Ashland Little League

We are off to a great start, and as I am sure you are all too aware, time is flying by. With practices and games right around the corner, we are at the point in the schedule where we are beginning to plan Opening Day activities, set game schedules and go about playing baseball.

We have been asked by David Seay of AYA – Girls Softball to remind our parents of the existence of the girls’ softball program in Ashland. If anyone has daughters who are not playing in Ashland Little League and would like the opportunity to play softball in Ashland, please contact David at wdseay@msn.com.

I am pleased to report that we have received our use permits for the Ashland fields where we will be playing most of our games, and have secured use of Poor Farm for some early season practice times and for inter-league games at the Major & Jr/Sr level. We would like to thank Derek Stamey with Hanover County Parks & Recreation Department and AYA for working together with us in creating the 2008 Poor Farm field usage schedule.

It is not too late to sign up and I encourage you to join us if you have not already done so.

Your board and I are very excited about this year, and hope you will join us in continuing to enthusiastically support Ashland Little League. We also encourage everyone to refrain from any negative comments about competing programs.

I am proud to inform you that your Board of Directors has approved our participation this year in the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA). This association will provide work sessions with your Board and with our managers and coaches to improve the quality of the Little League experience by utilizing means including positive leadership and coaching techniques.

Additionally, we are flattered to announce that Chevrolet, and in particular, Luck Chevrolet here in Ashland, has chosen your Ashland Little League among many other leagues as the recipient of a new initiative targeted at supporting local youth baseball programs. This initiative will provide baseball equipment, a charitable donation, participation in a raffle for a new Tahoe, clinics with members of the Richmond Braves and many other amenities. We are thrilled that they have chosen our league for this initiative, and we are very grateful to Luck Chevrolet for this opportunity.

As a preview, some of the items your Board of Directors is working hard to implement in 2008 include the following: improvements to the concession stand experience, focusing on third-party staffing of the concession stand so that parents will not have to do this; scheduling as many games as possible at our fields in Ashland; and a fully rebuilt and informative website.

We look forward to a great 2008 season.