Four County Little League

Be Local...What's it all about?

2012-01-26T10:42:00.001-05:00

Recently I was contacted by one of the league parents and was asked to mention the BeLocal survey. At the time I said I would offer a link to the survey in our monthly newsletter. Well, here is the link. In the process of setting up the link, I made an Interesting discovery. The BeLocal website's about us page says...

BeLocal Mt. Airy is local citizens group in Mount Airy, Maryland actively seeking to strengthen our town’s sense of community, sense of place, and local self-reliance. Our motto is “Grow. Play. Shop. Act.” which encompass both the local-first thinking and the wide-range of initiatives which emerge from a grass roots approach to listening to the residents of Mount Airy, MD.

As I read their website, I began to realize that BeLocal and Four County Little League have some of the same goals and dreams. If I read it correctly, their idea is to "think local first" and in doing so will strengthen our community as a whole on many levels. What does this have to do with Four County Little League, you might ask? Since I started with FCLL, I have been proud of the fact that the organization is family oriented and stands apart from others by doing more than just teach baseball. We teach our players life lessons through baseball. Most of the players in Little League will never play past high school baseball, but all of them should grow up to be productive citizens and contribute in some way to our society. Having said that, the goal of teaching them how to together be a team, overcome adversity and winning with honor is our legacy.

There are three words on the Little League Logo; Character, Courage and Loyalty. Loyalty is defined, "as state or quality of being loyal...a feeling of allegiance." Belocal is saying, Be Loyal. Be Loyal to the local shops in Mt. Airy or Be Loyal to the architect in town. Well, Four County is saying, Be Loyal and Local to our league. We have so many incredibly talented players who's parents have sold them this glorious notion that they will go further if they play for this team or that team. We have players in Mt. Airy living in Carroll County who play in Frederick. We have other players in Mt. Airy on the Frederick County side who play for Howard County. Some have even been recruited to play in Finksburg. This does not make any sense what so ever. Why are these talented players not playing for the local Little League?

Playing for teams outside of your local reach has so many negatives and so little positives. Some folks feel that playing with a select team will give them a better opportunity to get a college scholarship. What do our friends at the Positive Coaching Alliance say about this? Well, if you have been to the training, you will know that the average athletic scholarship is somewhere in the $2000.00 range, so I don't think that is going to work. Your best bet is to study harder and go for an academic scholarship. The fact is that college recruiters are not watching our 10 to 14 year olds anyway, so what's the deal? If the players stayed local and played with their home town team, they would increase the talent and make their home town team the select team. Stephen Keener, President and CEO of Little League Baseball, says...

Because of the misleading comparison between tournament-hopping travel teams, and the “Road to Williamsport” traveled by Little League International tournament teams, critics claim the tournament is detrimental and contradictory to Little League’s mission.

In reality though, those who support travel ball are in many cases fulfilling a self-serving goal by seeking out a “higher level of competition” for the expressed purpose of supposedly increasing their child’s chances of landing a major college scholarship, or professional contract. (taken from "Too much baseball is not a good thing")

What does it say about a coach who will go to the ends of the earth to pick up or find a player? What happens when he finds a new and improved better performing player? Guess what, your player is out. If you stay local and play for your local Little League team, you never have the chance of being pushed out by a "ringer". Most of the select or travel teams have no rules about playing time, so in some cases you spent all this time and money to travel to all these different games and your young player might not even get a chance to play. How is that going to help him/her get a scholarship? You are better off having him/her play with Little League which has playing rules which ensures every player plays on the field.

Look at what these teams are doing to our ever eroding family life. Many of these select teams play in tournaments which are several hours away and often times require over night stays in hotels. This requires more money, time off of work and days away from our family. Oh you are going to bring the whole family? What happens when your 13 year old and your 9 year old both want to play sports. Guess what...you are going in separate directions. By playing for your local Little League team, you have a better chance of ending up at home in the evening laughing and talking about the game that day while having a burger with the entire family.

When you go to the Mount Airy Fall Fest and see Knill's farm market selling their fruit, we often times feel good about the local fruit being produced. Mr. Knill did not go to the port of Baltimore to get his fruit. He got it from his own farm. He cultivated the land, planted the seeds and grew local fresh fruits and vegetables. There is a sense of pride in what the Knill's have accomplished. This might sound strange, but Four County Little League is no different. We cultivate our young players. As they grow, they learn more and get more competitive. We don't travel around looking for other ball players to play with us. We harvest the best fruit here in our area. Then we showcase our talents each summer. Last season our 9/10 team placed 3rd in the state. Every one of those players came from our local area. We have boundaries that we can not cross. We can't take a player from Frederick who is best friends with one of our coaches and ask him to play. It just can't happen. Other organizations have no rules. They take what they want and leave the rest. This attitude by others hurts every one of our local players, the teams and our league. The idea of Being Local makes complete sense in so many ways.

This article came about because of information provided to me by someone at BeLocal. It makes total sense to me and I can see how thinking local first should be primary. I know some might be offended by some of my words. For those who are inside our local Four County Little League Boundaries, I encourage you to think about the possibilities of what we can do as an organization if we come together. You have a choice to look outside for answers or BeLocal and Be Loyal. Four County Little League is Mount Airy's home for Little League Baseball. We are proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to the day when everyone can BeLocal.

Important 2012 Safety Information

2012-01-07T14:57:00.002-05:00

2012 Safety Program

The season is fast approaching. Little League takes pride in the fact that we have a safety track record second to none. Some of the safety innovationsyou see in other youth sports got their start here in Little League.

Part of our Safety plan is that ALL of FCLL's volunteers go through a background check prior to interacting with our children.

If you are a Managers, Coach, Umpire, Team Parent, or have any other continuous contact with the players of FCLL, you MUST complete a volunteer application and submit it with a copy of your driver's license. This needs to be done each year you volunteer. Even if dad want's to help the manager at practice for a few practices or games, you must complete the form. It only takes minutes and only needs to be done once a year.

Please take a minute to download the form by clicking here. Then you have a few options to turn it in.

Scan it and email it to safety@fcllbaseball.org (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must scan your driver's license as well - Note: this is the preferred method of turning in your form)

Fax it to 866-741-4123 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must fax your driver's license as well)

Mail it to: P.O. Box 512, Mount Airy, MD 21771 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must mail your driver's license as well)

Hand it to a league representative (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must provide your driver's license as well)

The league receives discounts and incentives for being 100% compliant. Last season we were 100% compliant. Let's do it again in 2012. We need to have all the volunteer forms to a league official by March 1. If you have any questions, you can email safety@fcllbaseball.org

If you even think you will help out, please submit the form.

Thank you for your help.

Paul Reddick Press Release

2011-12-16T11:11:00.002-05:00

For immediate release

Four County Little League to offer coaches top notch instruction

Mount Airy, Maryland – December 15, 2011 – Four County Little League will host a youth pitching clinic with Paul Reddick, the Director of The Yogi Berra Museum baseball camp and the Co-Author of the best seller "The Picture Perfect Pitcher". The clinic will be held on February 4, 2012 from 9am until noon at the American Legion Gold Star Post 191. The clinic will focus on helping volunteer coaches learn how to be better pitching coaches. Scott Simpson is the Coaching Director for Four County Little League and he explained at the leagues December Board of Director’s meeting that he thought the league should expand upon some of the great things that the league does with respect to coaching. He noted the fact that Little League provides literature and videos that improves the quality of coaching and at Four County Little League they offer the Positive Coaching Alliance training for their coaches as well. Simpson said that he thought that the league could do even more, so he contacted Reddick. Reddick agreed to travel to Mt. Airy from his home in New Jersey. Reddick, who has helped countless players with his Paul Reddick Baseball programs, said "At Paul Reddick Baseball we are on a mission to re-invent the way we teach baseball. We're going make it easier for coaches to make their players better. I'm excited to share our breakthroughs with the baseball community in Four County. These guys are dialed in and doing what's right for the kids. That's what we are all about"

The current Four County Little League President, Jim Gill, said, “we are extremely excited to have Paul come talk to our folks. I have been getting his 90MPH emails for quite some time so I was familiar with him right away. I knew his philosophies and coaching style would fit right in with what we do here at Four County. Four County is known for great baseball, but more than that we are known for teaching young people life lessons through this great sport of baseball.” Gill said that they will open the clinic up to all coaches in and around the four county areas in hopes of spreading Reddick’s positive methods of coaching.

To find our more about information or to register for the clinic, visit the league’s website at www.FCLLbaseball.org. There will be a $20.00 fee for each coach attending to cover the cost of the room and a small continental breakfast which will be provided.

About Four County Little League - Four County Little League, a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance, is chartered with Little League International. The league is based in Mount Airy, Maryland, but serves families in all of the four county areas. The league provides a supervised program of youth baseball instruction and games for players between the ages of 4 through 15 under the rules and policies of Little League International. Each summer the best players are chosen from the league and play in the Little League International Tournament culminating in Williamsport, PA at the Little League World Series.

About Paul Reddick - Paul Reddick helps pitchers throw harder. Because of the results of the pitchers that use his many books, courses and instruction Paul is known as the Master Of MPH. Paul has served as a scout for Pittsburgh Pirates, a state delegate for USA Baseball and coached in the Montreal Expo farm system. His signature velocity getting course The 90mph Club is used by more pitchers than any other single pitching training program. For more information about Paul Reddick visit www.paulreddickbaseball.com.

Four County Little League

www.fcllbaseball.org

information@fcllbaseball.org

P.O. Box 512

Mount Airy, MD 21771

866-741-4123

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Proud of Keystone Little League...

2011-08-25T22:54:00.000-04:00

Last Week, my son, his friend and I set off for our annual trip to Williamsport to take in the first weekend of the Little League World Series. We watched so many games and all the players and fans were great. On Friday we sat next to the West parents and they were all fabulous. We knew it would be hard to get seats for the big game at 8pm, so we decided to head out onto Little League Hill to take in the night game. Already there were thousands of fans who had shown up to get a seat to watch the game. We made our way through the crowds and found a nice spot in left center field about half way up. I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a ton of people...". It rained that day and the ground was wet. Immediately a couple, who had nothing to do with Little League baseball offered up their blanket. These folks came out to support their boys. I looked around and all I saw was a sea of blue "Keystone" shirts. I thought, "Wow, if they don't win this could be one ugly crowd". That evening I heard nothing but great comments and positive cheers. The boys lost that night and in the end all the fans stood up and cheered their good effort. Do you think they know the Little League Parent Volunteer Pledge? "...I will praise a good effort despite the outcome of the game". I doubt it. They were just good folks who where just happy to have their boys playing in the Little League World Series. The Keystone kids went on to win the next three and each time it was the same thing. The fans were great. You would have thought they all graduated from the Positive Coaching Alliance Parents course. Well tonight was the Keystone Little League's final game. They lost in a 2-0 game against the California team representing the West region. Once again, the same thing happened. The fans stood up and cheered for their boys. It was a great site to see. What happened at the game tonight should be the norm not the rarity. More and more we are seeing youth sports get out of hand. Parents yelling and screaming. Players being ejected. When does it end? I am so proud to be affiliated with Little League and Keystone Little League represented our organization well. All the teams have, but especially Keystone. Over 150,000 people watched them play their games in the last week and not once did it go to their heads. They brought their small town together, their county together and I dare say they are helping to bring goodness back to youth sports. One day my hope is that my league, Four County Little League, can also help it's small town of Mount Airy, Md the way Keystone has helped Clinton County. Not by winning the Little League World Series, but by showing the world that Little League is more than just baseball. We are teaching kids life lessons through this great sport of baseball and that those lessons will shape our youth and make a better tomorrow for all of us. It is hard to think that a little game of baseball could do that, but I believe Little League baseball is one way that we can.

Year in review...2011 Four County Little League recap

2011-07-25T11:31:00.001-04:00

This year has been a whirlwind...The goal for this season was to build up our numbers and strengthen the organization. We conducted an extensive campaign to get the word out that we are "Mount Airy's home for Little League Baseball". Starting with 17,000 post cards delivered to every home in Mount Airy and the surrounding areas, our goal was to get folks to join FCLL. Well...our numbers last season were 287 and our numbers this season was 349. I'd say all the hard work paid off. As the season got underway, we started out with many new upgrades being made to Russell Windsor Field. Our cage was upgraded, we added some new sod around home plate and began construction on a new press area behind home plate. Then opening day arrived...Well, needless to say it was a wash out. The rains came and we could not have our annual celebration. We were able to play a few games that day and the season seamed to be headed in the right direction. Then, that night, someone decided to have some fun and burn down our port-a-pots. If you remember, they did not just burn down the port-a-pots...they destroyed our entire shed and all the contents. Some good things came out of that. The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation and Century of Mount Airy both donated $10,000 to help us rebuild. The progress was slow going because the season was upon us. The season moved on from there and we were excited to have two Juniors Division teams this season. Last season, Thurmont decided to leave Little League leaving us with no one to play. Our folks got out there and found some other teams to play in Elkton and Arbutus. The Juniors Division was the best it has been in years. As the season progressed, we had two Majors division teams rise to the top. With top flight pitching, these two teams dominated the Majors division. In the end, our Majors Tigers took home the title and headed to the Maryland District 2 Tournament of Champions which was held in Thurmont this season. In our Minors division, the Seadogs crept up and won their tournament despite a great effort from the other teams. This year was the first year we had a "Clinic" division in a number of years. Some younger players got the chance to learn some fundamentals as well as have some great fun every Saturday morning. Our hope is, those players come back next season and enjoy some more Saturday fun. This season we implemented a new technology to our league called GameChanger. GameChanger allows folks at home to "Follow" the games real time just like they were sitting watching the game. We scored about 50% of our games live and our hope is that next season we score 100% live. Wifi has been added to the field in part so that we can accomplish this goal. Out Hit-A-Thon was a huge success. Despite the economy, we raised over $5,000.00 more than last season. Our player, managers and coaches are the best. We can't thank them enough for making it a great Hit-A-Thon. Then along came the end of season Carnival/Picnic/Movie. What a great way to end the regular season. The movie Mickey was a true Little League inspired movie.

9/10 team dog piles
after being crown the
District Champions

For some of you, that was it...for others, we were just getting started. On June 15, the announcement of the All Star teams were made. A selection of five teams was made to represent the league in post season play. Our 9/10 All Stars were up first. They pulled an excellent draw and only had to win two games to make it to the championship round. They did just that and on July 2, 2011 were crowned the 2011 Maryland District 2 Champions and earned a berth in the 2011 Maryland State Little League Tournament. The team went on to win three and lose two in the state tournament giving them an impressive 3rd place finish in all of Maryland. This team was a scrappy little team who continued to fight until the very end. Up until the 6th inning of their last elimination game they did not give up. We are very proud of our 9/10 year old teams run and wish them well in the future.

The 10/11 team was next and despite trailing in their first game came from behind to win. They would go on to lose their next two, but gave it a great fight non the less.

The 11/12 team or Little League All Stars as it is commonly referred to also represented well. They went deeper in the District tournament than any other Little League team in FCLL history. They played great baseball until the end when they were out hit by Frederick National in their final match-up giving them a solid 3rd place finish.

Our Juniors were named the District 2 Champions right away because all the other leagues in our District have left Little League (we hope to change that in the future). They completed in the State Tournament and although did not win, they fought hard the entire time. We look to build on this experience and improve our Juniors program each year.

Our Minors All Stars competed in the 30th Annual Emory Frye Memorial Tournament and won their first two games and then lost two. They ended up in third place over all and we were very proud of their efforts.

As I said before, this season has been a whirlwind. For some, the season started in January (at our indoor facility) and did not end until the third week of July. That is a long time to play baseball. It takes alot to run an successful organization like ours. It can't be done without volunteers. The volunteers in Four County LL are great. This year we have asked our folks to do more than ever before and because of that our league has benefited from it. The season is not just April to June...for some volunteers it is 365 days a year. At this point, planning is already under way for next season. One thing that is on the agenda is fields. We need land to call our own. We are actively looking for land we can expand on. We are grateful for what we have been given at Russell Windsor Field, but we can not continue to grow without looking at the possibility of finding our own land.

We hope you have enjoyed the 2011 season. Our fall baseball season is just around the corner and then we go into the planning for next season. Our annual elections for Board Members is in October and Nomination are in September. If you would like to help shape the league and be a part of the Board of Directors, you need to be nominated in September and be on the Ballot in October.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to wish every family in FCLL a very happy and safe summer. We can't wait to see you for the next season.

For more information about the league and or registering for Fall Baseball, click on our website...www.fcllbaseball.org

Important 2011 Safety Information

2011-03-10T21:15:00.001-05:00

2011 Safety Program

Scan it and email it to safety@fcllbaseball.org (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must scan your driver's license as well - Note: this is the preferred method of turning in your form)

Fax it to 866-741-4123 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must fax your driver's license as well)

Mail it to: P.O. Box 512, Mount Airy, MD 21771 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must mail your driver's license as well)

Hand it to a league representative prior to March 15, 2010 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must provide your driver's license as well)

The league receives discounts and incentives for being 100% compliant. Last season we were the first league in our district to be 100% compliant. Let's do it again in 2011. We need to have all the volunteer forms to a league official by March 15. If you have any questions, you can email safety@fcllbaseball.org

If you even think you will help out, please submit the form.

Thank you for your help.

Little League International Issues Update Regarding Composite Bats: Moratorium Imposed Immediately

2010-12-30T16:41:00.003-05:00

Little League International Issues Update Regarding Composite Bats: Moratorium Imposed Immediately

UPDATE: A list has been established for "Approved Composite" bats. This list will grow, so please stay informed.

FCLL Press Release

2010-12-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

For immediate release

Local Little Leagues to add new division for 11/12 year olds

Mount Airy, Maryland – December 22, 2010 – Four County Little League, and several other leagues in Maryland District 2, will now offer a new supplemental 50’/70’ program to their Little League Baseball program. Traditionally, Little League Baseball, up to the age of 12 years old, is played with a 46’ pitching distance and a 60’ baseline. This is how the game was played in 1939 when Carl Stotz modified the traditional 90’ baselines for a group of kids in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Stotz was the founder of Little League and the game has remained relatively the same ever since. Traditionally, at the age of 13, the kids jump from a 60’ diamond to a 90’ diamond. Over the past decade, there have been numerous other youth baseball organizations that have started playing 11 & 12 year olds on the 70’ diamond. Little League International recognized this and in 2010 announced a 50’/70’ pilot program.

For this upcoming 2011 season, Four County Little League will offer a Sunday only supplemental 70’ baseball program. The new division is a supplemental program that will be played in addition to their normal “in house” Majors team program.

The current Four County Little League President, Jim Gill, said, “Other organizations, such as Pony League or Ripken Baseball, are already playing their 12 year olds at 70’, so this will give kids who have played for other organizations a chance to play with Four County Little League. We are looking forward to this addition and hope it attracts some new players and some additional talent to our league. We have talked to East Frederick Little League and they are committed to playing and we also have commitments from teams in District 1 and District 4. Our hope is that the other leagues in our District put a team together so we can play mostly in our area. With “in house” play, the Sunday only program and the tournaments this Summer, our kids are going to play more baseball than they ever have with Four County.”

To find our more about Four County Little League or to register for the upcoming season, visit the league’s website at www.FCLLbaseball.org.

About Four County Little League - Four County Little League, a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance, is chartered with Little League International. The league is based in Mount Airy, Maryland, but serves families in all of the four county area. The league provides a supervised program of youth baseball instruction and games for players between the ages of 4 through 14 under the rules and policies of Little League International. Each summer the best players are chosen from the league and play in the Little League International Tournament culminating in Williamsport, PA at the Little League World Series.

Four County Little League

www.fcllbaseball.org

information@fcllbaseball.org

P.O. Box 512

Mount Airy, MD 21771

866-741-4123

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Why play with Four County Little League?

2010-12-15T15:21:00.003-05:00

Over the last few years local Little Leagues in this area have lost players to other baseball organizations and this has been a constant question in my mind; Why? Well, instead of trying to understand why, otherwise happy members, leave, I thought I might go over why someone should stay or join Four County Little League.

A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) - is designed increase awareness of the opportunities to provide a safer environment for kids and all Little League participants. Bottom line is with this program, injuries are down. Four County Little League has been ASAP compliant for several years and plan to stay compliant every year. To find our more about ASAP click here. The number one concern here is the safety of our kids.
Pitch Counts - Not just innings pitched, but number of pitches. The medical advisors to Little League have seen a reduction in arm injuries with the implementation of the pitch count rules. Even non-Little League programs are using our system to stay safe. Click here to read about a high school team who has implemented the pitch count. People may not realize this, but Little League is a pioneer in youth sports safety. From the development of batting helmets to the implementation of the pitch count, Little League is a leader in youth sports safety. The safety of the children is first.
Background checks - All volunteers in Four County Little League are required to submit to a complete background check. This includes all Managers, coaches, umpires and parents with continuous contact with the kids. Once again the safety of the kids is of utmost importants.
We are Little League - We follow the rules and policies of Little League International which has been around since 1939. This non-profit organization has 2.5 million children worldwide play Little League which makes it the largest single youth sports organization in the world. Bigger than lacrosse, youth football and cheer leading. We are part of something big.
Mandatory Play - Want to play competitive baseball and sit on the bench? Not here. Everyone plays. We have minimum playing requirements and everyone plays baseball. Even our top Majors Tournament team has minimum playing requirements. You signed up for baseball, you will play baseball.
Opening Day Celebration - Each season we celebrate opening day with a large event culminating with the ceremonial "running of the bases" and the season's first pitch.
Low Registration Rate - Look around. Find another sport in this area that you can play for under $100.00. Dollar for Dollar Four County Little League is the best most affordable sport in the area. Try horseback riding $45-60 a lesson, try other baseball organization $150 - $1000 a season. Four County provides you with as many games as you can play, a uniform and tons of practice. Plus if you are selected to our Tournament teams, you get an additional uniform at no more cost to the parents. The league picks up the tab for the post season costs. We also run numerous Free clinics for both players and coaches as well as plenty of batting cage time. Our Umpires and coaches all receive free resources to help them do their job and teach your children. Backed by Little League International, our coaches have videos, books and more at their fingertips. Finally, FCLL puts on an end of season carnival and movie picnic in which the entire family gets together to celebrate the end of the season. With all the food games and rides provided to you at no cost, this is a one of a kind event. No other organization in the area puts on a show like we do. Call around, do some research. FCLL is the lowest cost sport in the area.
We are local - You will probably only drive 15 to 20 minutes to most games and practices. Little League is your home town baseball league.
We travel - That's right, we travel to other leagues in our District and even to other areas of the state. Our Sunday teams travel to Western Maryland and to the Baltimore area. In addition, there are plans for our tournament teams to play in more travel style tournaments this summer. If you want to travel, we can travel.
Positive Coaching Alliance - Little League International and Four County Little League has adopted the Positive Coaching Alliance philosophies. Started at Stanford University in 1998, PCA helps create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for more than 3 million youth athletes. Some of the top coaches in the nation are on the board of directors and follow the same philosophies. So to say it's touchy, feely, everybody plays non-sense nothing could not be further from the truth. Ask Phil Jackson, Dusty Baker and the other advisory board members if they think it's all touchy feely. PCA teaches to win, but winning is not necessarily defined by the scoreboard. Want to know more about PCA, click here.
We start teaching early - We have a clinic style T-Ball clinic for kids as young as 4 years old. We teach the kids to play baseball and have fun. As they move up in division, we teach life lessons utilizing the Positive Coaching Alliance philosophies. We want them to learn life lessons through the great sport of baseball.
We have provide competitive baseball up to age 14 - That's right. Think your done at age 12? No way! Our Juniors program provides baseball at the 90' level and is designed to prepare a player for high school and upper level baseball. Little League offers baseball until the age of 18, but unfortunately in this area we don't have many teams above age 14 in Little League. Just keep in mind when you start at age 4, Four County is your home for baseball until you are age 14.
We have a new and exciting 70' division - Many other organizations already play their 12 year olds at 70'. Little League still plays their 12 year olds at 60', but this year we are running a Sunday only 70' division for our best 11/12 year olds. So maybe you wanted to play with us, but we did not have 70'. Now we do. Keep in mind the 70' program is a supplemental program on Sunday's only. 11/12 year olds will still play their traditional Majors team Monday through Saturday.
The Little League International Tournament - Every summer our league participates in the International tournament culminating in Williamsport, PA at the Little League World Series which can be seen on ESPN and ABC. How about being part of something this big? A few years ago, when Hargarstown made it to the LLWS, you could not help rooting for them. This past season, our fellow District Team, Brunswick, made it all the way to the regional tournament. Four County Little League members watched and rooted them on all the way. It was not our team, but in a way it was...They were from Maryland District 2, That is our District. We will battle you all the way on the field, but once the game is over, we are all part of the same family. To read all about the LLWS, click here.
Positive comments from Parents - Below are some quotes from parents:

"FCLL is like family. My son has so much fun and can't wait to get to baseball." Maureen, Mount Airy, MD
"Four County cares so much for the kids. They put teaching the kids baseball over winning. The funning thing is that the kids excel even though the focus is not on winning." Pat, Mount Airy, MD
"We chose to play baseball with Four County because we heard it was a family-friendly league that emphasized having fun, which it is. 7 years later our boys continue to play baseball with four county because they have learned the skills to play baseball competitively while simultaneously learning to play fair and learning what it means to be part of a team." Jenny, New Market, MD

For more information about Four County Little League, visit our website www.fcllbaseball.org. If you don't have any more questions and want to register right now, click here.

Jim Gill

President

Four County Little League

2010-11-26T09:33:00.001-05:00

Coaches and Parents,

Here is something I recently received from the Positive Coaching Alliance addressing a question related to select or travel teams versus in house play. I think it is very telling and certainly illustrates what we are doing here at Four County Little League.

Pat Ronan
Coaching Director, FCLL

Will House League Play Diminish My Son's Talent?

"My 11-year-old son's select-team baseball coaches are upset that he is also playing house league Fall Ball, which my son loves, because it is so relaxed and fun. These select coaches say that playing with 'bad' players will hurt my son's talent. I'm curious what the general thought is on this."

-- Troubled in Texas

Here is part of the response from Eric Eisendrath, Lead Trainer-New York for the Positive Coaching Alliance.

“I would ask the coach to identify what he or she values most in a player. Research of college athletes has found that athletes who play for a coach who they (the athletes) believe values hard work and effort above all else, improve more and perform at a higher level than coaches who value talent foremost.”

New Board of Directors for 2011

2010-11-04T09:30:00.000-04:00

We would like to congratulate the following members who were elected on to the 2011 Board of Directors for the league.

Craig Abell - Equipment
Tim Askeland - Minors Director
Bryan Berndt - At Large
Pastor Paul Buchanan - Secretary
Jenny Burke - Sponsorship
Billy Casper - Player Agent
Jeff Ference - At Large
Jim Gill - President
Scott Groene - Vice President
Dan McGuire - At Large
Mike Money - Juniors Director
Dave Perry - Field Maintenance
Donald Poorman - Communications
Rex Parker - Umpire in Chief
Myra Smith - Treasurer
Pat Ronan - Coaching Director
Eric Reese - Majors Director
Rob Rhodes - At Large
Tim Warehime - Safety Director

We are starting the planning for the 2011 season. We are still in need of a few director positions. These are positions that are essential each and every season. Please consider helping out. The following positions are vacant:

T-Ball Clinic Director

T-Ball Director

Rookies Director

Uniform/trophy Director

If you are interested in helping with any positions, please email president@fcllbaseball.org

2011 Board of Director Elections

2010-09-11T15:25:00.003-04:00

At the October Annual Meeting, we will hold our annual elections to determine our 2011 Board of Directors. The BOD's are responsible for the decisions made for the 2011 season. The nominations were held earlier at the September meeting and the ballot it set. All current 2010 members, any players parent/guardian is a member, is entitle to a vote. Please come to the annual meeting which will be held on October 6 at the New Beginnings Church near Russell Windsor Field. In the event a member can not attend the annual meeting, an absentee ballot can be requested by emailing secretary@fcllbaseball.org. The absentee ballot must be mailed to our P.O. Box (P.O. Box 512, Mount Airy, 21771) and received by October 6th. If you have questions, please contact us.

Here are the current Nominees for the 2011 BOD Directors. 20 BOD members will be selected.

Craig Abell
Tim Askeland
Bryan Berndt
Doug Brice
Pastor Paul Buchanan
Jenny Burke
Billy Casper
Mike D’Andrea
Jeff Ference
Todd Flower
Jim Gill
Scott Groene
Michelle Kaye
Mark Lane
Dan McGuire
Mike Money
Dave Perry
Donald Poorman
Rex Parker
Myra Smith
Pat Ronan
Eric Reese
Rob Rhodes
Tim Warehime

The above list are the individuals who have accpeted the nomination to be on the ballot. If you would like more information about any one of the nominees, please email nominations@fcllbaseball.org.

Snap Fitness A's headed to the Championship Game.

2010-06-28T08:58:00.002-04:00

The Four County A’s did it again this evening at Brunswick in the Tournament of Champions, defeating Frederick American by a score of 7-3. Kyle “Pablo” Brodt pitched a complete game for the victory, keeping the American team off-balance by changing speeds throughout the contest. The A’s got down 2-0 in the top of the first, but came back with a run in the bottom of the first on a leadoff single by Jake Moorman and an RBI double by Mayes Lane. The A’s then broke it open in the bottom of the second with a 6 run outburst, powered by hits from Mitchell Kline, Eddie Katonka, Jake Moorman, Charlie Ronan, Pablo Brodt and Dylan Nylander. The A’s then played solid defense the rest of the game to preserve the lead and secure the victory. The A’s will now play defending champion Brunswick for the T.O.C. championship on Monday evening at 6 pm at Brunswick Little League.

Walk off home run wins it for the Snap Fitness A's.

2010-06-26T20:41:00.000-04:00

The Majors A’s represented Four County LL in the first round of the District 2 Tournament of Champions today at Brunswick Little League against the representative from Frederick National. It was a very tight game the entire way with no team leading by more than one run at any point. National took the lead in the first inning with a couple of solid hits of A’s starter Charlie Ronan. However, Ronan (who pitched a complete game for the win) settled down and kept National scoreless for the next four innings. Meanwhile, the A’s fought back with a clutch two out hit by Zach Federici to score the tying run in the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, Kyle “Pablo” Brodt made the defensive play of the game when he caught a fly ball in center field and quickly fired a strike to first base to double off the runner who had strayed too far off the bag. The A’s took the lead in the bottom of the fifth on an infield single by Dylan Nylander which scored Mayes Lane. Lane was on second to start the play, but he never stopped as he came around third and beat the first baseman’s throw to the plate. National tied the game with a clutch two out single in the top of the sixth. But, in the bottom of the sixth, with the score tied 2-2, Logan Buckner led off. On an 0-2 pitch he smashed a ball well over the center field fence for a walk off win for the A’s.

PCA at its best...Armando Galarraga "We're human..."

2010-06-05T21:05:00.001-04:00

We are so used to reading or hearing in the news stories about baseball players and athletes who get arrested, get drunk or get tossed from a game. This week we have one of the best examples of good sportsmanship and all we hear about is how Bud Selig should reverse the call or we should have instant replay. What is lost in this story is the way Galarraga has acted from the moment this whole incident transpired. With a smile and a nod, he continued to pitch after the controversial call. He did not say a word to the umpire. Later he was quoted as saying, "We'er human...we make mistakes". There are only 20 other pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball who have thrown a perfect game. This umpire cost him his perfect game and all he has to say is "We'er human...we make mistakes". What is wrong with this guy? Nothing is wrong with him. He is the best example of true sportsmanship there is. Part of what we teach our league is "ROOTS". One of the "O's" is for Officials. We learn to respect the officials and know that they have a difficult job. Galarraga must practice ROOTS because attitude and graciousness is second to none. We can learn alot from this fine player.

Here are a few stories about his graciousness after the incident.

'Perfect game' pitcher handles call with grace
Joe Girardi compares Tigers pitcher to 'one of the true gentlemen of the game'

2010 Hit-A-Thon - A Big Success

2010-05-22T08:36:00.000-04:00

Our annual Hit-A-Thon was a big success this season. We raised over $13,000 for the league. The annual fund raiser helps to defray the cost of equipment, field upgrades/maintenance and other yearly expenses. Four County Little League's registration rates remain the lowest in the area because of events like this. We are committed to provided quality Little League Baseball to boys and girls in the four county area and registration fees, sponsorships and fundraisers like this allow us to continue to provide your youth the best baseball in and around Mount Airy. To see a list of Hit-A-Thon winners, click here.

2010 Hit-A-Thon / Team Picture Day

2010-04-26T15:49:00.000-04:00

Our 2010 Hit-A-Thon is scheduled for May 15, 2010 at Russell Windsor Field (Same field as Opening Day). If you are new to FCLL, then we ask you to read this entire article. Hit-A-Thon is a fun and exciting day of baseball for all of our kids. Not only do they compete in a hitting contest in their division, but they help earn money for our league. This is FCLL's main fund raiser for each year. Each player solicits pledges or donations for hits. For every $10.00 pledged, the player get's one hit up to 10 total hits. Each hit gives the player the opportunity to win prizes and compete for the "Longest Hit". Prizes and awards will be given for each division and for the players who collects the most money. If possible every player should participate and shoot for 10 hits each. Click here to download the "Hit-A-Thon" pledge sheet. This year we will have an exciting "Home Run Hitting Contest" from our Juniors Division. Come out and see the big boys hit at 2:40pm. Also new for this season...if you bring a non perishable food item to the Hit-A-Thon, you will receive an additional hit for a total of 11 possible hits. Click here to see the tentative time schedule for Hit-A-Thon. If you have any questions, please email hitathon@fcllbaseball.org.

A night at the Keys

2010-04-19T10:28:00.000-04:00

Four County Little League will host "A night at the Keys". Come out and join the rest of your FCLL family and enjoy a great night of baseball. More information can be found on the flyer available by clicking here.

Tickets are $5.00 for kids ages 3 to 12 and $8.00 for adults 13+

Email tickets@fcllbaseball.org

Keys fans enjoy opening night - The Frederick News-Post Online

2010-04-14T15:21:00.002-04:00

Keys fans enjoy opening night - The Frederick News-Post Online
Zach is part of the FCLL Lugnuts. Several other members of the Four County Little League were also on hand for the Key's opener as well.

Opening Day a Big Success

2010-04-12T21:35:00.002-04:00

Four County Little League held it's 16 Annual Opening Day Ceremonies on Saturday, April 10, 2010. The weather was windy but Sunny. After the Ceremony, the games began. Here are some photos from that day. Enjoy.

Opening Day 2010

2010-03-25T08:42:00.000-04:00

Opening Day 2010 is April 10, 2010. The ceremony will take place at Russell Windsor Field (our home field located on Jesse Smith Road). The festivities get under way at 10:00am, but we ask all players be lined up with their teams at 9:50am. Once the ceremony is over, make sure you stop by the "Dugout Delights" and grab a hotdog or hamburger for lunch.

Some of the teams will then head out and play games at our numerous other fields located in and around Mount Airy, but at Noon two Majors teams will face off at Russell Windsor Field. If your team does not play, we invite you to hang out and watch a great Little League Baseball game.

Want a FCLL t-shirt? Scribs Sports will be on hand with sweatshirts, t-shirts and other FCLL items. Make sure you stop by and see Scribs Sports.

Also our Gold Sponsors will have tables set up at Russell Windsor Field. Make sure you stop by and say "Thank you".

We need volunteers for Opening Day. If you can help, please email volunteer@fcllbaseball.org. If you have any other questions about opening day email openingday@fcllbaseball.org.

2010-03-20T21:48:00.001-04:00

Four County Little League held it's annual "Field Day" today. As you will see by the photos, there are alot of changes in store for Russell Windsor Field. Stay tuned for more surprises. The safety officer has give the fields the "All Clear" so practice begins this week.

Field Day 2010

Coaches/Safety Meeting Announced

2010-03-07T09:45:00.002-05:00

There will be several Coaches clinics/meetings and the annual Safety Meeting held in March.

March 16, 7 to 9pm T-Ball/Rookie Managers & Coaches
March 18, 7 to 9pm Minor/Major/Junior Managers & Coaches
March 23, 7 to 9pm Annual Safety Meeting

All meetings will be held at the New Beginnings Church.

This year the coaches clinics will focus on information you will need to have a successful year. Information like from tips for practice to controlling the kids on the bench will be covered at these clinics. Also the Managers meetings will be held immediatly following each clinic and it is Mandatory that all Managers attend. House Rules and other important information will be discussed.

The Safety Meeting, which is a required part of the ASAP plan, will cover our Safety Plan and first aide. All Team moms, Managers and Coaches should attend this very important meeting.

Our Field day date has not been announced due to the fact that some of our fields are still covered with snow. As soon as we announce field day we will let you know. We can not start practice until our fields have been inspected by our safety office.

2010-02-14T10:10:00.001-05:00

Four County Little League

Meeting Minutes

3 February 2010

Board of Director Attendees:

President: Jim Gill

Vice President: Scott Groene

Secretary: Michelle Kaye

Coaching Director: Pat Ronan

Equipment Manager: Craig Abel

Safety Manager: Tim Warehime

Field Manager: Greg Smith

Division Directors:

Majors: Eric Reese

Minors: Al Gordan

Rookies: Myra Smith

Tee Ball: Bryan Berndt

Sponsorship Coordinator: Jenny Burke

Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. Motion to approve January meeting minutes. Motion approved.

Old Business:

· Scoreboard has been purchased with full sponsorship from Illiano Properties.

Director reports:

President’s Report:

1. This summer there will be a Potter Baseball tour to promote little league baseball. More information to come later.

2. There is a challenger division in Frederick if we have a need for it.

3. The Little League International congress topics will be sent out to the FCLL Board of Directors. Send any comments to FCLL President to consolidate and provide to the District Administrator.

4. All Safety information and documents must be turned in by March 1^st.

5. Four-year olds are eligible to play Tee Ball.

6. Additional field space has been identified. This will allow teams more practice time.

7. Recommend all coaches sign up for the Coach’s Registry. The cost is $30.00 – for this you get a rule book, instructional DVDs, and more! Use the following link to sign up: http://www.littleleague.org/managersandcoaches/coachesregistry/bblevel.htm.

Sponsorship Report: Sponsorship coordinator provided a status on current sponsorships and levels. Need all sponsorship commitments completed by 1 March. Coordinator will provide weekly status to Board members.

Coaching Report:

Safety Report: Request for all volunteer forms to be turned in by 1 March.

Umpire Report:

Equipment Report:

Field Report:

Division Reports:

Tee Ball

Rookies

Minors

Majors

Juniors

New Business:

· The Board discussed uniform and hat purchases for the spring season. Motion was made to approve hats and uniforms for each level. Motion approved.

· The Board discussed proposed upgrades to Russell Windsor field. Discussions tabled for March meeting. Members are to provide cost estimates at March meeting for suggested field improvements.

Adjournment: Motion to adjourn meeting was approved. Meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M. Next meeting will be held on Thursday, 4 March 2010 at 7:00 P.M. Check the calendar on the FCLL website for location.

FCLL Spiritwear and Apparel provided by "Scribs Sports"

2010-02-13T16:46:00.004-05:00

Do you want to show your FCLL Spirit with a sweatshirt, shorts or baseball bag?

You need FCLL Spiritwear!

We are happy to introduce our partnership with Scribs Sports located in Downtown Mount Airy.

We encourage you to order you FCLL package today so it will be here in time for opening day.

If you have any questions about FCLL Spiritwear, contact Scribs Sports.

Scribs Sports
202 South Main Street
Mount Airy, MD 21771
(301) 829-1456

2010 Safety Program

2010-02-04T12:52:00.002-05:00

The season is fast approaching. Little League takes pride in the fact that we have a safety track record second to none. Some of the safety innovations you see in other youth sports got their start here in Little League.

Part of our Safety plan is that ALL of FCLL's volunteers go through a background check prior to interacting with our children.

If you are a Managers, Coach, Umpire, Team Parent, or have any other continuous contact with the players of FCLL, you MUST complete a volunteer application and submit it with a copy of your driver's license. This needs to be done each year you volunteer. Even if dad want's to help the manager at practice for a few practices or games, you must complete the form. It only takes minutes and only needs to be done once a year.

Please take a minute to download the form by clicking here. Then you have a few options to turn it in.

Scan it and email it to safety@fcllbaseball.org (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must scan your driver's license as well - Note: this is the preferred method of turning in your form)
Fax it to 866-741-4123 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must fax your driver's license as well)
Mail it to: P.O. Box 512, Mount Airy, MD 21771 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must mail your driver's license as well)
Hand it to a league representative prior to February 21, 2010 (the form must be complete, have your signature and you must provide your driver's license as well)

The league receives discounts and incentives for being 100% compliant. Last season we were the first league in our district to be 100% compliant. Let's do it again in 2010. We need to have all the volunteer forms to a league official by February 21. If you have any questions, you can email safety@fcllbaseball.org

If you even think you will help out, please submit the form.

Thank you for your help.

For more information about Little League's ASAP Safety Program, click here.

Majors/Minors Evaluations

2010-01-26T16:50:00.005-05:00

The following is updated important information about the evaluation process. Please read through this post in it's entirety and your questions should be answered.

Evaluations for Saturday, February 6, 2010 have been canceled. If you were scheduled to evaluate this Saturday (Check your date by clicking here), You will need to choose a new date. Keep in mind all candidates for Majors, who did not play in the Majors division in the Spring of 2009 must be evaluated in order to play in the Majors division this season.

If you were scheduled for this Saturday, click here to choose a new date.

Note: More information about the exact location will be posted as we closer to the date. continue to check our website for details.

If you have questions, problems or concerns about the new dates, please email playeragent@fcllbaseball.org

This evaluation is for Majors/Minors only. T-Ball, Rookies and Juniors do not need to evaluate.

The Perfect Game...

2010-01-02T13:32:00.001-05:00

In Theaters April 2, 2010 "The Perfect Game" is sure to a hit. It is the story of a team from Mexico who makes it to the Little League World Series. The video below is a preview of the story.

Click here to see the movie trailer

Click here to see the actual game footage from 1957

Sign up for Summer Camps Now...

2009-12-17T19:07:00.000-05:00

Click here to find out more about Little League Summer Camps.

A Note About Softball

2009-12-11T14:57:00.000-05:00

Starting in the 2010 Season, FCLL will no longer offer a softball program. At this point in time there are no other Little League teams in our District that play with Little League and unfortunately Little League rules do not allow non Little League games to take place. There is talk at the national level of Little League to modify this to help local leagues and there are Little League Softball programs being formed as close as Washington County, but until we can gather more support right here in Mount Airy and anyone of the Four Counties we can not offer the program. This is not to say that we can not address this in the future, but right now the climate is such that our league can not provide a quality program.

We invite any and all of the previous softball players to come play baseball. What ever level you were at in softball will easily translate to baseball. Little League Baseball is for both boys and girls not just boys. Keep in mind that at the 2009 Little League World Series there were two female players in Williamsport competing against the best Little Leagues in the World. If softball is a sports goal for you when you enter high school or college, keep in mind that if you can hit a baseball, you probably can hit a softball. So transitioning back to softball should not be too hard. We encourage you to come out and play baseball this season.

If you have any questions about softball or a transition to baseball email information@fcllbaseball.org

Little League Coaches Registry Now Open.

2009-12-08T13:05:00.001-05:00

Little League International is pleased to announce the release of the newly-updated 2010 Baseball and Softball Coaches Registry. The Registry was created to help managers and coaches improve their knowledge and learn how to be more effective teachers because they are among the most important volunteers in the Little League program.

Little League offers separate packages for baseball and softball, which include sport-specific training DVDs and reading materials, for only $30. The baseball packet includes videos from the Play Ball! Series, which features tips from Major League Baseball players and managers. The Softball series offers Michele Smith's newly-published training and practice guide along with a skills and fundamentals DVD.

In addition to instructional information, the registry provides coaches the ability to download the latest version of the Electronic Rulebook with clips explaining frequently misinterpreted rules.

Click here if you are interested in the 2010 Coaches Registry.

The Elm Tree...

2009-12-07T10:18:00.000-05:00

Little League after age 12...Yes...

2009-12-06T22:32:00.002-05:00

Little League Coaches Resource Center

2009-12-06T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is a great video for explaining the Little League Coaches Resource Center. It has tips, drills and other helpful information for you as a coach. Even the most experienced Manager/Coach will find something helpful in these videos. This video explains the site and how to use it. If you would like the "authentication code" please email information@fcllbaseball.org. Enjoy the video.

FCLL opens blog...

2009-12-05T20:33:00.003-05:00

In an effort to communicate with anyone interested in Four County Little League, we have opened a brand new blog. During the season it will be fun to view the blogs posted by Managers, Coaches and parents. If you wish to become a "Blog Author", email information@fcllbaseball.org. You will then be given access to add pictures, stories and other cool stuff. We hope you enjoy our new blog and hope you visit often. To make sure you don't miss anything, click on the "Follow" link to the right.