Hello Exeter, West Pittston and Wyoming/West Wyoming Families,
As we ended 2018, the planning for the 2019 Little League season has been in full swing for the last couple of weeks. In 2019, we look forward to working with Exeter, West Pittston and Wyoming/West Wyoming Little Leagues to form a "Combined League" for ALL DIVISIONS in the upcoming season. Our Softball and Junior/Senior Baseball Leagues have been playing as "Combined Leagues" for some time now. As a reminder, a "Combined League" is not a "Merger". A "Combined League" will allow each Little League to maintain their current Little League Charters, along with allowing each League to continue to operate independently (i.e. finances, assets, etc.). Although a "Merger" is the ultimate goal, it is a long-term one, which will be pursued at a time that makes sense for all leagues.
As in this past Fall Season, the "Combined League" will allow the players (and families) from all three communities to play together. Some of the positives of moving in this direction include:
- Similar to the WA School District School Centers, the "Combined Little League" will offer the three communities to play as one, regardless of Little League Town Boundaries, thereby allowing players and families from all three towns the opportunity to strengthen relationships formed through the WA School Centers at all age levels.
- The "Combined League" acts as a partial solution to the decreasing Little League registration numbers. Other local leagues have also been partnering to solve this problem. Pittston City/Avoca-Dupont/Duryea have formed a "Combined League" called the Greater Pittston Area LL. Jenkins Twp/Pittston Twp are in the process of a "Merger", called Township Baseball.
- The "Combined League" will offer the opportunity to form more competitive All Star teams at all levels. All Star teams will be formed by selecting the "best of the best" from all three communities, providing the teams excellent opportunities when facing other combined leagues in All Star play. Accomplishments from currently "Combined Leagues" in the Softball and Junior/Senior Baseball divisions are a testament to the positives of combining.
We've formed a Transition Committee to streamline discussions moving forward. The Committee is formed from 3 Representatives (Board Members) from each town, one of which is the President from each town. The Transition Committee members will divulge all info to their respective leagues and use their input to make decisions with the Transition Committee. Some decisions that have been made so far include:
- Reduced Registration Cost for TeeBall ($50) and Free Gloves to all new Tee Ball registrants.
- Player Evaluations for the Coach Pitch, Minor and Major League Divisions (Baseball and Softball) to ensure players are drafted to the division that aligns best with their individual talents.
- Re-Draft for Minors and Majors Boys Division. More info will follow after registration is complete and Managers are assigned. Requests (teammate or Coach) will not be available for Minors/Majors Baseball and Softball Divisions.
- Requests will be limited to TeeBall and Coach Pitch divisions, although all requests are not guaranteed. More info regarding team assignments will follow after registration is completed.
- Majors Boys Divisions is expecting registration totals to allow an "in-house" league. In other words, all games will be between our own teams, at our own fields, which will also allow Team Records, Playoff/Consolation games and an Inaugural Wyoming Area LL Champion.
I'm sure there will be many questions about details, and I'm sure there may be bumps along the way. However, our hopes are that we could work through this change together as three communities, to provide the best experience for our kids.
Details including team selections, field assignments, manager assignments, all-star selection process, etc. are still being discussed and will be forthcoming when they are finalized. In the meantime, I'd urge you to attend our upcoming Board Meetings to provide input, ask questions, or just stay up to date with the process and the correct information. Also feel free to send one of us a text or email with any other questions.
Registration for the upcoming season will be available online starting Jan 1. There will also be multiple in-person events for registrations in February. Details will follow in a separate email.
Thanks in advance for your understanding of the changes coming in 2019. Together, we could make this a great experience for all players/families from all three communities.
Best regards,
Ryan Walsh, ELLL President
Mike Krakosky, Wyoming President
Angelo Alfano, West Pittston President
