.

District 3 Tournaments Set To Begin

The official NC District 3 Little League Tournaments begin Saturday, July 7, with four Myers Park Trinity teams in action. This time it's double-elimination, win and advance.

The 12's won their Tournament of Champions (pictured) and will go to Weddington to try to extend their summer. They begin on Sunday, likely with a huge matchup against the team they beat in the TOC final, Weddington National.

Myers Park is hosting the 11-year-old District Tournament on Wade Field. Our 11's have a good team and will attempt to get by TOC champ Weddington American in their first game on Saturday. If you would like to volunteer to help with the scorebook, pitch count or public address during any games, let me or Greg Heaton know.

The 10's will head back to Dilworth for their tournament and the 9's will venture up to new District 3 member, Lake Norman LL. Here are all of the schedules:

12-year-old District 3 Tournament at Weddington
11-year-old District 3 Tournament at Myers Park
10-year-old District 3 Tournament at Dilworth
9-year-old District 3 Tournament at Lake Norman

Good luck to all the teams. As usual, updates will be posted on the MPTLL Twitter account during and after games, so check there often. You don't have to be a follower, but it helps.

Myers Park Off To a Good TOC Start

After four days of play in the Tournament of Champions (TOC), Myers Park Trinity is on a roll. In the last two days of action, MP teams are 7-0 against their opponents.

In Steele Creek, where the league has entered two TOC teams, MP Red is having great success. The team is 3-0, thanks to quality pitching, solid defense and powerful hitting. Last night's 20-3 victory over Coul-Oak was highlighted by back-to-back home runs by William Hamil and Rex Brietz in the 4th inning. The team has enjoyed solid hitting throughout the lineup, with prior home runs by Alex Cherne (2) and Clay Richards. The hitting and catching of RaQuan McLendon has been another key to their early success. MP Red plays Lake Norman tonight at 8:00. The medal round begins on Thursday (6/21).

Also in Steele Creek, MP Blue dropped its first two games of pool play, but bounced back with wins over Mint Hill and Steele Creek with a total team effort on both Monday and Tuesday nights. The pitching of Kobe Mayers, Jordan Archie and others has been great, with big help from the catching of Harrison Flouhouse. The hitting was solid as well, led by guys like Jack Ahlum, Bennett Smith, Michael Bixby, Baker Jarrell, Flouhouse and Archie. MP Blue unfortunately just missed out on a tiebreaker scenerio that almost sent them to the semifinals. Great to see this team come back, though, and finish with a couple of clutch wins.

At Myers Park, the MP 11-year-olds are 2-1 with a 10-9 loss to Coul-Oak, an 8-4 win over Weddington National and a 9-0 win over Lake Norman. Hitting has come from all parts of the lineup at various times: 3 hits by Hayden Malchesky and two doubles by Alexander Donald in game 1; two RBI hits by McRae Gage and a 2-RBI hit by Drew Robelen in game 2; two doubles by Henry Merchant, and a triple and inside-the-park home run by Patrick Alvarez in game 3 (click on the picture above for a great shot of that moment). The pitching is getting better as the week goes by. Alvarez threw very well in relief on Monday night, and last night's shutout victory over Lake Norman was highlighted by a 4 2/3 inning, 35 pitch outing by Merchant, with Pres Cavenaugh and Donald in relief. The 11's play Dilworth tonight at 6:00 as they try to advance to the semis.

Over at Dilworth, our MP 10-year-olds are rolling along at 3-0 with big victories over Dilworth, Weddington American and Lake Norman. This team is really putting it all together with the pitching of guys like Ben Morehead, Crawford Wade and several others; the hitting of Jackson Krisko, Jack Shaw, Reed Bolin, Morehead and just about the entire lineup; and some great defense to back it all up. The 10's were off last night and have Wednesday night off as well. They play Dilworth again on Thursday at 6:00. The medal round begins on Friday.

Back at Myers Park, our 9-year-old team has also found success with back-to-back wins over Steele Creek and Dilworth, after dropping its first game to Weddington American. The bats have come to life, led by Harris Hollar and Harrison Bobbitt. The pitching has been solid as well, with Scott Hosmer, Hutch Bray and others on the mound. The work of Max Brietz behind the plate has been a big help to them. The 9's play Weddington American again tonight at 8:00.

Good luck to all of our Myers Park teams the rest of the way. Sorry if any deserving players have been left out above. It's hard to include all the bright spots on these great teams. Coaches and parents, please continue to send in scores and highlights. Some pictures would be great too.

Remember that TOC schedules are posted here. Scores for the 9's and 11's tournaments being hosted by MPTLL are being updated on the league's Tournaments page. And here are results for the 10's and 12's (incomplete).

The best place to get up to the minute scores and highlights from each game is our MPTLL Twitter page. I will be tweeting on all the live action as often as possible each night - whether you are a follower or not. You don't even need a Twitter account, but it makes it easier. Check it out here. And spread the word. GO MP!

TOC Updates on Twitter

I will be posting MPTLL TOC scores and updates on the league's Twitter account (@mplittleleague) throughout the week. Check it out and give it a follow for all the info.

District 3 TOC Schedules

The 2012 Tournaments of Champions (TOC) for the Myers Park 9's, 10's, 11's and 12's begin this Saturday, June 16. The TOC is the first of two scheduled tournaments for these teams, with the possibility of more. The second will be the official NC District 3 Tournaments, which are scheduled for July 7.

Below are schedules and more information for each age group. The first column of teams on each schedule is Group A and the second is Group B. Myers Park is hosting the 9's and 12's.


9-Year-Old TOC at Myers Park Trinity LL.  Results

10-Year-Old TOC at Dilworth LL - 1415 Princeton Ave.

11-Year-Old TOC at Myers Park Trinity LL.  Results

12-Year-Old TOC at Steele Creek LL - 13530 Choate Cir.

MPTLL's Nivens and Rice Award Winners

Summer Instruction at MPTLL

Myers Park Trinity is excited to offer a variety of instructional baseball and softball opportunities for the upcoming summer. This is a chance for your kids to work on improving their game in a familiar and convenient setting.

MPTLL's own Baseball Fever camp, under the direction of league coach Jason Wishnefsky, is returning for another summer. Baseball Fever has scheduled four 5-day camps for 2012.

HQ4 Baseball will also be holding camps this summer, and will have two 4-day All Skills camps, plus pitching & catching and hitting camps.  For more information on both camps, visit the MPTLL Summer Camps page on the league website.

For individual or group instruction in a smaller setting, check out the Hitting and Pitching Lessons page at my own Hardball Mechanics blog. I will continue to schedule lessons at our park throughout the year, using video analysis to pinpoint mechanical flaws and customized drills to fix them. Special summer pricing has just been announced. As always, 10% of the proceeds goes to Myers Park Trinity to help pay for capital improvements like our newest batting cages. Contact me for more information or to schedule lessons. I work with kids of all ages and skill levels, including players from our American League, National League, Major League, Junior League and Softball divisions, as well as area high school players.

Whether your player is preparing for next season, learning a new skill or getting extra practice in for all-stars, summer is a great time to do it.

Bryant Supply Clinches Majors Title

Congratulations to Bryant Supply for clinching its first MPTLL Major League championship with a 7-3 win over 2nd place Al Browne on Wednesday night. 11-2 Bryant is up three games in the standings with one to go. The eight Major League teams will play a post-season tournament beginning Wednesday.

MPTLL Alumnus Is a Carolina Panther

Congratulations to Myers Park Trinity alumnus, Brenton Bersin, who has agreed to sign with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie free agent. Bersin was a wide receiver at Charlotte Latin School and Wofford College, the alma mater of Panthers owner Jerry Richardson. Wofford is also the team's training camp home.

Bersin played his Little League ball for Zan Copeland's Trinity team in 2001 and 2002. He is one of four former players from the 2001 MPTLL major league draft to have played college football, the others being Tate Bloomer (W&L), Davis Austin (Cornell) and Cody Keith (East Carolina). Best of luck to Bersin as he begins his pro career.

60th Anniversary Ceremonies on Saturday

MPTLL's opening ceremonies, which were postponed due to rain back in March, will take place this Saturday, April 21st at 11:30 am on Wade Field. All teams are asked to assemble in uniform by 11:15. Click here for the revised game schedule.

This year's ceremony is a special one because it marks our league's 60th anniversary. We have come a long way since the early summer days of 1952 when four teams joined together as the Myers Park Civitan League to compete on the Myers Park Grammar School playground. Our original charter shows how the league was organized and approved by Williamsport. Various Charlotte Observer articles provide accounts of how the action played out on the diamond.

1952 was a different time. Average annual wages were $3,800. A gallon of gas cost 20 cents and a new house cost $9,000. Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Today Show, Queen Elizabeth II, Holiday Inn and the passenger jet all made their debuts. Harry S. Truman was our President and the nation was at war in Korea.

After 60 years, Myers Park Trinity is thriving. We have grown from four teams to over 50, from one field to 11. We have a large group of dedicated volunteer coaches, grounds crew, concessions staff, Board of Directors and most importantly, devoted parents and players. We have much to celebrate.

So come on out to Randolph Park on Saturday and join us for opening ceremonies at 11:30 and try to catch a game or two. There's nothing quite like a Saturday at the fields. For more information on the story of our league, click on the History tab below.

Picture Day - Saturday, April 14

MPTLL Picture Day is this Saturday, April 14. Each team has been assigned a time slot to meet with the photographers at the picture location near the main batting cages at the upper fields. The schedule is HERE. Please have your team assembled in uniform and ready to begin prior to your scheduled time.

Things to know:

The league will provide every player with an 8x10 team picture at no additional charge. No order form or check is needed if you only want a team picture. Those will be distributed to each team in May.

Parents wishing to purchase individual photos of their child may purchase those during their team's picture time. The coaches have been instructed to collect order forms from the 3rd storage container at the center of the park and distribute them to their players before Saturday. If you do not get an order form, the photographers will have a few extras on site. Parents wanting individual pictures can make their selections on the order envelope and enclose a check to Classic Photography. Individual pictures will be sent to each family's home address.

Teams needing a makeup picture may do so prior to their weekday game, Mon-Thurs, April 16-19. Makeup times must be reserved through me - see the picture schedule for contact info. April 19 is the last possible day for makeup reservations. Please consider which players or coaches might be absent, as well as potential weather cancellations, before planning on a makeup picture.

Opening "Day" 2012 In the Books

There were no ceremonies (yet), but after three days of juggling schedules, our opening weekend of play is complete. Big thanks to our grounds crew - Tony McNay, Boyd Correll, Paxton Hollar and others - for the hard work they put in to get our fields not only playable, but in great shape for our teams. After all the rain, the picture of Wade Field on the left shows what a tremendous job they have done - all on a voluntary basis.

Winners in the Major League were Al Browne, Bryant Supply, Carolina Pad and Regions Bank. Click on the Standings tab above for all the results. Week 1 continues with National League games on Tuesday, Major League games on Wednesday and American League games throughout the week. Check back here during the season for announcements and updates.

Sunday (3/25) Games Delayed

The fields sustained additional rain last night but luckily they were in good shape after windy conditions helped dry them out yesterday.  However they are not going to be ready at 1pm and thus we have once again had to revise the schedule.  

Major League, National League, and American League games that were scheduled for 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm have all been pushed back 1 hour and now will be played at 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm. 

All Softball games are cancelled since Kiser-Chapman field is too wet and we will not be able to get it ready today.

T-Ball games scheduled on fields 1 and 2 are cancelled.  T-Ball field 3 (newest field, all grass) is open and teams scheduled to play on those fields may play as previously communicated.

Please continue to check your email and the league website since the radar does not look great for the rest of the day.  Honestly we are hoping the radar proves to be incorrect, similar to yesterday.  The grounds crew is currently at the fields and working hard to try and get baseball games in today.  If anyone has availability they would certainly appreciate the help.  

Also, the CC vs. RB game scheduled for 5pm tonight has been moved to Monday at 7pm on New Field.  As a result the NL11 vs. NL12 game that was scheduled for 5pm on GH2 tonight has been moved to New field at 6pm tonight. 

A revised schedule with all the changes mentioned above is available at the following hyperlink:
2012 MPTLL Revised Game & Practice Schedule

Opening Day Postponed to Sunday

Opening Day for MPTLL was delayed due to overnight rain. The games have been rescheduled for Sunday afternoon with no opening ceremonies. The updated schedule can be found HERE. Hopefully the weather will be drier tonight.

60th Anniversary Opening Ceremonies This Weekend

Opening Day for Myers Park Trinity Little League is this Saturday, March 24.  It will mark our league's 60^th anniversary. We remain the oldest continuously running Little League in Charlotte.

The day begins early with NL and softball games at 9:00 before Opening Ceremonies. Then all teams will parade onto the field before for the ceremonial first pitch.  During the ceremonies we will honor our winning all-star teams from last year and display championship banners from each team.

Assuming no heavy rains, the games will continue at 12:00, 2:00 and 4:00. If weather does impact the games or Opening Ceremonies, the League will send an email and post an announcement on the website. If nothing is posted, and an email does not go out, then the Ceremonies are on schedule and we are playing ball.

Coaches and players are asked to arrive for Opening Ceremonies at Wade field in uniform at 10:15. Major league and National League players should line up on the outside of the fence on the 3^rd base side and Tee-Ball, American league, and Softball teams should line up on the outside of the fence on the first base side. Opening Ceremonies will begin at 10:45 and the teams will be announced and will parade in together starting at 10:30.

Please park in either our main upper lot on Billingsley Road, the large overflow lot at the Department of Social Services next door, or down at the Grier Heights Fields. Do not park across Billingsley Road in the Annuvia lot, next to the new field at the county gas pumps or drive through area, immediately next to our main lot in the county fleet lot, or on any grassy areas. We have seen cars ticketed for parking in these unauthorized areas. 


After the games make sure to support our sponsors. We have a number of restaurants within a couple miles who have signed up as team sponsors and every Saturday they are all offering unique promotions for MPTLL families. Mama Fu's (Cotswold), The Pizza Peel (Cotswold), and the Flying Biscuit (Park Road) are offering 10% off the entire bill at any of these restaurants for players wearing an MPTLL jersey. The discount applies to dine in or take out. In addition, Nothing but Noodles (on Elizabeth Avenue across the street from Presbyterian Hospital) is offering a free kids meal to any player wearing their jersey on Saturdays during the season.

We hope to see everyone on Opening Day.

The Challenge of Being a Challenge Parent

In case you missed it in Sunday's Charlotte Observer, MPTLL parent Tracy Curtis weighs the joys and sorrows of being a challenge baseball parent. Very funny (and honest) stuff. And certainly the first ever reference to "GH1" in the Observer. Enjoy.

Regular Season & Challenge Tryouts

Regular season Little League tryouts are this weekend. Baseball players age 6-12 that are trying out for the AL, NL or Major League have been assigned a specific tryout time.

Challenge Baseball tryouts for ages 8-14 are coming soon. Here is the schedule:

• 8's and 9's - Tuesday (2/28) at 5:30 - Randolph Park.
• 10's, 11's and 12's - Wednesday (2/29) at 5:30 - Randolph Park.
• 13's and 14's - Saturday (3/3) time TBD - Independence Park.

Dr. Andrews Offers Some Advice to Baseball

If you are a coach or the parent of a pitcher, here's an important article with some words of wisdom from Dr. James Andrews, considered by many to be the leading orthopedic surgeon in the world. Here are some highlights of what he has to say:

• Radar guns should be outlawed. Trying to throw harder increases the chance of injury.

• Young pitchers throwing at high velocities are putting too much stress on their elbow.

• Year-round baseball should be banned. Ligaments need rest to develop.

• Pitchers should never pitch on consecutive days.

• Pitchers should never finish an inning when they are tired or sore.

• Playing on multiple teams is a risk factor, especially when the coaches do not communicate.

Coaching Your Own Kid

If you are planning to coach your own son or daughter's team this season, I highly recommend that you read this article by Janis Meredith:  6 Steps to Successfully Coaching Your Own Child. 

Meredith offers the following advice for the benefit of all involved - the child, the parent, the team and the league:

1. Get objective opinions about each child's abilities from your fellow coaches.
2. Give fair treatment to all. Don't treat your child better or worse than the other players.
3. Do not coach at home unless your child brings it up.
4. Prepare your kids for peer pressure they may encounter because you are the coach.
5. Remind your child that you are their coach on the field, not just their parent.
6. Be an unconditional coach. "If you are going to volunteer to help coach your child's team, commit yourself to doing what's best for the entire team, not just your child. If you can't do that, don't coach."

So many leagues have been negatively affected by "daddyball." The "what's in it for me and my kid" attitude

MPTLL Discounts at Dick's Sporting Goods

Come to Dick's Sporting Goods at SouthPark this Saturday, February 18th and save up to 25% off in-store merchandise. Print this coupon and bring it with you to the store for 15% off your entire purchase between 10:00 and 4:00. League representatives will be on-site from 10:00-2:00 to hand out additional 10% off coupons for baseball gear. They will be taking last minute registrations and answering questions about Myers Park as well. MPTLL families can also register for a chance to win a $50 gift card. So take an inventory of your spring season needs and head over to Dick's Sporting Goods on Saturday.

Final Days of Spring Registration

Spring registration for Myers Park Trinity Little League Baseball, Softball and T-Ball ends this Sunday, February 19. Don't wait until it's too late. 8U and 10U Softball is already full. Signing up online is easy and only takes a few minutes. You can pay by check or credit card.

And don't forget that tryouts for 6-12-year-old baseball are next weekend, February 25-26. Each player should have a specific tryout time assigned to them. Please arrive early to check in and warm up.

Little League Round Tables Are in Charlotte

The 2012 Little League Regional Round Tables are in Charlotte today. Little League is visiting each of the five US regions to educate and get input from District Administrators (DA's) and Assistant DA's regarding proposed regulation changes for the future. The agenda established by Little League to facilitate discussion indicated that big changes could be around the corner.

Volunteer for Grier Heights Registration

Walk-up registration begins this weekend at the Randolph Park Concession Stand, at Grier Heights Community Monumental Park on Sam Drenan Road, and at the Food Lion on Wendover Road. Registration continues online through February 19th and remains the easiest option for signing your child up for spring baseball, softball or tee ball.

If you would like to volunteer to work a shift at registration in Grier Heights, please contact Brandon Merchant. Our efforts in that neighborhood are a very important part of our league. Here are the sign up times:

Concession Stand:
Saturday,  February 4,  10:00-2:00.

Grier Heights Community Monumental Park:
Saturdays,  February 4, 11 & 18,  10:00-4:00.
Sundays,  February 5, 12 & 19,  1:00-5:00.
Weekdays,  February 13-17,  3:00-5:00.

Food Lion:
Saturdays,  February 4, 11 & 18,  10:00-4:00.
Sundays,  February 5, 12 & 19,  1:00-5:00.

MPTLL Dives Into Social Media

Myers Park Trinity Little League has recently ventured into social media via Facebook and Twitter as an additional way to spread information to the families and supporters of our league.

The new MPTLL Facebook page is up and running with a sampling of league news, including information about registration for the spring season. It will be updated throughout the year with the latest on Myers Park teams, people, events, announcements, league history, baseball and softball info and Little League news. So "like" us on Facebook if you want to stay in the loop. And please help us use Facebook to spread the word about spring registration. There is an additional Facebook page devoted to the alumni and history of Myers Park Trinity, so check that out as well.

Twitter is another valuable tool for getting quick and easy access to information on subjects that interest you. Even if you don't tweet anything yourself, you can sign up and follow groups or people of your choosing to have announcements, articles and ideas delivered instantly to your phone or computer. So sign up and "follow" the MPTLL Twitter feed for all the latest league info. And for more on baseball, softball and youth sports in general, follow yours truly.

Register Online for the Spring Season

Online registration for the Myers Park Trinity Little League Spring Season is underway and will continue through February 19. Charlotte's oldest Little League is celebrating it's 60th anniversary this year with its usual assortment of baseball, softball and tee ball divisions.

For more information, go to the league website for the spring calendar, boundary map, all-star and challenge program info, parents' and coaches' FAQ and much more.

Little League Bat Info Page

If you are wondering the difference between BBCOR and a BPF... or comp vs. alloy... or you want to know which bats will be allowed this season... Little League has put all of this information and more on one page. Here's more info regarding the new Little League bat info page. Keep in mind that Myers Park Trinity is currently associated with Little League, Inc. in only the 5- through 12-year-old baseball divisions. Our older divisions and our Softball program do not fall under Little League rules.

"New Field" Backstop Going Up Today

All-Star Residency Documentation Change

Just a reminder for parents of prospective 2012 All-Star players.....

Documents collected for proof of residency must now be dated or in force between February 1 of the previous and current years. This means that for the 2012 season documents must be from between February 1, 2011 and February 1, 2012. A driver's licence in effect during that time would be accepted. This rule mainly applies to the All-Star Tournament season, when these documents must be presented to Little League officials for player eligibility.

Click here for more information on this and other rule changes. And here is more info on the specific proof of residency documentation that will be acceptable.

Spring Registration Coming Soon

The registration period for Spring 2012 baseball and softball is almost here. Online signups begin January 14th, and remain the easiest way to register your kids. For more information about our various divisions of play, check out the Spring Season page on the MPTLL website. To find out if you reside within the established Little League territory of Myers Park Trinity, take a look at our latest Boundary Map. For information on preseason baseball and softball instruction at our park, visit Hardball Mechanics. And here are some important dates to be aware of:

Online Registration:  January 14 - February 19
Concession Stand Walkup Registration:  February 4, 10:00-2:00
Softball Practice Period Begins:  February 25
Little League Baseball Skills Assessments (Tryouts):  February 25-26
Challenge Team Tryouts:  February 28-29
Major League Draft:  March 1
National League Draft:  March 2
American League Draft:  March 3
Little League Baseball Practice Period Begins:  March 5
Softball Games Begin:  March 17
Opening Day / Baseball Games Begin:  March 24
Picture Day:  April 14
Spring Break - No Games:  March 31 - April 7
T-Ball Season Closes:  May 12
Softball Season Closes:  May 20
Memorial Day - No Regular Season Games:  May 26
Closing Day / Little League Baseball Season Closes:  June 2
All-Star Season Begins:  June 4

Junior and Senior League dates have not been determined. The complete league calendar is here.