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. 

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

Leaf Day 2013

This Saturday, December 7th, is the annual MPTLL Leaf Cleanup Day at the fields at Randolph Park. The festivities will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue into the early 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.

The work we accomplish on Saturday will pay dividends down the road and free up time for our volunteer grounds crew to work on other projects. Please plan to attend and bring the entire family. Don't forget to bring any rakes or other tools that may be helpful. Make sure to mark your name on anything you bring.

The weather forecast for Saturday is iffy. Any changes will be announced on MP Twitter, Facebook or Blog. If necessary, the make up date would be the following Saturday, December 14th.

Park Etiquette

MPTLL Families,

The league would like to provide the following reminders about a few park related issues. If we all follow these guidelines, our park will be a better place than it already is.

PARKING - Parking is allowed only in marked spaces. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police will ticket your car if it is parked outside of a marked space. They do come to our park often, sometimes driving through looking for cars to ticket. If it is deemed necessary, your car may also be towed. Our primary lot is by the main gate at the upper fields. Please do not park on the grass, by the gate or fence, in front of the dumpster, in the handicapped spaces without a pass or beyond the end of a row of spaces. If the marked spaces in the main lot are full, you may park in the Grier Heights lot down the hill or in the Department of Social Services lot next to the main lot on the park side of Billingsley Road. The DSS lot is huge. There are always plenty of available spaces, and there are pathways to New Field, Founders and GH2 from there. Do not park anywhere near the county gas pumps or across the street at the Chemical Dependency Center - they will tow your car.

DOGS - Dogs are allowed, but they must be on leashes. Some people are not comfortable around dogs, and especially those not on a leash. Also, as you would anywhere, please bring a bag and clean up after your pooch when he does his business.

SMOKING / TOBACCO - Randolph Park is a tobacco-free zone. Please refrain from smoking or using other tobacco products anywhere at the park.

TRASH - Myers Park Trinity does not have a cleaning service. Please use the trash and recycling bins located around the park. And if you see something on the ground, please take a second to pick it up and throw it away. Bleacher areas should be cleaned by the parents and fans and dugouts should be cleaned by the players after each game and practice. It's not hard to look at the schedule and see who left the mess.

CHEERING - Keep it positive. Remember that this is a youth activity. It is a game played by children. The children should be able to relax and have fun playing the game without being distracted by excessive noise, negative comments or coaching from outside the fences. The players, coaches and umpires are all doing their best. No one wants to do anything less. Just show that you support them and that you enjoy watching. This is rarely a problem at Myers Park. We have a great group of families. This is just a reminder.

Thank you for your help in these areas. And thank you for supporting MPTLL.

MPTLL Capital Campaign Video To Be Shown Saturday

Sunday was Opening Day, but due to time constraints, Opening Ceremonies will take place this Saturday, April 13 at MPTLL's Randolph Park at 10:30 am. Join us for our annual celebration of Little League Baseball and Myers Park Trinity. A full day of games will immediately follow the ceremony.

Also, there will be a very special presentation:  The MPTLL Capital Campaign video will be shown at the park under a tent on a wide screen TV, running on a continuous loop throughout the day. It is a relatively brief, but very well done documentary about Myers Park Trinity produced by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. For the first time, you will see what our facilities could look like after a successful Capital Campaign. It is quite impressive, and exciting. You will probably recognize some familiar faces from among the MPTLL family of players, coaches, parents and other volunteers talking in the video about why Myers Park is a so special to them.

So join us for Opening Ceremonies and come check out the Capital Campaign video. This is a big time in the life of Myers Park Trinity. Be part of it.

How To Help Maintain Our Fields

The following is a message from our grounds crew to our coaches. Please read it carefully and share it with anyone that uses our fields......

There are two general categories of field maintenance: prevention and repair. Coaching staffs should be concerned with the prevention of damage to the fields. The maintenance staff should handle the repair of damage. Obviously the prevention of damage is key to maintaining a field in prime condition, and it is relatively simple if the proper steps are embraced by everyone. Without prevention, there is repair, which is time consuming, sometimes expensive and occasionally an inconvenience to all - an example of which was the unavailability of Founders Field for several weeks.

The following steps should be taken in order to prevent damage to our fields and avoid costly repairs:

Mats - Green artificial turf mats are located at each field to protect the grass and dirt areas from damage caused by repetitive motion during practices. Worn grassy areas take time to grow back. Holes dug into the batter's boxes or pitcher's mound create avoidable busy-work for the grounds crew. Coaches should always make sure to: use mats in the batter's boxes during batting practice; pitch batting practice from a mat; hit infield/outfield defensive practice from a mat - if you hit from the sideline, move a mat to the sideline; return mats to the batter's boxes and pitcher's mound at the end of practices and games - get the players involved and make it a routine.

Wet Fields - Never practice on a field that is wet and soft. It takes a considerable amount of time to repair the craters caused by players using a soft infield or base paths. The damage caused directly affects the quality of the playing surface for your infielders. It is also a safety issue - a player can get hurt by a bad hop or by slipping on a wet field. Get approval before using any rapid-dry or soil conditioner. The fields shouldn't have too much of those products. And they are expensive. When using them, be careful to avoid contact with the grass. They are for dirt areas only.

Pre-game / Post-game - The home team is responsible for raking and lining the field before each game. But it is often a group effort by both teams. Use paint on the grass and chalk on the dirt. Chalk will damage the grass. Use the string and batter's box frame to ensure straight lines. If you are unsure about how to properly line the field, ask someone for help. There are also specific guidelines in the Little League Rulebook. After the last game of the day, be sure to return the mats to the batter's boxes and pitcher's mound. It would also help to rake dirt back up onto the mound and away from the infield "lips." And please remind your team's parents to throw away any trash from the bleacher areas at the end of each game.

Debris - Be on the lookout for rocks, gum balls, weeds, leaves, trash or other debris when your team is using a field. It only takes a couple of minutes for your entire team to do a quick rock or gum ball collection during practice. It takes a single grounds crew member much longer. It would be good for the kids to take part in helping to maintain our fields, and this is an easy way for them to pitch in.

Digging - Be on the lookout for any player that is digging at the ground with his feet. It is often done by a pitcher trying to "fix" the mound, a batter trying to "get his feet set" or a bored outfielder that can't stand still. It may seem like a harmless baseball habit, but it causes damage to our fields. Please speak up to the player when you see this happen.

Thanks for reading this message and getting on board with the above guidelines. We are all volunteers and must help to keep our great ballpark in great condition. We love our league and the work we do at the park. But it needs to be a team effort, with the coaches, players and parents taking part. The MPTLL maintenance staff truly appreciates your support.

Scheduling Information

The league schedule has been posted online for the majority of the spring season. Thanks to Rex Brietz for doing such a great job on it again this year. The Master Schedule can be found here. It can also be found pretty easily at mptll.org. Individual team schedules are also posted. The schedule is updated on a daily basis. But make sure to go by what your child's individual coach has announced, in case he or she has made changes, or has different arrival or departure times.

On the Master Schedule, please pay close attention to the next-to-last page. There are specific league guidelines regarding batting cage practices, pre-game schedules, requests, etc. It is important that all teams are aware of these guidelines so that things run smoothly this season.

Best of MPTLL #6: Fields and Facilities

Myers Park Trinity Little League is blessed to call Randolph Park its home. The Marshall-Caudle Little League Complex is the result of a little luck and a lot of hard work. It began to take shape after three decades of play on borrowed land across Randolph Road.

Here is what the area looked like in 1961. In that satellite image, E.C. Griffith Field is at the top left section of the photo. Caudle Field would be built just to its north many years later. What we now use and call "Grier Heights #1" is top right, directly across Randolph Road. At the bottom left is the old Culp Field, our Pony League / Babe Ruth field, before it became overgrown with ivy-covered outfield fences. And at the bottom right portion of the photo is the farmland that would become Randolph Park. Wade Field now sits directly across the street from where Culp Field once was.

When Lloyd Caudle, Tom Marshall and other volunteers secured the use of the Mecklenburg County land that is now Randolph Park in the early 1980's, it was originally constructed with two Little League fields and a Babe Ruth field. The Little League fields had dirt infields, no mounds and no outfield fences. Their were no bleachers - only a long concrete slab on each side of the backstop for fans to sit on. The dugouts had no roofs. There was a two-sided wooden scoreboard between the fields along a dirt walking path, which led to a small cinder-block concession stand (now "Billy's Building"). The fields were called Randolph East and West (later Kiser-Chapman) Fields, and they are still in use today.

Independence Park Work Day - January 26, 2013

MPTLL is seeking volunteers - both players and families - for some preseason field work at its Junior League diamond at Independence Park on January 26. The MP 13's and 14's have a jewel of a home field at Independence Park. But our home is in need of a little clean-up work before the 2013 season can begin.

Check back here for additional details in the days to come. In the meantime, save the date, and hopefully you can help the league and our Junior League teams by spending some time with us on the 26th.

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.

"New Field" Backstop Going Up Today

Park Cleanup Day - Saturday, Dec. 3rd

Please join us this Saturday, December 3rd, for our annual fall park cleanup day at the MPTLL fields at Randolph Park. It begins at 9am and will last most of the day. There will be leaves and other debris to collect, as well as other projects that need helping hands.

We are truly fortunate to have one the the finest youth baseball and softball facilities around. And there is a reason - our volunteer grounds crew does not have an offseason. There are routine maintenance tasks (like grass cutting, debris cleanup, equipment maintenance and dirt replacement) and special projects (like field construction, sod cutting, painting, tree removal, concrete pouring and drainage control) all year long. I think one of the greatest challenges for our grounds crew is simply how to prioritize all the work. But they are always committed to getting it done.

I've been associated with Myers Park Trinity for most of my life and I have never seen the park looking so great on a consistent basis like it has in recent years. Nor have I seen such a hard-working and dedicated volunteer grounds crew. Regardless of the weather, the season or the time of day, I see either Tony McNay, Boyd Correll or another member of our grounds crew working at the park almost every time I go out there for lessons or practice. Their commitment is really amazing.

Occasionally they ask for our help, and we need to deliver. So please try to find some time this Saturday to lend a hand. And spread the word to other parents and coaches about this event so we can get as many volunteers as possible. You can send them a link to this post.

It starts at 9:00 am and will last all day. So even if you have basketball or some other activity to attend, hopefully you can spend a couple of hours before or after at the park. If you have a gas-powered leaf blower, please bring it. If not, bring a rake. A couple of snow shovels will be needed too for debris removal. Hope to see you on Saturday.

MPTLL Wall of Champions

Next time you're at the park, check out the latest addition beyond the right field fence of Randolph East Field. It has been dubbed the "Wall of Champions" and it celebrates our recent string All-Star tournament winners. Each team has a sign commemorating its accomplishment with a team photo and roster.

So far there are signs for the following teams that have won Little League banners over the last four years: the 2008 9-10-year-old District 3 Champions, the 2010 11-12-year-old District 3 Champions, and the 2011 10-year-old and 11-year-old TOC Champs. The 2011 9-year-old TOC and State Invitational Champions will be added soon. And we hope to add many more signs in the years to come.

New T-Ball Field is Shaping Up

The fences are up at T-Ball Field #3. Here's the progression so far.

New T-Ball Field Under Construction

There's another new field taking shape at Randolph Park. This time it's a T-Ball field, making a total of three tucked in among the trees between the upper and lower Little League fields. The new field is located just below the Founders Field bullpen and directly across the walking path from T-Ball Fields #1 and #2.

Our grounds crew - mainly Boyd Correll, Tony McNay, Jim Straughn, Kip Kiser and Preston Cavenaugh - have been working hard since last spring clearing trees, moving earth and laying sod. The last new field they built received very high marks as host of both the 2010 12-year-old TOC and the District 3 Major League Tournament. It is without a doubt the finest Little League field in the city, if not beyond. So we know they will do an outstanding job.

This new T-Ball field satisfies a significant need for Myers Park Trinity. Last spring our T-Ball Division had 18 teams and only two fields, plus a temporary practice location down the hill at the Grier Heights Fields. In 2011 when the third T-Ball field is complete, our Marshall-Caudle Little League Complex will house an impressive 10 fields in all. This is good news for our families, but a heavy work load for our grounds crew. If you would like to offer your help in 2011, please contact the league.