HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM TOWN & COUNTRY BASE-BALL!  We hope that this newsletter finds you & in great spirits this New Year. Hard to believe that another year has passed … and that baseball is the next upcoming sports’ season!...We appreciate everyone’s involvement that helped make ‘05 a success, & look forward to more support in 2006!

We want to announce some changes for ’06 so that everyone can make plans early on. We also wanted to review some of the results & changes that took place in ‘05 that we hope to build upon venturing into this season & beyond.

UPCOMING IN 2006:

AGE CUT-OFF DATE TO CHANGE

After laying the groundwork for this movement years ago, Town & Country will join other youth baseball organizations in moving its age cut-off date up to April 30th for the 2006 season. In an effort to establish consistency, a child’s age as of 4/30/06 will determine playing age for the season.

IMPORTANT DATES & TIDBITS

• Spring Rules meeting – Mon. March 13th.

• League sanctioning fees to be paid by May 1st, or Tournament fees will be at non-sanctioned team levels

• Tournament entry fees are to be paid before you play – they will be due at league office by July 1st

• Summer Tourney meeting & bracket distribution – Mon. June 26th – Time & location TBA

• District-level of State tournament on July 7-8-9 weekend, starting as early as Thurs., July 6th

• Semi-State level on following weekend of July 14-15-16, may end early the next week (use new pod format?)

• State level on following weekend of July 21-22-23, may end early the next week (possibly use new pod format?)

• Check out on our website our league’s lengthy & distinguished tournament history dating to 1969!

• Word-of-mouth is contagious! Please help us spread the word of what we offer to other towns & leagues – there is no better referral source than a good ambassador!

• Growth plans for discussion include:
     o a State-sanctioned 14-&-under baseball open tourney
     o a State-sanctioned Girls’ softball open tournament

TOURNEY HOST SITE ASSISTANCE CONSIDERED

Hosting a tournament can present many challenges, & we very much appreciate those who have hosted in the past. For 2006, we are contemplating an additional incentive to each semi-state & state-level host site by adding an ‘advancement fee’ of $65 from each team earning the right to advance. This fee is in addition to the tournament entry fee, but will be paid directly to the host site (instead of league office) by the team’s moving forward & can be used to offset umpire costs, etc. It is to be paid prior to a team taking the field & is consistent with other youth leagues’ major tournament structure. This may be a necessary step in order to increase interest in the number of sites willing & able to host, as well as to offset some of the costs inherent with doing so. All host sites will also receive a supply of baseballs from Town & Country in order to further assist their hosting efforts. We would like to encourage those who have not hosted in the past, to consider doing so. This can be accomplished by request. Loyalty to previous year’s host sites will be strongly considered.

MORE ‘PATCHED’ UMPIRES WANTED

It seems each year around tournament time, we run into a shortage of ‘patched’ umpires dilemma. This year, we are encouraging interested folks to take the Town & Country umpire test in order to receive an official certification patch & a TCBB license card. Unlike other leagues that require annual re-certification fees, we only require a one-time fee of $25 in order to take the open-book test, (additional $10 will be charged to those who do not pass the test & wish to re-take it). We will then create a database of league certified umpires. If already TCBB-certified, we will NOT require the test to be re-taken, but for a $5 administrative fee, we will provide an official TCBB license, & include your name in the database of league certified umpires. We do approve the use of umpires who have earned patches from other established organizations.

HELP UPDATING LEAGUE CONTACT INFO

Updating our contact information can only be done with your help. If you have new info, please let us know ASAP – thanks!

REVIEW OF 2005:

2005 State Tournament Results:

RULES

We have learned to not change tourney rules at the summer meeting prior to the tournament. That makes the spring meeting more important in terms of any rules discussion & changes.  We encourage your thoughts, participation & attendance at this meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, March 13th.   Time & location to be announced. 

WEBSITE UP & RUNNING!

Our website is available at www.townandcountrybaseball.com. This is a primary site to help answer basic questions about the league, our tournaments, rules & a source for league forms such as sanctioning, tourney entry, etc. A goal is to have an interested Board member assist with keeping it up to date.

TOWN & COUNTRY GROWTH

Our organization has experienced recent growth, both in terms of the number of leagues sanctioned, & in the number of teams participating in our tournament at each level.  Blazing the trails by adding the State-sanctioned Minor (8-&-under) League tourney was a huge success in 2003 & has become a foundation that can lead to future growth in upper divisions. The goal is for this trend to continue as we move forward.

FORMATION OF A BOARD OF DIRECTORS

With growth, come growing pains & opportunity.  As a result, we have recognized the need to form a Board of Directors to help govern the league. A 7-person board, with a Commission-er, Deputy Commissioner, Chief Umpire, a rep from each age group (Sr., Jr. & Minor) & a web coordinator (to help update website) is envisioned.  We are actively seeking interested parties so that a Board can be formed to oversee the direction of the organization moving forward, as well as providing for a smooth transition as we will pass the torch of leadership at some point to folks with fresh ideas, & to better ensure the league’s continued success!  Please let us know if interested.