When you look outside the window, baseball and softball season may not be at the top of your agenda at this time of year. But, that’s not the case for the North Royalton Baseball Boosters. Growing the game in North Royalton is on their agenda 12 months out of the year, even when the temperature is below freezing!
This year, the boosters are making a big push to get more children and teenagers involved, along with their parents.
Last year, over 1,200 youngsters played baseball/softball in the City Leagues. While that may seem to be a large number, 8-to-10 years ago, the number of baseball and softball players in the ‘Rec’ leagues in North Royalton was over 2,000. Five years ago, there were over 1,500 youngsters involved.
“We hope to convince the kids to put down the video game controllers and cell phones for a few hours each week and join a team, meet new friends and have some fun” said Mike Kekic, President of the North Royalton Baseball Boosters.
Games are played from late May to late July. Usually baseball/softball teams play two games a week. Practices start in late April.
For those two months that games are played, the Fields Complex off York Road, just south of Royalton Road, is THE busiest place in the city. Imagine the eight baseball/softball diamonds filled with teams, umpires, moms and dads, friends and volunteers on a hot summer night watching America’s Pastime. It’s tough to find a place to park. Cars are everywhere.
The Boosters want to especially encourage parents of 5 and 6 year olds to sign up their child to participate in the “Rookies” League. “We have a new rookie program this year. We have new commissioners, more games will be played and more coaching will be provided for the youngsters”, said Kekic.
“Plus, we will have a rookie week where players will be announced as they’re coming to bat, the National Anthem will be played before the game, trophies will given to all rookies and there will be free ice cream for the rookies after the game,” said John Marquard, the Commissioner of the 7-year old boys league. Plus, John is in charge of Facilities for the North Royalton Baseball Boosters.
If you want to sign up your youngster, you can do so right now by logging onto the North Royalton Baseball Booster website at www.eteamz.com/northroyaltonbaseball. You can sign-up online until April 1. If you want to sign-up in person, circle Saturday March 5 on your calendar. That’s when the Boosters will have in-person registration at North Royalton City Hall.
The cost is $85 per child and there is a Family Discount for parents that sign-up more than one child.
“We have leagues for boys and girls aged 5 through 18. And we have a co-ed softball league for those 18 through 21” said Kekic. “My biggest fear is that we won’t have enough players to fill a league and then we have to turn players away”.
North Royalton Businesses are encouraged to become involved and back a team. You’ll be rewarded with having a banner hung on an outfield fence for the season.
“We have new scoreboards, more field grooming, better lighting, better batting cages, old fencing is being replaced all the way down to replacing the bat racks in each dugout”, said Marquard.
“We have three goals for the season. One is sportsmanship, second is making new friends, both for kids and adults and third, just have fun”, said Kekic.
If you have any more questions log onto the North Royalton Baseball Boosters website or contact jhnmarquard@yahoo.com.

By JOE JASTRZEMSKI
Contributing Writer