Parking at Hollymead Fields

The Administration from Hollymead Elementary school has asked that we remind our community not to park in fire lanes at either school when our families are on site for baseball activities.  There will be a lot of action tomorrow with baseball games, soccer games, and the Hollymead Fun Fair.  The off-limits parking areas are marked with a yellow curb.   You could be ticketed or towed if you park there, and if there should be a fire and the trucks need access, you could see significant damage to your vehicle.

Also, please refrain from driving on the track that goes from Sutherland Middle School down to the lower fields.  If you are driving back there, please stop immediately.  The sign clearly states that vehicles are prohibited from being back there and we need special permission for the gate to be opened when we are doing field work and improvements. 

Even if there are no people on the track, do not drive to the lower field.  We are dependent upon the schools for use of our fields and if they get enough complaints, it’s not unlikely that we could lose the use of the fields. The stakes are too high to risk losing our fields, so please adhere to this school policy. 

One last reminder that all of our activities take place on school grounds where there is a strict “No Drug” policy in effect.  This means that smoking, vaping, alcohol and other drugs are strictly forbidden on school grounds.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Opening Day Details!

Northside Opening Day is just around the corner - Saturday, March 24th - and it's our 45^th year!

Join us as we kick off another great season at Northside. Opening Day ceremonies will take place from 9am until approximately 11am in the Sutherland Middle School Gym. We will celebrate players in the Junior Rookie through the 13-15 Divisions. T-Ball players are welcome to join us, but are not required to attend.

Players should arrive in uniform no later than 8:45am and find their coaches in the gym, as they will be separated by division. Every player will be announced and will have a chance to meet a special guest. We'll end with the National Anthem and the ceremonial first pitch. Players are encouraged to attend and show their league spirit.

There are plenty of other reasons to be there too!  There will be a 50/50 raffle (tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5), a Bat Bag raffle filled with lots of goodies, and Dick's Sporting Goods will be there with a spin wheel for prizes. Don't miss out!

In order to make this event a success, we are in need of volunteers to help organize and direct the players in the gym. This is a great opportunity to get in some, if not all, required volunteer hours for the season. Please contact volunteer coordinator Mary Dietrich at volunteers@playnorthside.org if you are able to help. The ideal time commitment will be from 8am-11am for set up and clean but even if you can help for only some of that time, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your commitment to our league!

Recreational Baseball is All About FUN!

Northside is proud of the recreational program we have built and the approach we choose to take for bringing youth sports to our community. Competition and fair play are wonderful tools, but should be taught to our youngest children in a way that is fun, inclusive, and engaging. When kids leave our program, they won't remember the scores - they will remember the friendships and connection with their teams and coaches. Remember - recreation is supposed to be fun!


From Babe Ruth League:

A recent survey asked kids why they play baseball or softball. The top five reasons given were:
- To have fun
- To make friends
- To improve my skills and learn to play the right way
- For the excitement and challenge of competition
- To be part of a team and learn teamwork

The top answer again and again is always the simplest: TO HAVE FUN!

Other answers included (they may not be the most popular, but deserved an honorable mention):

- Post-Game Snack
- End of Year Party
- Because my Parents asked me to Play

“To win” was dead last.

As we start a new season, let’s all keep in mind what most kids said, “I want to have fun!”

Opening Day is Saturday March 24th!

We will officially begin our spring season on Saturday, March 24^th during our Opening Day Ceremony at 9:00 AM.  We will award the Pritchett Scholarship, honor our Summer 2017 10u District Champions, introduce our players and more.  We look forward to seeing you there.  More information will be communicated next week.

Team Assignments

We are one step closer to kicking off the season.  Drafts for Rookie, Minor, and Major divisions took place this past week and you should be hearing from your coaches by the end of the evening.  If you have not heard from your coach by Sunday, please email the league and let us know what division your child is in. 

We are still finalizing coaches for Jr Rookie and T-Ball, and will hold drafts for the 13-15 division early next week.  Practices for all teams will begin next week with T-Ball starting on March 24th.