Boy Scouts presenting the colors, young students singing, a ceremonial first pitch, a silent auction and a clinic led by high school players.
The Crothersville Youth League is going all out to kick off the 2019 season.
The festivities will start at noon Saturday at Countryside Park, 5725 S. County Road 1000E, Crothersville. The public is invited to attend.
“We’ve got some new board members. We’ve got some new mentality, some new focus, some extra community support,” said Jamy Greathouse, a member of the league board who is organizing the opening day celebration. “We’ve got a lot of new sponsors this year that have helped us out to be able to do it, and we don’t want to stop there.”
The idea is to invite the community out to see kids playing at the ballpark and get the interest back.
“So that we can continue the growth and continue to keep a good name in the community so that we can continue getting the sponsorships and the community support and grow this for the kids and have something at home in our own community for everybody to be able to count on and enjoy,” Greathouse said.
The league is for boys and girls ages 3 to 13. Greathouse said there were around 65 kids participating in 2018, but it has grown to more than 100 this year.
Saturday’s event will start with Crothersville Boy Scout Troop 522 presenting the American flag and the Crothersville Singers performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Fran Schill, a retired Crothersville Community Schools teacher, administrator and coach, will throw a ceremonial first pitch before team uniforms are handed out for the season.
The players will then participate in a clinic led by the Crothersville varsity baseball team, while adults can check out the silent auction items.
Among the items will be Indianapolis Indians box seats, Cincinnati Reds tickets, an autographed baseball from the University of Louisville baseball coach, a soccer ball signed by the Louisville FC soccer team, a $150 gift certificate from Beauty from Ashes Tattoo Parlor and a PNC Bank gift basket.
Proceeds will benefit the youth league, which is a 501(c)(3) non-for-profit organization.
Also, the concession stand will be open, and children attending the event can do games and crafts.
“There’s a lot of interesting things going on, and I think that really speaks to Crothersville in general,” Greathouse said. “Our goal is to bring the community feel back to Crothersville because that really is what makes Crothersville unique to bigger communities in the area.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
What: Crothersville Youth League opening day celebration
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Countryside Park, 5725 S. County Road 1000E, Crothersville
Who: The baseball league is for boys and girls ages 3 to 13; all ages are invited to the celebration
Details: Presentation of the nation’s colors and singing of the national anthem, ceremonial first pitch, team uniform distribution, baseball clinic for the youth, concessions, silent auction for the adults and games and crafts for children
Information: Anyone with questions or wanting to donate an item for the silent auction may contact Jamy Greathouse at 812-216-0472 or [email protected]; people also can ask to join the Crothersville Youth League group page on Facebook
[sc:pullout-text-end]
