Posted on: January 22, 2019

Baseball is the All-American sport. It can be learned at a very young age, with players developing skills that enable them to play a variety of positions. The Glen Ellyn Park District offers a Youth Baseball program that caters to children in Pre-K through grade 8, with parent participation as the driving force behind the program’s success. Administered with the assistance of the Glen Ellyn Youth Baseball Association, the Glen Ellyn Park District’s Youth Baseball program helps players to learn and improve on skills, while teaching sportsmanship, discipline, and teamwork.

“There are many benefits of playing baseball,” said Clint Babicz, Assistant Superintendent of Athletics for the Glen Ellyn Park District. “The physical activity improves the kids’ fitness levels and helps them develop social skills as well. Their self-esteem and confidence increase, and most importantly, the players simply have fun.”

The objectives of the program include developing players’ skills with a focus on fundamentals of the game, teaching leadership skills that will stay with players their whole lives, and teaching and reinforcing respect for the rules, for the game, and for each other.

“Our program is very successful,” added Babicz. “Baseball rosters for both Glenbard West and Glenbard South High Schools are comprised of many players that have come through the Glen Ellyn Park District Youth Baseball program.”

Teams are formed in early March, and practices begin in April, with the season ending in late June. Players in Pre-K through Kindergarten will play T-ball, and the older grades will experience coach-pitch, machine-pitch, and eventually kid-pitch games.

Teams are formed by grade, and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis until the registration deadline, which is February 17, 2019. Beginning February 18th, registration will continue if teams need to be completed. Visit www.glenellynbaseball.com for more information regarding player evaluation dates for the Maverick, Stallion, Mustang and Pony leagues (grades 5-8).

The Glen Ellyn Park District also offers a Youth Umpire program; if interested, please contact Tim James with Official Finders at tj@officialfinders.com.

For more information about the Glen Ellyn Park District’s Youth Baseball program, please contact Clint Babicz at cbabicz@gepark.org, or visit www.glenellynbaseball.com.