Annual Park Clean-up and Leaf Removal

Mark your calendars... Our annual park clean-up and leaf removal day will be December 10th. This event calls for any and all supporters, including moms, dads, coaches, board members, current or former players and siblings.  This is also a great opportunity for students or service clubs to log volunteer hours, or parents and kids who just want to show their appreciation for all the hard work our volunteer grounds crew does throughout the year.  We encourage anyone who has enjoyed our great park to give some time back to help us maintain it. 

Volunteers should bring gloves, rakes and/or gas-powered blowers. Work will begin at 8am and go into late afternoon. Come as early and stay as long as you can. Email Paxton Hollar if you have any questions. phollar@suncappg.com. 

Spring Registration Update

Registration for the 2016 Spring Season is in full swing. Sign up online at www.mptll.org. Players must reside or attend school within our designated boundary. Here are some important deadlines and dates to be aware of:

UPCOMING KEY DATES

• 2-04-16 - 9-12 year old challenge baseball registration ends
• 2-07-16 - Challenge Baseball Tryouts for 9-12 year olds
• 2-07-16 - Softball Registration Ends
• 2-13-16 - Softball Tryouts
• 2-14-16 - Baseball Registration Ends
• 2-14-16 - 8 year old challenge baseball registration ends
• 2-20-16 / 2-21-16 - Baseball tryouts for 6-12 year olds
• 3-06-16 - T-Ball Registration Ends
• 3-07-16 - Challenge Baseball Tryouts for 8 year olds

MPTLL History Project: Aerial Photos of Randolph Park

Below are some interesting aerial photos showing how the land in and around Randolph Park has evolved over the years. It also shows how much our volunteers have accomplished since we first arrived at Randolph Road.

The photo on the left is from 1950, two years before the Myers Park Civitan league was created and began play at Myers Park Elementary School. It was all farm land back then. The road running north to south in this picture was Sardis Road, and later became Randolph Road. Sardis intersects Billingsley Road on the left side of the picture.

The middle photo is from 1961. Our one Little League field, E.C. Griffith, is seen on the northwest side of Randolph Road. To the south, the old Pony/Babe Ruth Field, Culp Field, is barely visible. Across the street, what we now call Grier Heights #1 has been built. At the bottom of the picture Billingsley Road has been rerouted further to the south in the current location. The old Billingsley Road still exists in the photo and runs through the farm on the land where our current fields sit.

The photo on the right is from 2012 and shows our current park, with two Grier Heights fields, three tee ball fields among the trees separating the upper and lower fields, and five Little League fields and other structures between the tree line and the current Billingsley Road. Interestingly, the path from behind the backstop of Randolph East Field to the concession stand follows the same route as the old Billingsley Road.

A lot has changed in 65 years. It will be interesting to see how the park continues to evolve as we grow and make more improvements over the next several decades.

Randolph Park land in 1950, 1961 and 2012. Click for a larger picture.

Capital Campaign Update and Plans For Randolph Park

 

Please read the following special message from MPTLL League President, Rich Little....


Dear MPTLL Parent, Coach, Sponsor and/or Volunteer,

I am sending you this message to update you on our progress towards finalizing our Capital Campaign, and to let your know of an opportunity we have to receive a $200,000 matching gift. 

As an update, we have made significant progress because of the willingness of many people to give back to the League.  To date, we have accomplished the following:

     1)    We have surpassed the $525,000 mark in total pledged donations

     2)    Largely because of the strength of the donations we have received so far, we have successfully secured an additional 10 year term of the Priority Use Agreement with Mecklenburg County and our partners at Park & Rec.  The new term will dovetail into the existing term which expires December 31^st, 2016.  We now have Randolph Park (and our other off site practice locations) under contract through the end of 2026.

     3)    Once we complete the Capital Campaign, we will be strategically positioned to go back to Park & Rec/Meck County and negotiate to add several decades to the Agreement beyond 2026. 

  

     4)    We have had Randolph Park surveyed in preparation for the construction projects.

     5)    We have had meetings with architects and a construction company to start the process of narrowing in on the actual costs of the projects we would like to complete.

     6)     Based on the conversations we have had so far, the cost to complete everything we want to do will be approximately $1.5 million.  This amount includes the covered seating, press box, dugouts, new backstop, bathrooms and concession stand for the New Field.  The cost estimate also includes the construction of a large building that will house an Indoor Teaching Center, and storage for the League’s equipment (i.e. a new Boyd’s Building).  The $1.5 million price tag also covers a fairly significant enhancement to the entrance of the park coming in from the main parking lot next to the soccer field.   The target number should also include enough money to build ground level, basic press boxes for several fields, including Kiser/Chapman. 

     7)    Depending on where we stand with money raised on November 15^th, 2015, we may find that we are not able to do everything we want to do as one big project.  If that is the case we will prioritize the components of the plan and look to complete the projects using a phased approach.

As mentioned, we have a very special, time sensitive opportunity to receive a matching gift of $200,000.   I mentioned the date November 15^th, 2015 in point #7 above because one of our Capital Campaign supporters has made a generous offer over and above his current donation.  He has committed to match all new pledges up to $200,000 received between now and November 15^th.   So, if we are able to raise the full $200,000, that amount will turn into $400,000 because of the matching gift.  We have 3 weeks to make sure that we maximize this awesome opportunity.  If we can get to the full match, AND if we can close at least one of the naming rights opportunities we have, we will be in a position to complete most if not all of our grand plan.

And that’s where I need your help.  I am writing to ask you to consider making a pledge to the Capital Campaign.  You have the option of spreading the payments out over 5 years.  You can go online and make a donation on the website using a credit card at  www.mptll.org – the link to the Capital Campaign is under About MPTLL – then click the Donate icon on the right hand side of the page. Alternatively, send me an email to the address below and request a pledge card to be sent to you.   (Thank you to those of you who have already stepped up and made a 2^nd donation!)

In addition to making a pledge, you can also help by reaching out to someone you know who has fond memories of MPTLL or who is currently enjoying their experience and ask them to join you in supporting the campaign.  Most people are glad to give to a worthy cause, but they must first know about it, and in most cases they need to be asked.  Just think of the impact we can make if everyone receiving this email is able to convince one additional person to give to the Campaign.  You can also forward a name or names to me so that I can contact them on your behalf, although I don’t think that that will be as effective as you contacting them directly.  The reality is that your contact to them will be more personal.  I am however happy to reach out to anyone you feel is a potential candidate.

We believe that the capital improvements outlined above have something for everyone at MPTLL.  The indoor teaching center will be used by softball and baseball teams, Challenge and All Star teams, and our 13-16 year old teams playing for Myers Park Academy and Jr Little League.  We will also hold free and paid player clinics, coaching clinics, have a winter workout program and provide private lessons.  The covered seating complex will be a great place to hold Opening Day and Closing Day Ceremonies, as well as be a first class field for regular season and tournament games for baseball players ages 9-12.  We will all be proud of an upgraded “front door” entrance area to the Park, which will also include a better drop/off and pick/up area for the kids coming to and leaving the field.  And finally, press boxes for our primary softball and baseball fields will add a new level of excitement to our games.  

Please join me in supporting this exciting plan, and please act before November 15^th so that we will be able to take full advantage of the matching gift.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

 

Rich Little

President

Myers Park Trinity Little League

mptllpres@gmail.com

Fall 2015 Registration

Parents and Coaches,

Registration for Myers Park Trinity's Fall programs will close on this Friday, August 21st.  Sign up today for t-ball, baseball or softball ages 4-16.  MPTLL is also offering Challenge Baseball and Softball, MP Academy baseball for rising 13 year olds, and Little League Junior Baseball for rising 13 and 14 year olds. Most divisions in our fall program allow time for kids to play other traditional fall sports.  Don't miss the chance for your son or daugther to have fun and improve their skills this fall.  Register today at https://www.mptll.org/Sign-Up/Fall-Registration.

We hope to see you soon.

Myers Park Junior League Season

Myers Park Trinity's Junior League season for 13 and 14-year-olds is fast approaching. The league is excited to announce that Providence Day Varsity Baseball Head Coach Jim Cerbie will serve as the team's manager.

Junior League tryouts will be held on Sunday, April 19, from 1:00-3:00 pm at Independence Park. Players interested in signing up should contact the league at juniorbaseball@mptll.org. Games will begin in mid-May.

Umpires Needed for Spring and Fall Baseball

Randy Helms, Supervisor of Baseball Officials, is looking for additional umpires for the upcoming spring and fall seasons.  If you are interested, please contact him at r_helms59@hotmail.com.  Randy will be holding clinics during the later part of February and first weeks of March. 

MPTLL Day at Dick's Sporting Goods

This Saturday, February 7th, is Myers Park Trinity Day at Dick's Sporting Goods' SouthPark location. It's time to gear up for our spring season. Stop by the store on Saturday and receive 20% off your purchase using our special MPTLL Day in-store coupon. MP volunteers will be on site from 10:00-1:00 to answer questions and register players for Baseball, Softball and T-Ball. Come by and see us.

If you have not yet signed up to play, please do it soon. Early registrations help the league prepare for the season. Families can sign up online through February 15th at www.mptll.org. Or in addition to our DSG walk-up registration, we will also have sign-up tables at Grier Heights Community Park and the Food Lion store  at 931 N. Wendover Road on Saturdays, Feb. 7 & 14 from 11:00-3:00 and Sundays, Feb. 8 & 15 from 1:00-3:00.

Thanks so much for supporting Myers Park Trinity. We are looking forward to another great season.

Spring Registration Continues Though February 15th

Online registration for Spring Baseball, Softball and T-Ball is open at www.mptll.org and will continue through February 15th. Walk-up registration will take place at the Randolph Park Concession Stand on Saturday, January 31st from 10:00-2:00. Our Grier Heights sign-up events begin the same day.

MPTLL Families - please show your support for the league by sharing this registration flyer with friends, family, social media contacts, school or church groups, etc. There are many exciting things happening at MP - from the creation of our own instructional academy, to the rapid growth of our softball program, to our all-star baseball state championships - Myers Park Trinity is better than ever. So help us get the word out.

Thanks so much for doing your part. See you at the fields!

MP Leaf Days 2014

The leaves have fallen. It's time to pitch in and help keep our park beautiful. Saturdays, December 6th and 13th are our annual MPTLL Leaf Cleanup Days at the fields at Randolph Park. The fun will begin each day at 9:00 a.m. and continue into the afternoon. This event calls for any and all Myers Park Trinity supporters - moms, dads, coaches, players, siblings, board members - anyone who can work a rake, gas blower, tarp, etc. The more the merrier. We encourage anyone who has enjoyed our great park to give some time back to help maintain it. This will be a great opportunity for students or service clubs wanting to log volunteer hours, or parents and kids who just want to show their appreciation for all that our hard-working volunteer grounds crew does throughout the year.

The work we accomplish on these Saturdays will pay dividends down the road and free up time for other projects. Please plan to attend and bring the whole family. Don't forget to bring any rakes or other tools that may be helpful. We will especially need as many gas powered blowers as possible. Make sure to mark your name on anything you bring.

If you would like to volunteer to help clean up the park on the 6th and/or 13th, please CLICK HERE and select the times that work for you. Thanks!

Mike Hennessey To Serve As Director of MP Academy

Myers Park Trinity is excited to announce that Mike Hennessey has accepted the position of Program Director for MP Academy (MPA), the league's new instructional group and competitive division for age 13-and-over baseball.

Hennessey is the current Head Varsity Baseball Coach and Program Director at Charlotte Country Day School, where he has served for 10 years. He was named the 2006 and 2011 South Charlotte Weekly Coach of the Year.

Mike began his coaching career at the Canterbury School in New Milford, CT. He has served as an evaluator and coach for the Mid Atlantic region's USA Baseball National Team Identification Series, and has coached at the United States Naval Academy in their summer leadership camp. He is an executive board member of Baseball For Life, a Charlotte service organization dedicated to helping young men develop important life skills through baseball.

In addition to his position as Program Director of MP Academy, Mike will also serve as Head Coach for MPA's 14U team. Mike is an excellent instructor and passionate teacher of the game. He is well respected in the Charlotte baseball community. We are fortunate to have Mike on board to lead us into the next phase of the continued improvement our league.

MPA is now preparing for its Winter Academy, to be led by Hennessey and our own certified strength and conditioning coach, Josh Thomas. This will be an offseason skills development program with a strength, speed and agility component. 

Tryouts for the 13U, 14U and 15U teams will take place on Saturday, November 15th, at Covenant Day School. The teams will be led by Covenant Day Varsity Coach David Houseton (13U), Hennessey (14U) and Scott Ahlum (15U). Interested families should contact MP Academy at mpacademy@mptll.org.

Stay tuned for more information in the near future regarding both the team tryouts and the Winter Academy.

Wednesday Softball Pitching Instruction

Queens University Softball Head Coach Melanie Helterbran is offering group pitching instruction at Myers Park Trinity on Wednesday nights this fall season. The series begins tonight, September 10th, and runs through October 8th.

Each session will cost $5.00 per player. They will be conducted at both 5:30-6:00 and 6:00-6:30. Parents are encouraged to attend and catch their pitcher, as well as listen in on the instruction being given. Players should arrive a few minutes early and meet in the grassy area next to Kiser-Chapman Field. The group may move down to the area beyond Founders Field if additional space is needed.

The sessions are for all age groups and skill levels. Girls with any interest in pitching are encouraged to attend. No experience is necessary.

Thanks to Coach Helterbran. MP Softball is grateful for its partnership with Queens University.

Fall Coaches Clinics at MPTLL

Myers Park Trinity Little League has partnered with area high school and middle school coaches and private instructors to offer clinics specifically designed for our youth baseball coaches.  These experienced coaches will discuss practice plans, proper throwing, pitching, fielding and hitting techniques, and most importantly, effective ways to instruct the kids in our age groups.  These clinics are free, and will be offered several times over the next couple of weeks.  The League is strongly encouraging its fall baseball coaches to attend at least one clinic, hopefully more.  The impact our coaches can have on the players of MPTLL will be dramatically improved if our fall coaches can learn and implement a few tips from these coaches.

Coaches participating:

·         Mike Hennessey – Varsity Head Coach – Charlotte Country Day School

·         David Houseton – Varsity Head Coach – Covenant Day School

·         Mark Mensheha – Head Coach – A.G. Middle School

·         Josh Thomas – Head Coach – Charlotte Country Day Middle School (and MPTLL Major League Coach – Trinity)

·         Brandon Merchant – Youth Hitting and Pitching Instructor (and MPTLL Major League Head Coach – Al Browne)

·         Scott Ahlum – Head Coach Charlotte Stampede 15U (former MPTLL coach)

Dates:

·         Saturday, September 6^th – 8:30am to 9:30am

·         Monday, September 8^th – 7:00pm to 8:00pm

·         Tuesday, September 9^th – 7:00pm to 8:00pm

·         Saturday, September 20^th  - 8:30am to 9:30am

Don't miss this opportunity to improve your coaching knowledge, skills and practice plans. See you at the fields.

Fall Baseball, Softball and T-Ball Registration

T-Ball / Machine Pitch / Player Pitch / Softball
Online registration remains open until August 23rd for the 2014 Fall Season at Myers Park Trinity. This season we will have T-Ball for 5-6 year old boys and girls, Machine Pitch baseball for 7-8 year old boys, Player Pitch baseball for 9-10 year old and 11-12 year old boys, and Softball for 8U, 10U, 12U and 16U girls. Click to register for the Fall Season or to learn more out the program.  We are seeking coaches in our T-Ball and player pitch leagues.  Please send an email to admin@mptll.org if you have interest in coaching a team.

MP Challenge Registration (8-12 Year old Baseball / Softball)
The Myers Park Trinity Challenge Baseball and Softball Program is designed for players who want to experience extra baseball or softball in a competitive “tournament” environment. The Challenge Program addresses the needs of those athletes who possess above average baseball or softball skills, and provides an opportunity for them to play at the highest level for their age group.  If you are interested in having your child considered for one of the Myers Park Trinity baseball or softball challenge teams, please send an email to challenge@mptll.org. Challenge tryout dates and times have not been set at this time, but they will be communicated as soon as they become available.  Parents that express an interest will receive an email approximately one week before tryouts with date, time, and field information for their specific age group’s tryout.  Click here to learn more about the Myers Park Trinity Baseball and Softball Challenge Program.

Click here to learn about our 13 & over baseball programs.

MP Academy

Myers Park Trinity is proud to announce the launch of MP Academy, which will serve as an umbrella program for a combination of player and coaches clinics, private lesson opportunities, strength and conditioning programs, and the overall instructional foundation for our baseball and softball players.  The League is partnering with area high school and middle school coaches to provide additional instruction and coaching being offered by the Academy.  

As part of this launch, we are announcing tryout dates for our inaugural 13U and 14U teams.  Parents of players that have an interest in playing for one of these teams should contact the appropriate coach listed below for specific details:

14U – Players aged 14 as of April 30, 2015
Head Coach:  Josh Thomas - Middle School Head Coach at Charlotte Country Day School.
Tryouts will be held this weekend - August 9-10 – email joshthomas@me.com for additional details.
Location: Independence Park (Elizabeth Traditional School)

13U – Players age 13 as of April 30, 2015
Head Coach:  David Houseton - Varsity Head Coach at Covenant Day School.
Assistant Coach:  Mark Mensheha - Head Coach at AG Middle School.
Tryouts will be held August 23-24 - email mmensheha@yahoo.com for additional details.
Location: Independence Park (Elizabeth Traditional School)

In addition to the two tournament focused teams listed above, MP Academy also hopes to field a combined 13/14 Babe Ruth team.  Our coaches listed above will be able to provide all the details about each of these teams so please reach out and we hope to see you at the fields.

Myers Park 10's Head to Regionals

The Myers Park Trinity Little League 10-year-old All-Star Team has won the North Carolina State Tournament and is heading to the Southeast Regional Tournament of State Champs (TOSC) in Greenville, NC. The 10's, managed by Mark Crowther, won both the NC District 3 and State Tournaments with an undefeated record, going 8-0 overall.

They will travel to the TOSC in Greenville and play at Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park, one of the finest youth baseball venues in the country. The MP 12's played this year's State Tournament and last year's 11-year-old TOSC at the same site.

The regional tournament format is pool play, beginning on Saturday, July 26, with the top teams advancing to the medal round, beginning, Tuesday, July 29. Myers Park's pool play schedule and opponents are:

Saturday, July 26, 10:00:  NC vs. Tennessee / Goodlettsville National.
Sunday, July 27, 6:15:  NC  vs Virginia / Vienna American LL.
Monday, July 28, 12:45:  NC vs South Carolina / Northwood LL.

The tournament website is HERE. Games will be shown live on UStream HERE. Or follow the action on MP Twitter @mplittleleague.

And finally - the MP 10's are having a Bake Sale Fundraiser this Wednesday, July 23, from 6pm-8pm at the MPTLL main parking lot to raise funds to help offset travel expenses. Please support the 10's on Wednesday. Donations of any amount will be accepted.

State Tournament Schedules

Myers Park Trinity has earned trips to three 2014 NC State Tournaments. The action begins this Saturday.  The MP 10's, 11's and 12's are all representing District 3 in state double-elimination tournaments, with Southeast Regional Tournament births on the line. Here are the schedules and locations:

9-10-year-old State Tournament:  July 12-18.  Catawba Meadows Park, Morganton Little League, 220 Catawba Meadows Dr., Morganton, NC.

10-11-year-old State Tournament:  July 12-18.  Swaim Complex, Kernersville Little League, 9217 County Line Rd., Kernersville, NC.

11-12-year-old State Tournament:  July 17-23.  Elm Street Park, Greenville Little Leagues, 1055 S. Elm St., Greenville, NC.  Games will be shown live on UStream.

Hit the road and support our boys, or follow along on Twitter: @mplittleleague. Good luck to our tournament teams.

MP Wins Three District Titles

Myers Park Trinity's All-Star baseball teams have won three 2014 NC District 3 Little League Tournament Championships. Building on the success of our two state titles in 2013, this is the first time the league has won 3 championship banners at the district level in the same year.

The 9-10-year-old, 10-11-year-old and 11-12-year-old All-Star teams all won District 3 Tournaments and have earned a spot in the NC State Tournament for each age group. The winner of each State Tournament will advance to its respective Southeast Regional Tournament. Last year MP sent teams to both the 10-11-year-old Regional Tournament in Greenville, NC, and the 11-12-year-old Major League Tournament in Warner Robins, GA. The winner of the tournament in Warner Robins goes to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.

The NC State Tournaments are scheduled as follows. Stay tuned for game schedules to be posted in the coming days.

9-10-year-old State Tournament:  July 12-18.  Morganton, NC.
10-11-year-old State Tournament:  July 12-18.  Kernersville, NC.
11-12-year-old State Tournament:  July 17-23.  Greenville, NC.

Congrats to our MP teams on their District success and good luck at States. As usual, fans back home can follow all the action on Twitter at @mplittleleague.

Tournament of Champions All-Star Schedules

The first round of All-Star tournaments begin this weekend with the Tournament of Champions (TOC) in five different age groups throughout District 3. In most groups these games will serve as a warm-up to the official District 3 Tournaments, which will begin June 21 and each send a winner to the NC State Tournament.

Here are the TOC schedules. Games start this Saturday, June 7. Follow the action on Twitter @mplittleleague.

12-year-old TOC at Dilworth
11-year-old TOC at Myers Park Trinity
10-year-old TOC at Coul Oak
9-year-old TOC at Mint Hill
8-year-old TOC at Weddington

With MPTLL hosting the 11's tournament, the league will need several volunteers to make it all happen. Responsibilities for each game of the tournament include: concessions, field prep, scorebook, pitch count, PA announcer and scoreboard. Please visit our SignUp Genius page and consider volunteering for a few time slots. Thanks!

The Loss of Demonta Gaither

You may have seen the sad story in the news this week about the young man from Grier Heights who drowned in the pond behind Randolph Park. This is a particularly sad event for MPTLL because the young man, Demonta Gaither, was a popular player during the years he spent playing baseball in our league. Demonta played in the AL, NL, Majors (Carolina Pad) and in our Senior League. In his final season with Carolina Pad in 2007, he was selected by the Major League coaches as the recipient of the Billy Rice Award, which is given to the player whose enthusiasm and love of the game exemplify the best in Little League baseball. Demonta’s nomination for the Rice Award included the following excerpt, as written by his coach, Robert Griffin, who served as a mentor to him both during and after his time with MPTLL:

 

“Demonta loves the league and loves our team. He is a happy boy who likes to compete, who doesn't like to lose, but who bounces back and is eager for the next game or practice. He is interested in his teammates -- he cares about them. He is enthusiastic at all practices -- giving as much effort as he gives to games, and enjoying the competition. He pays remarkably close attention to everything going on around him. He notices the flaws in the technique of his teammates and offers encouraging suggestions to "keep your eye on the ball" or "use two hands" and stuff like that -- in a way that is positive and helpful. He notices players on the other teams, too. He may know more about the players on the other teams than anyone on our team. He's just been a wonderful part of our team for these two years. He's only a pretty good player, but the MPTLL experience has been a good one for him, and he's made the experience better for me and for his teammates.  He's already looking forward to playing at Independence Park next year. All of this comes from a boy who doesn't have a great home environment in the Grier Heights apartment where he lives.”

 

Demonta’s death is a tragedy. His story can be a reminder to us of the needs of so many young people in some of our nearby neighborhoods, and of the opportunities that we have to try to help them, with guidance, encouragement, friendship and love. The relationships we build with these young people are greatly important, and there is much that we can do to influence their lives in a positive way.