Milan Youth League: MYL News

Because of scheduling conflicts, including the need to make up rained out games, Milan Youth League's All-Star Saturday has been pushed back a week to June 11.  Each division of play will be represented by a Red All-Star team and a Black All-Star team. Shirts will be given to each team's players All-Star Saturday morning before game time. Each player should plan to wear their team hat for the game!

All-Star players in the following divisions should arrive at 9:00am with games starting at 10:00am:

All-Star players in the following divisions should arrive at 11:00am with games starting at 12:00 noon:

If you find lost equipment at any of the Milan Fields, please turn it in at the MYL Concession Stand at the end of Neckel Court.  If you are looking for equipment, make sure you check with the friendly folks at the Concession Stand!

Lastly, players should help check for a clean dugout before leaving the fields.  Finding a teammate's bat or glove could make you their MVP!

A fields update from MYL Field and Grounds Coordinator Marty Ritchie:

Thanks to all the helping hands that came out this evening. We still do need more help to get are fields ready for SATURDAY so please tell your parents and coaches and any other family that is intrested in helping us out. In case you are not aware the field did sustain some damage from all the rain that we have had some of the new gravel washed up off the field so we will need to rake it back into place.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) from NOON to DARK we will be doing field clean up. Please come prepared to work and help out--LOTS to be done still. We understand if you work so come after or before work to help out. Here is a list of what item to bring and what needs to be done that has not been done due to the weather. Please REMEMBER THE BOARD IS ALL VOLUNTEERS so come out and help us get the park looking great for opening day. List of items to bring:

• Shovels
• Rakes
• Garbage Bags
• Paint Brushes
• Paint Rollers

Also if anyone has a tractor with a york rake that would be great!

We would also like to fix the landscape or remove some of the over grown bushes around the concession. List of things to be done:

• Fields' slag spread around fields, dugouts, etc..
• Painting of the dugout and umpire shed--maybe the bathrooms if time allows
• Lots of branches and leaves around the field need to be raked up
• Giving the landscape around the concession stand some much-needed attention

PLEASE HELP if you can. questions call Marty Ritchie 734-320-4043 or  Jim Wagner 734-516-8613

Thank you!

PHR participants can advance through four levels of competition, including Local and Sectional competitions, Team Championship events at all 30 Major League ballparks, and the National Finals at the MLB All-Star Game.

PHR is intended to encourage youth participation and emphasize the fun element of baseball and softball. All participants must begin by competing in a Local competition, like the one hosted by Milan Youth League. Sponsored nationally by Aquafina, PHR is free of charge to both the participants and Milan Youth League.

Beginning this year there is a new nationwide girls softball division!  Competitions like ours can host boys and girls contests on the same date and time, but boy and girl winners in each age group will be awarded separately.

How to participate:

• Print out the Registration Form, fill it out, and bring it with you on Sunday, May 1.
• Also bring your Birth Certificate. Rules state that all participants need to show their Birth Certificates!
• Arrive at the fields on Sunday a little early so the competitions can begin right away at 2:00 p.m.
• Arrive dressed for the weather and ready to have fun!

For more information, please contact Kevin Mitchell at kevindmitchell@yahoo.com

For more detailed descriptions of the events and competitions themselves, check out the PHR Handbook.

There will be a certified High School Umpire with over 25 years experience on hand to help with the training. We will go over rules, expectations, and run live drills. Dress for the weather and be prepared to run. If you can, bring a baseball glove.

There will be a lot of new things this season for Umpires, and it all starts with this training session when we will assign each Umpires a starting Category.

*NOTE* Please invite anybody you know that would be interested...if they are over 16 and have baseball knowledge. This session covers Baseball and Softball Training!

Just a reminder that all forms of player registration for the 2011 season are now closed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we look forward to a great season with Milan Youth League!

Milan Youth League has postponed it's 1st Annual Family Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser event.  The Bowl-a-Thon was scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 16.

No reschedule date has been announced at this time.  Please check this web site or the MYL Facebook Page for updates as they happen.

Milan Youth League has released its pre-season practice schedule for the 2011 season.  Please keep in mind that this schedule is subject to change, so players and parents should check with their coach for their team's specific practice schedule. 

For all field scheduling concerns this season, please contact MYL Baseball Vice President Jim Wagner at jewagner@provide.net or (734) 516-8613.

Our registration numbers are not as strong as we would like them to be before starting our season. Therefore, Milan Youth League is reopening registration until April 17. Teams were drafted today, but any new registrants will be assigned to an existing team.

To register, contact either:

• MYL President Chris Roe at (734) 660-1692, or
• MYL Baseball VP Jim Wagner at (734) 516-8613.

All player registration forms need to be received by today in order to participate in the 2011 season.  Our annual player draft is tomorrow and players who are not registered by today will not be drafted onto a team.

Again, the easiest way to make sure your child is registered in time is to use MYL's Online Registration system.

Please remember to include the $20 late fee with your form for any registration after last Monday.  Online Registration will add the late fee in automatically.

Please be sure that you check with family and friends so they don't miss the deadline!  If your kids have friends that they really want to play with or against this season, or if your have neighbors that you regularly car pool with, make sure they are registered, too!  The league is being firm this season with our registration deadline, but we want all Milan kids who want to play ball to be able to do so.

Because the draft is tomorrow, players should hear from their coaches as early as tomorrow, but no later than the middle of next week.  If you have not heard from your child's coach by then, please contact the VP or Coordinator of the league your child is in.

The season's right around the corner, and we'll see you at the fields!

Tonight is another MYL Fundraising Night for the 2011 Season!

This Fundraising Night is sponsored by Hungry Howie's Pizza.  For all phone orders and in-person orders, Hungry Howie's will generously donate 10% of proceeds to Milan Youth League.  However, for online orders, 15% of proceeds will be giving to MYL.  Fundraising Nights continue to be a great-tasting way to help our local softball and baseball league! Make tonight your family's Pizza Night and place your order with Hungry Howie's Pizza.

Three ways to order:

• Order Online (15% to MYL)
• Call in your order to (734) 439-1716 (10% to MYL)
• Visit them at 6 West Main Street and order in person (10% to MYL)

Make sure you mention "Milan Youth League" by name when you order! Thanks for your support!

The easiest way to avoid a late fee is to sign up your players today using the MYL's online registration system! Pass the word along to your friends and neighbors, too!

Milan Youth League had a great opening night of Walk-In Registrations, with 77 players registered for the upcoming season of T-ball, softball, and baseball.  This boost brings the league's overall numbers to nearly 200 players.  Let's make sure all kids who want to play ball get signed up!

Parents have two more chances to sign up players through Walk-In Registration:

• Friday Night, 6pm - 8pm, Senior/Community Center
• Saturday Morning, 9am - noon, Milan High School

If you cannot make it to either Walk-In Registration session, you can still use our Online Registration system or mail in a registration form to the league's post office box.

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: Registrations must be received by the end of Monday, March 21, to avoid a $20.00 late fee.

FINAL DEADLINE: All players must be registered by the end of Friday, March 25, in order to be available for the player draft on March 26.

Tonight is the second MYL Fundraising Night of the 2011 Season! On Fundraiser Nights, 20% of sales to our supporters go to Milan Youth League. It's a great-tasting way to help our local softball and baseball league! Make tonight your family's Pizza Night and give Hungry Howie's Pizza a call at (734) 439-1716!

Make sure you mention "Milan Youth League" by name when you order! Thanks for your support!

Things are getting busy...please bring your calendars so we can talk about availability for events, secure dates for those events and ensure we will have the bodies we need to execute those events in late Feb, and all of MARCH! Thank you!

Also, league volunteers need to give copies of their driver's licenses for MYL President Chris Roe. Copy and bring them with you please.

If you haven't filled out the Volunteer Application for 2011, they can be accessed online from the Handouts section of the MYL Web Site or at littleleague.org.  Type your info in and print it out--or bring a pen and fill a hard copy out at the meeting!

Are you at least 16 years old and interested in joining the 2011 Milan Youth League umpiring staff? Come to the Umpire Information Meeting this afternoon at 4:00pm at Milan High School.

Milan Youth League is looking for confident and reliable individuals for paid umpire work.  We hire male and female umpires, and adults are encouraged to apply as well!

For more information, contact MYL Umpire Chief Kevin Maury at kmaury729@yahoo.com. Training is available and will be held in March!  Come to today's meeting to find out more!

Users of the social networking site Facebook will be happy to hear that Milan Youth League now has its own Facebook group.  Intended not as a replacement but as a compliment to the MYL web site, the Milan Youth League Facebook group will serve as a resource for event reminders, online discussions, photo sharing, and more.     

Web site manager Tom Smith got the idea to partner MYL and Facebook following the 2009 walk-in registration sessions. 

"I remember a lot of board members and volunteers talking about their Facebook pages and their walls and who else they knew who was on Facebook," recalled Smith.  "Until then, it wasn't even on my radar.  I didn't care for MySpace and I thought Facebook was similar."

However, after creating his own page and noticing the ease-of-use and ability to quickly connect with others, Smith was convinced that Milan Youth League could benefit from a page of its own.

"I thought that Facebook would be great for getting the word out on league events and game cancellations, plus I've always wanted to see an active MYL discussion board," said Smith.  "There's a lot of potential with the league's Facebook group.  I'm excited to see how others like it!" 

Please note that the start time for the December meeting of the Milan Youth League Board is 6:00pm (instead of 7:00).  The early start is to help those in attendance review, discuss, and update a number of important league forms and documents--including the league's constitution.  Several board appointees will also be confirmed at the meeting, along with discussion of several key issues that will help Milan Youth League have a smooth and successful 2011 season!  Please be there and let your thoughts be heard!

December MYL Board Meeting
Tuesday, December 14
6:00pm
Milan Community/Senior Center
45 Neckel Court

• Registration form logistics and fees set--they will be delivevred to families in JANUARY
• Constitution of the league revised and submitted
• Scheduling for normal play and tournament options will be drafted on the big calendar
• Equipment for ALL levels will be listed out and prioritized
• Special Event opportunites for spring that need approval and manpower

Starting tonight, Milan Parks and Recreation is offering weekly baseball clinics for boys and girls from K-5th grades.  The clinics will be given by Blue Livingston, an experienced youth coach and current MYL Safety Officer.  All clinics will be held at Symons Elementary School on South Platt Road.  The cost for the six week series is $50.00 and checks should be made out to Milan Parks and Recreation.  All clinic sessions will last from 4-5pm.  Clinics for K-2nd graders will be held on Wednesdays with sessions for 3rd-5th graders taking place on Thursdays.  These clinics are great for kids who have the winter blahs as well as those who can't get enough baseball!

Girls and Boys Baseball Clinics
Symons Elementary School
4-5pm
Once a week for six weeks
K-2nd grade: Wednesdays (starting 1/12/11)
3rd-5th grade: Thursdays (starting 1/13/11)
Cost: $50.00 covers all six sessions
Contact: Coach Blue Livingston, bluelivingston@yahoo.com

Last night's MYL Board Meeting was canceled because of weather and safety concerns, but preparations for the 2011 season continue forward.  Registration forms will be available in the schools starting today, and Online Registration for baseball and softball is due to launch by the end of this week.

January's meeting will not be rescheduled, so the next time the board will meet will be February 8.  As usual, the meeting will be held at the Milan Community/Senior Center on Neckel Court beginning at 7:00pm.

Milan Youth League has launched its Online Registration for the 2011 Season.  Check out the registration information in our Register Online section and click the link to register your child for T-Ball, Softball, or Baseball.

Register by March 21st to avoid a $20 late fee.  The final registration deadline is March 25th.  In order to get the season rolling, MYL will not accept any registrations after March 25th, so register early!

Tonight is the first MYL Fundraising Night of the 2011 Season!  On Fundraiser Nights, 20% of sales to our supporters go to Milan Youth League. It's a great-tasting way to help our local softball and baseball league! Make tonight your family's Pizza Night and give Marco's Pizza a call at (734) 439-3938!

Make sure you mention "Milan Youth League" by name when you order!