Future of Little League in Malibu

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    As the Malibu Little League 2001 season prepares for closing day ceremonies, June 9, I marvel at the hours of planning and endless work that the board of directors and numerous parents have given to this league.

    I grew up competing in athletics and then spent years involved in sports medicine as a certified athletic trainer at the collegiate level. I have sat in the dugout during hundreds of baseball and softball games. Now I enjoy sitting in the stands.

    The issue before us now is whether hardball will continue with the Little League organization or vote to join Pony League. At present, our Little League consists of 27 teams. Nineteen teams are hardball and eight teams are softball with a total of 319 athletes participating. Of these 319 athletes, 232 are playing hardball and 87 are playing softball. All 19 hardball teams play against each other at our home fields in Malibu during the regular season. In softball, the three major teams play a third of their games against other cities, and the juniors (13-14 years) play all of their games against non-Malibu teams.

    A meeting was held at Juan Cabrillo School on May 22 to discuss the agenda of changing hardball to Pony League. The problem facing the Little League community is that there is no Pony League for softball within a 50-mile radius of Malibu. If the two factions were to separate, the issues of ball fields, scheduling, and fundraising would be astronomical.

    The community needs to help the board of directors decide the future of hardball and softball in Malibu. As a mother of three softball players I naturally hope to stay with Little League and see if hardball can implement some local rules to insure a “better game.”

    I want to give a thanks to the families involved with softball this year as board members, managers, coaches and team parents. I do this to announce to the community that there is not apathy among this group, but a strong desire to keep girls in softball.

    Let’s remember the inscription on the Ross Feikls Award so we don’t lose sight of our goal:

    “You are a champion. You try your best. You play fair. You cheer your teammates. You have fun!”

    Marie Zweig