Click the headline above to see photos from our 20th Annivesary Opening Ceremonies 2009!

The photos are also viewable in the Albums section of the site.  Enjoy!

CMRLL Logo and 20th Anniversary Sportswear is now available ONLINE in our Sportswear store! Time to buy yourself a new T or polo to sport at the fields, or better yet, maybe a cozy stadium throw to keep you warm for those chilly night games. 

Sale of merchandise from the cmrll.org Sportswear store returns 5% to our league. Click the logo above, or Sportswear from the menu at left, to explore our Sportswear store!

Or, click to BUY CMRLL APPAREL HERE

Excerpts from the Presidents Opening Day remarks...

Opening Day was a special day for several reasons. First, it was a special day because it reflects the beginning of spring, the beginning of a new season of baseball.  For almost 400 kids, this game we all love creates friendships, builds unity and teamwork, and creates memories that will last a lifetime.  A friend of mine who achieved success as a baseball professional once told me that of all his years playing baseball, including high school, college, and professional, his 12-year-old Little League season stands out as his favorite.   

This day was also special because this season is the 20^th Anniversary of Carmel Mountain Ranch Little League.  On April 8, 1989, 20 years ago, the first Carmel Mountain Ranch Little League baseball game took place.  Our founder was a woman named Diane Harris, a resident of Royal St. George.  Mrs. Harris recognized a need, an opportunity to serve, and made a difference in her community that we celebrate 20 years later.  Many similarities exist today that existed 20 years ago, economic times then were not great either.  Interest rates were high. We had a real estate bubble that was about to burst. Unemployment was rising with the end of the Cold War and the downsizing of defense spending.  Yet in those uncertain times, Diane Harris, pioneered her dream of providing an opportunity for the youth of her community to play Little League baseball, and we thank her for it today, along with the many who served along side her, and the countless other volunteers over the years.  We wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the courage of the few. 

And finally, Opening Day was a special day because we had the privilege to be able to recognize true American heroes.  No I am not talking about Cole Hamels, although he is certainly a revered alumnus of Carmel Mountain Ranch Little League, I refer to the men and women who wear our country’s uniform, who defend our liberty and freedom.  Men and women who put their lives on the line so that we can look forward to springtime, and the coming of the new baseball season, without fear or concern about our own security.  We had the privilege of introducing a US Marine who reflects the patriotism of us all, although he is just one; a man who serves his country, not just his community; a man who takes his courage to work with him every day.  We preceded this introduction with the Color Guard of the United States Marine Corp Air Station Miramar who took the field as we payed tribute to our country by playing our nation’s anthem. 

Corporal David Gableman joined the United States Marine Corps in July of 2003 from his home state of Ohio. Since then he has been serving as a Mechanic and has been deployed three times. Two of those deployments were in Iraq. He recently returned home on February 16^th, not two weeks ago. 

On his last deployment he was assigned to a special detail.  Within this assignment he participated in 124 missions over a time span of seven months.  He was attached to the District Police Transition Team 2 for the First Marine Expeditionary Force.  While fulfilling this tour he performed various key roles including the training of Iraqi Police with Weapons Handling, serving as an Assistant Force Protection Non-Commissioned Officer, and participating in a security detail during key leader engagements.  He was part of a highly vulnerable 12-man team located in Hit (pronounced HEET), Iraq, isolated from the comfort of a U.S. Military secured base.  Corporal Gableman's efforts contributed to America's commitment to ensuring a peaceful and stable Iraq that is at peace with its neighbors while being able to defend itself from internal and external threats.  And we have his bravery and courage, and those who stood beside him, to thank for our country’s security and freedom.  Corporal Gableman then threw out our first pitch, and our season was officially underway.

Last week, CMRLL officially opened our new batting cages.  The project began last fall with a vision to improve the lighting, making the cages practical as an evening or nighttime resource.  Over 200 hours of volunteer time were spent installing 24-low energy consumption lights and protective metal cages.  New circuits, conduit, and switches added a measure of safety and code compliance.  We added new nets and L-screens to replace the weathered and worn out equipment that had been used for years.  The cages were re-opened in time for the start of spring practices.

But the vision didn't end there.  In order to make this an all-weather resource, we wanted to have flooring installed to serve as a barrier between the dirt floor and the players.  This is where Ada and Christophe Freed come in.  The Freeds, and their son Andre, have been sponsors and members of CMRLL for many years.  They are also the owners of J. H. Freed & Sons, a wholesale distributor of many high quality-flooring products including wood, laminates, vinyl, granite, and Freedom Carpets.  When asked if they would be willing to sponsor our project with a donation of carpeting, they were thrilled to help.  And help they did.  The Freed's donated 1356 sq-ft of carpeting valued at over $2000.

Last weekend, a crew of volunteers graded and prepared the dirt floor, and laid the new carpeting.  The project was capped off with a new giant tarp that covers the entire roof of the cages - making it truly an all-weather, day-or-night, resource for our kids to hone their hitting or pitching skills.  The cages were re-opened just before the start of our spring season.  Thanks to the Freeds and to the volunteers who helped, for giving CMRLL what may be the finest batting cages in Little League.

A resident of Royal St. George, Diane Harris saw the community around her growing fast. The children in the communities of Carmel Mountain Ranch and Sabre Springs were playing Little League in Poway National and Rancho Bernardo. With the completion of our first local park in Carmel Mountain Ranch, Diane felt it was time to form our own league. District 31 officials stepped in to help Diane form a Board of Directors consisting of five members who set the foundation for the league.

The first Opening Day Ceremony was held on Saturday, April 8, 1989 at 8:00 a.m. 1 Major, 4 Minor and 4 Tee Ball teams lined the field that day. We sold snacks out of a wagon and played our games with a bright orange temporary fence in the outfield.

In twenty years we've come a long way!  We now register approximately 400 youth in our league for each Spring season, with about 30 teams in the Junior, Major, Minor, Rookie, and Tee Ball Divisions.  We play games on our home fields in four different locations - Carmel Mountain Ranch Community Park, Sabre Springs Community Park, Morning Creek School, and Highland Ranch Community Park, and we run two snack bars.  We have 20 members on our Board of Directors, and train many youth and adult umpires each season.

Things have certainly changed since those early days , but the spirit of sportsmanship exemplified by the first players that set foot on our fields still lives today, and we play by the Little League pledge:

Join us in celebrating our 20th anniversary in 2009, and Play Ball!

This League History was originally contributed by Terri Westfall, former CMRLL President, in 1999 and has been updated for our 2009 season