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Attention:
Final day of
Fall Ball early-pay discount registration is Friday, July 3.
Rates increase by $15 on Saturday.
Also, Minor and Major
baseball leagues are filling very fast so register now to secure
a spot.
Looking for your league's playoff schedule?
Click on "Today's Games" at top of page.
Fall Ball Registration Meter
as of 9:00 PM, July 3rd
Minor Baseball: Max=168 Now=128
Major
Baseball: Max=156 Now=136
Junior Baseball: Max=130 Now=84
Senior
Baseball: Max=78 Now=26
Minor Softball:
Max=56 Now=19
Major Softball: Max=56
Now=19
Challenger Division: Max=60 Now=14
Max=maximum
capacity
Now=current number of registrations
Upcoming Key Dates
Friday, 7/3
--
Final day to register for
discounted Fall Ball rates. Take advantage of the savings
and register now. Fall Ball leagues may max out prior to
the final registration date of July 20, so register now and lock
yourself in!!!
Thru 7/20
-- FALL BALL registration is open. The 2009 program includes
baseball, girls' softball and the new Challenger Division for children with
disabilities. Log into our new ONLINE REGISTRATION
system to enroll ----------------->>>>>>
Check out the new Public Service
Announcement about the Challenger Division
for Children with
Disabilities
Click Here
Looking for Tournament Team
Game Schedules?
Click here for the
Wis. District 4 LL Website for all the District team schedules
"Ruhle"
of the Week
Click below for the Little Lg Rule of the Week by District 4 Umpire-In-Chief,
Rob Ruhle.
Send Rob your rule questions at noruhles@yahoo.com
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week
5
Check out some
great action photos of your team and player
Our roving photographer, Joe Henricks, has been
shooting a ton of great action photos since opening day. He's working on getting
photos for every team and every player, so check it out at wmll.sportsphotosbyjoe.com
Joe donates 10% of all purchases back to WMLL......thanks Joe!!!
Please review the new rules and avoid getting
a ticket by the Madison Police Department.
Click Here for Details
Please remember the parking rules for the
Rayovac Lot across from WMLL. Do not use on weekday's
until 5 PM. Do not enter this lot from the west off Watts
Rd or Rayovac Drive.....use only the Forward Dr entrance and
drive cautiously
Looking to Sponsor a
team at WMLL or place a field sign on a Little League diamond
next season?
For
Sponsorship Options and Info, click here
For a list of 2009 WMLL Sponsors, click here
Thanks to all our WMLL sponsors. Your support is very much appreciated.
For a list of 2009 WMLL Sponsors,
click here
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Click here for one of the 100 Greatest
moments in Major League Baseball history
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Happy Independence Day!
2009 Fall Ball Registration Now Open
Early pay discount ends July 3
* * * * *
*
Click here first
for a Fall Ball info packet and answers to many Frequently Asked
Questions. This will provide important details you need to
know prior to registering below.
* * *
* * *
Click Here for our
new
ONLINE
REGISTRATION
System....register now!
* * *
* * *
Already
Registered?
Click Here to Access Your
WMLL Account
When bad weather is in the area,
please be extremely careful and take cover immediately...don't
delay!!
Click here
for an article on a Little League tragedy that occurred June 3
in Virginia
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For those of you who
have been asking what
happened to our beautiful line of trees along Forward Drive...
... its a combination of decisions by the
City and MG&E . Check back for a more detailed
explanation from both in the near future. A new species of
tree will be re-planted next spring in place of those taken
down.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Be
careful along Forward Drive!!
True story from a WMLL parent:
"Last week after an evening game, someone backed into my car and
left. It was not a big deal - the SUV with a tow hitch
scratched the paint and cracked the front bumper. Several of the
parents and I watched it happen! Some parents are rushing in
and out and forget there are kids walking about"
PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY!!!!!!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
New Challenger Division set to
begin for Children with Disabilities
Click
Here for Story
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WMLL
Board Meetings
Next regular board meeting
is August 9 - 6:30 pm
@ Vitense Golfland.
Everyone is welcome at board
meetings. The WMLL Board thanks Joel Weitz, Pres. of Vitense Golfland, for providing
the meeting rooms for Board meetings free of charge. In addition, Vitense is
the official site of WMLL pre-season coach meetings and league drafts
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Can't Find Us?
Click
Here for a Map
West Madison
Little Lg
701 Forward Dr
Madison, WI
(do not mail to this address)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Play Ball....every
day!!!!
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Playoffs Looming!
Tournament Teams Forming! |
Its that time of year again
when each league race heats up and teams vie for a top seed in
their league's playoffs. Major Lg and Badger Lg playoffs
will begin first, so they can be completed prior to the official
International Little League Tournaments beginning in mid-July.
Pacific, Central, Atlantic and Senior Lgs will follow.
Each league uses a slightly different playoff format depending
on tradition, number of teams in the league, desire to try
something new, etc, etc. The League Coordinators are in
charge of setting the format and running the playoffs
In addition to our own WMLL
Leaque playoffs, each league (except Atlantic) selects
"Tournament Teams" to compete in official Little League
International tournament for each age level. The 10's and
11's compete in separate District Tournaments (we are in Wis.
Dist. 4) for a berth in the State tournament for their age
level. There is no advancement beyond the State level for
these ages. For 12's, Jr's and Sr's, play begins at the
district level, then state, then regional and finally on to the
World Series. The most well-known is the
Little League World Series
(12's) held in Williamsport, PA, each year in August and
broadcast on ESPN and ABC.
Teams from WMLL have advanced
to the World Series in the Junior and Senior levels years ago,
but a team from Wisconsin has never made it to the Little Lg
World Series in PA!!
Maybe a WMLL team can pull off the feat
this year.
Good luck to all
teams in your local and tournament playoffs!!!
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"Challenger Division" Planned at WMLL
--- baseball for children with disabilities ---
The WMLL Board of Directors has approved
the addition of a Challenger Division of play, to begin this fall.
Plans
are to begin play as part of WMLL's Fall Ball program, with opening day set for Sept 5 for
the Challenger Division. The League will run for 5 weeks with play every Saturday.The Challenger
Division was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League Baseball to
enable boys and girls with physical and mental disabilities, ages 5-18 or the completion
of high school, to enjoy the game of baseball along with the millions of other children
who participate in this sport worldwide. WMLL's program will begin with ages 8-16
and will be open to all children with disabilities in Dane County. WMLL is working
with Easter Seals-Wisconsin staff to develop registration standards and evaluation
procedures to properly place children in leagues according to ability.
Teams are set up according to abilities, rather than age, and
can include as many as 15-20 players. WMLL is hoping to start with two leagues based
on player ability level and the league will primarily be a tee-ball program.
Coach-pitch and player pitch will be options, as well.
Registration
began June 15, so check our online registration system on this
website and enroll now. Deadline is July 20, 2009. Click here for a brochure with the
highlights of the Challenger program. If you have
questions, please contact WMLL Exec. Director, Bill Battista, at eartags@aol.com. |
 Click
here for a brochure with the highlights of the new Challenger program for Children with
Disabilities |
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Special Committee Reviews
Tournament Team Selection Process at WMLL
Last fall, the WMLL Board of
Directors approved the appointment of a special committee of parents, coaches and Board
members to review all aspects of the Tournament Team (Allstar) selection process.
Normally an annual review by the Board, the league's directors felt it was time to expand
the review and seek new ideas to improve the process. This is always one of the most
challenging aspects of WMLL operations, as it is very difficult to make these selections.
The committee met numerous
times and made its recommendations to the WMLL Board for consideration. Details
of the new selection process were introduced to all coaches at March
2009 coach meetings.
Complete details can be obtained by checking the "Local Rules" section of
this website for your child's specific league.
Thanks to the dedicated
committee members for their many hours of thought into making the process better.
It is anticipated the WMLL Board will review how the first
season of these new procedures worked out and 'tweak' things if
deemed necessary. |
WMLL
Receives Kudos for Hosting State Majors (12's) Tournament
-- from John Welk,
who maintains a webpage (www.unpage.org), which
chronicles the history of Little League baseball tournaments in Wisconsin:
"I was
extremely impressed with the job West Madison did in their role as host for the
2007 tournament. The field was in great shape, etc. etc., but the little touches -- the
"state champions" t-shirts, the fireworks, the bunting all around the
field -- really went the extra mile in helping to make the experience
special. I have attended a couple of dozen state tournaments in different states over
the years, including in Wisconsin, and I would rank what I saw last Friday right at the
top of the list. Congratulations to your organizing committee on a superb
job."
--- Thanks John!! Your comments are most appreciated. |
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WMLL Board
Meetings
Next regular board meeting is
August 9
(6:30 pm @ Vitense Golfland).
Everyone is welcome at board meetings. The WMLL Board thanks Joel Weitz, Pres. of
Vitense Golfland, for providing the meeting rooms for Board meetings free of
charge. In addition, Vitense is the official site of WMLL pre-season coach
meetings and league drafts. |
District 4 Ump Works LL World Series
District 4 Umpire Dave Thom (pictured at right) was honored
by being selected to be on the umpire crew for the 2007 Little League World
Series in Williamsport for the Majors Division (12 year olds). This is the
highest honor a LL ump can receive and Dave was the first Wisconsin ump in 28 years to be
selected. Dave has helped WMLL in a number of ways including on-site, game training with
our own umpires. Congratulations Dave!!!
Click here for an article
on LL World Series Umps with Dave interviewed.
2009 Appointments:
Marianne Kelley was recently selected to work the Little Lg Regionals (12's)
in Indianapolis in August.
Tim Shaw was also selected to work the Junior Regionals in Ft Wayne, In
in August.
Congrats to both!!! |
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50th Season Celebration a Great Success!!
Over 750 attended the WMLL 50th Season celebration on
Saturday, June 21. The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time in a very
festive setting. Our appreciation goes out to all the sponsors who donated items for
the picnic. Also, thanks to all who helped organize the event and to all our former
board members and families who attended. Were it not for the forsight of these
individuals, we would not have the great program in such a beautiful setting that we enjoy
today. Congratulations also go out to Jim Nye, former WMLL Operations Manager, who
was recognized for his 31 years of service to WMLL. Although not able to attend the
event, Maury Tomczak was recognized as the longest serving Board member with 25 years of
dedicated service to WMLL. Maury still serves as WMLL Treasurer. Hats off to
Jim and Maury.
The Home Run Derby, sponsored by Culvers-Todd
Drive, was a lot of fun with almost 175 contestants taking their hacks on
the Senior Field. The largest contestant group, surprisingly, was the Over 40
crowd. Only one ball was knocked out of the park during the derby by Connor Heneghan
in the Senior Lg division. Cory Newburg almost had one out, but it hit the yellow
fence cap and bounced back in the park. Thanks to all the participants. Here
is a list of the winners in each age group:
-- 8-9 Yr Old Baseball: Jackson Murphy
-- 10 Baseball: Casey Olson
-- 11 Baseball: Raban Miller
-- 12 Baseball: Chris Bell-Clementi
-- Badger Lg Baseball: Will Marcus
-- Senior Lg Baseball: Conor Heneghan
-- 17-39 Age Group: Jake Byers
-- 40+ Age Group: Marcus Murphy
-- Girls' Softball 12 & Under: Bridgette Ruhle
And, one last big thank you to our WMLL
Concessions staff and Grounds Crew for a superb job in getting the picnic arranged and the
grounds ready........plus an awesome fireworks display to finish off the evening!!! |
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