Currently viewing the tag: "thurmont little league"

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

The 2023 Spring Season is well under way at Thurmont Little League (TLL). Our five TLL Majors baseball teams kicked off their season by participating in the annual Garel Hauver Memorial Tournament, hosted by Brunswick Little League, on March 25 and 26. Despite heavy rains canceling many of the first day’s games, the weather held off for each team to get in two games over the course of the weekend. This is always a good way to begin the season and get the younger players their first taste of Majors-level competition.

After months of planning, opening day arrived on Saturday, April 1. Unfortunately, soggy weather, once again, forced the cancellation of our morning games and several activities; however, the sun came out eventually and made for a beautiful afternoon to celebrate and play ball. The complex quickly filled up, and everyone began to enjoy a day full of festivities and fun.

President Robbie Nash kicked off the league’s season by, once again, expressing how thankful he was for the tremendous outpouring of support the league receives on a yearly basis. At 11:00 a.m., players from the T-ball and Instructional divisions were introduced, along with their coaches and team moms. The second round of introductions was held at 3:00 p.m. for the Minor, Majors, and Softball programs.

Once again this year, the league held a memorial service for another TLL family member who is no longer with us. Jeff Koenig, who served as a coach for his three sons over the course of many years, passed away in June of 2022 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Jeff was a tremendous baseball talent who starred locally at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. Up until the time of his passing, Jeff had been serving as an assistant coach for the Majors Orioles. He could be found sitting on a bucket in the dugout, chirping at the umpires right up until the very end. TLL is extremely thankful for Jeff’s years of dedication to the league and his presence will be greatly missed. The Koenig family was invited onto the field during the Majors/Minors/Softball ceremony. Jeff’s wife Erin gave a speech, and his sons Brady, Lane, and Riggins were introduced to say the Little League Pledge and throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Sheriff Chuck Jenkins recited the volunteer pledge before wishing all players good luck during the upcoming season.

On hand to throw out the first pitch for the T-ball and Instructional Ceremony were the siblings of Kyle Stine, a former TLL player who passed away from terminal brain cancer in December 2022 at age 14. The league also recognized current Minors player, Logan Smith, who is undergoing his own treatments for lymphoma. All TLL players will wear yellow ribbons on the back of their helmets this season in recognition of childhood cancer awareness in honor of both families and all others who have been impacted by this terrible disease. Several Majors players recited the Little League Pledge during this ceremony, while Umpire-in-Chief Blaine Young led the volunteer pledge. Blaine has been a constant fixture behind the plate and on the TLL Board for many years, so he was the perfect person to handle this responsibility.

Finally, members of the Thurmont Cub Scouts took the field to present the colors before the singing of our National Anthem. This year, it was performed by Thurmont Middle School students, Allie Bryant and Alaina Furry, who each honored our country with a beautiful rendition. Both of these young ladies have siblings who have played baseball at TLL for many years, and they were excited to represent their TLL family. To close the ceremony, Robbie thanked everyone for coming and also recognized the many volunteers and board members who made the event so successful.

After the ceremonies ended, families and players stayed around to enjoy delicious food from Stroker’s BBQ (who sold completely out in just a few short hours), along with ice cream and sandwiches from Glamourview Creamery. They definitely brought a smile to many faces with the size of their cups and cones. And, as always, there were other tasty items from the TLL Concession Stand. The brand-new slushy machine was a big hit among the youngsters in the crowd!

Other highlights of the day included a photo booth, complete with fun photo props; meet and greets with Keyote and The Oriole Bird; and a table of goodies from Woodsboro Bank. Facepainting by Elizabeth was back again, with her usual line stretching across the parking lot. And there was also a bounce house, provided by EBL Inflatables, to keep all the youngsters entertained. All in all, it was a wonderful day, with lots of fun for everyone who took part.

Fundraising is always a big part of the opening day ceremony, and this year continued that trend. The community showed up, once again, to support the league, as the basket raffles, concessions, and spiritwear tables generated over $13,000. People were excited to get their TLL t-shirts, hats, and hoodies and to take a chance at one of the 25 wonderful prizes.

The league would like to thank all the local businesses that donated to our baskets; without this support, we could not have generated the interest and raised the money that we did. To view a full list of donors, please check out the Thurmont Little League page on Facebook.

The next big event will be our hit-a-thon on May 6, which is the largest annual fundraiser for the league and helps to raise money for uniforms, field maintenance, and everything else the league needs to make a great experience for its players and fans. We are hoping to proceed with the fireworks display that was canceled on opening day due to the high winds in the evening. There will also be food trucks onsite. Crazy Dave’s Pizza and Snowball Waterfalls are scheduled for the afternoon.

Be sure to check out the next edition for a recap of that event and for all the other happenings from around TLL.

The Oriole Bird and Keyote greet fans during TLL’s Opening Day ceremony.

Courtesy Photo

Ryan Tokar, CYA Basketball

March has arrived, and that can only mean one thing: Another season of Thurmont Little League (TLL) is already underway. The registration period for our baseball and softball programs closed on February 11, with over 300 registered players. Evaluations for the Majors and Minors divisions took place on Sunday, February 12 at Catoctin High School. Afterwards, the drafts were held, and teams were assigned so that practices could officially kick off. Despite the chilly weather, our Majors level teams are already hard at work preparing for the annual Garel Hauver Tournament at Brunswick Little League in late March which officially kicks off the season. The rest of the league will begin play on TLL’s official Opening Day, Saturday April 1.

Opening Day is always an exciting event for our league. Family and friends come out to watch all of the players be announced and paraded across the field. The National Anthem is performed by a special guest, followed by the ceremonial first pitch. After other welcoming remarks, everyone hangs around to see the teams take the field for the first games of the season. This year, there will, once again, be split ceremonies to help accommodate parking and keep crowds under control. The T-ball and Instructional teams will have their ceremony in the morning, while Minors and Majors will take place in the afternoon. There will be delicious snacks onsite from the TLL concession stand, and there will be several food trucks to choose from, such as Stroker’s BBQ, Glamourview Creamery, and Coco’s Grill. The TLL Photo Booth will be open for all those social media opportunities, and we are hoping to once again have visits from a mascot or two! Other vendors onsite will include local fire and ambulance crews, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Pivot Physical Therapy, and many more. We have a few other surprises in the works, so be sure to bring the entire family out for this fun-filled day!

Another extremely big draw during the opening day ceremonies are the raffle baskets. Tickets will be on sale to win a variety of awesome prizes. Baskets include gift cards and other donated items from a variety of establishments, such as Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, Thurmont Kountry Kitchen, Catoctin Breeze Winery, Baltimore Orioles, Tree Trekkers, Adventure Park, Frederick Keys, and plenty of others. We will also be having a 50-50 and a table of spiritwear and TLL discount cards for sale.

As always, we are looking for volunteers for the upcoming season. If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to us at www.thurmontlittleleague.com. The biggest need is for volunteer umpires. If you are a high school or college student looking for community service hours or semi-retired with time on your hands, we will provide all the necessary training. We can’t wait for everything this season has in store for our players and families!

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

While there is no true offseason at Thurmont Little League (TLL), December and January are perhaps the quietest months for our families, as the winter sports season is in full gear. Despite this, our board of directors remains hard at work planning for the upcoming spring. Our Facilities Manager, Alex Kline and his team of volunteers have also been hard at work prepping the fields so they will be in the best possible condition for our players for the upcoming year.

The registration period for our baseball and softball programs kicked off early this year, as we opened them up on Monday, December 5. An early bird discount was offered to anyone registering before Christmas. Registrations will remain open until February 11, 2023, at www.thurmontlittleleague.com. If you need information on the appropriate level of play for your child, you may view detailed descriptions on our website. You can also reach out to the league by email or on Facebook with any questions. Evaluations for our Minors and Majors levels are tentatively scheduled for Sunday, February 12; the location is still to be determined. Plans are also being made for our opening day celebration on Saturday, April 1. There will be lots of fun activities, delicious food to eat, and great prizes to be won.

We are once again selling our extremely popular discount cards. For $20.00, you can purchase a card for unlimited usage at many local businesses—everything from a free drink to 10 percent off your order. All your favorite local restaurants are back again this year, along with a new addition of Tuscany’s Pizzeria in Emmitsburg. Please contact the league on Facebook or by email at thetllnetwork@gmail.com for more information. You may also pick one up at several of the participating restaurants.

Be sure to check out next month’s Banner for even more details about the upcoming evaluations and all the other events going on to kick start our 2023 spring season!

Winter Bre

Thurmont Little League Facilities Manager Alex Kline works on field improvements.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

The days are getting shorter, and the evening air has started to gain a slight chill. Soon, the mountains around the Thurmont Little League (TLL) complex will be full of colorful leaves. It’s hard to believe that another fall ball season has already reached its mid-way point. On any given night this fall, you can see countless teams in game play, practicing, or utilizing the batting cages. There is always a flurry of activity going on at TLL.

The newly elected board of directors has been hard at work as well. During recent meetings, they have been working to update and amend the TLL bylaws in order to make sure everything is current, regarding game rules and regulations. This will help to ensure the best possible experience for all our players, coaches, and fans. Speaking of the game experience, as many know, our two main fields were recently renovated, with drainage added and other improvements made to the infield. Unfortunately, the weather has not been kind the past two years since this work was completed. The league has decided to shut down Nicholson and Leisner Fields beginning October 1 so that additional work can begin on getting them back in the pristine condition we have all come to expect. Hopefully, once the spring season comes, they will be ready for the players to take the field once again on Opening Day.

As always, in addition to baseball, the league has ongoing events and fun activities planned throughout the season. Next up, is the 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat, which will be held on Sunday, October 23, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Last year, this event was held for the first time, and it proved to be extremely popular, with over 30 local businesses and vendors participating. Lines of TLL players and other local youths paraded through the parking lot in their costumes and filled up their bags. The TLL concession stand handed out hot chocolate, cider, and other goodies. Prizes were also awarded to the winners in several categories. We are looking to make this year’s event even bigger. If you are interested in setting up again as a vendor, please reach out to the league today. For more information, please follow the league on Facebook or visit www.thurmontlittleleague.com.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

When we left off in last month’s edition of The Catoctin Banner, the Thurmont Little League (TLL) Minors All Stars were still fighting their way through the Emory Frye Tournament hosted by Brunswick Little League. After stringing together 3 straight victories, the team made it to the Championship game, where for the second year in a row, Thurmont Little League was victorious. They defeated South County in a come-from-behind 7-6 victory on a walk off RBI by Bryce Rickerd. Congratulations to all of the players and their coaches for making TLL proud.

It’s hard to believe it’s that time again, but TLL has just kicked off another fall season. This season saw 185 total registrations. The breakdown for this fall will be 4 t-ball, 5 Instructional (Coach Pitch), 4 Minors, 4 Majors, and 2 softball teams (Minors/Coach Pitch). It is wonderful to see more and more children from the surrounding community coming out to participate and learn the game of baseball. The more relaxed nature of the fall season is the perfect time for new players to get started or existing players to move up to a new level to improve their skills.

Along with a new season, came the election of a new Board of Directors for 2022-2023. TLL would like to welcome Ashley Balsley as the new Vice President of the Softball Division. Ashley spent the last year working as the softball Player Agent and was integral to the successful first year of the program. Other newly elected board members include Hillary Inocencio-Concessions Manager, Carrie Laird and Nicole Tyler-Player Agents, Alex Kline-Field Maintenance, Richard Balsley-Safety Officer, Ryan Tokar-Vice President Majors/Information Officer, Dana Duvall-Vice President Coach Pitch, Rachel Workman-Team Mom Coordinator, Kathy Rickerd-Secretary, and Jessica Kline-Member at Large.

As the new members settle into their roles, we cannot forget to thank our outgoing board members who made so many wonderful contributions to the league over the years. Brandon McQuay, served as a manager as well as Vice President of Majors for several years, he also frequently volunteered his time to umpire behind the plate. Jenn Cregger spent many years as player agent and also helped out with opening day and various other league activities. Jon Barton will be greatly missed as Concessions Manager; he was integral in bringing in favorites such as the Goldrush chicken sandwich and the new popcorn machine. Other outgoing members include Melissa Stidom who served as Vice President of TLL Softball during its inaugural campaign, Mike Smith-Vice President of Intermediate, who was critical in keeping that age level running, Gregg Warner-Player Development, who did an awesome job organizing crucial programs such as our evaluations and various camps for our players, and Kyra Fry-Secretary who always took detailed notes during the often lengthy board meetings. The league is grateful to each of you for your years of service.

TLL has plenty of other events and fun activities planned throughout the fall. Back by popular demand will be the second annual movie night. The date and film have yet to be decided but will be determined based on availability. Players, families, and the community are invited to pull up a chair on the outfield grass and grab a bag of popcorn for a fun evening the whole family will enjoy. And, due to the tremendous success of last year’s event, plans are in the making for another Trunk or Treat at the ball fields. We will again be looking for vendors and businesses who would like to set up. This was an extremely fun event, and the turnout was way more than we could’ve ever imagined. Hopefully, this year’s event will be even bigger and better! For more information, please follow the league on Facebook or visit www.thurmontlittleleague.com.

Minors All-Stars win the Emory Frye Tournament in Brunswick.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

The regular season has come to an end at Thurmont Little League (TLL), but there is still a lot of baseball to be played! As the normal slate of games concluded, the league quickly moved into All-Star and tournament season. 

First up were the TLL in-house All-Star games for the Tee-ball and Instructional (coach pitch) divisions, which were held on Tuesday, June 14. Representatives from Tee-ball included Wyatt Murray, Nora Miller, Caleb Specht, Chase Atkins, Lucy Liller, Colton Lynch, Chase Parker, Bohdi Morlan, Dixie Eckenrode, Bradley Arellano, Folton Beard, Maddox Ketterman, Carson Lingg, Graham Pearl, Bradley Hammack, Silas Wahl, Jake Fouche, Brenton Tull, Carson Unger, and Tyson Tsikerdanos.

The Instructional rosters were made up of Bryce Yocum, Travis Haller, Logan Otto, Jayce Oden, Parker Best, John Clements, Jaiden Poole, Connor McGrew, Brennan Pearl, Joseph Fogle, Parker Ketterman, Josh Tingler, Kenny Morris, Wyatt Bradshaw, Mikayla Dorsey, Nolan Kruger, Liam Ecker, Caleb Lynn, Caleb Valentine, Brayden Constable, Riley Woodward, and Maddox Miller.

Congrats to all of these future stars on a great season of baseball!

The Minor league division’s post-season kicked off with their In-House playoffs, which included a host of extremely hard-fought games, culminating in the Thurmont Dodgers becoming this year’s champs, overcoming a valiant effort by the Rangers. Both teams put forth a tremendous amount of effort and displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout the game.

The Dodgers were managed by Darryl Dextradeur, with assistants Kevin Rickerd, Kevin Rabbit, Anthany Wolfe, Bryan Smith, and Nathan Fritz. The roster included Bryce Rickerd, Julian Thompson, Colson Wolfe, Nemo Dewees-Johnson, Levi Baker, Rylan Roberts, Gavin Vaughn, Payton Fritz, Logan Smith, William Fletcher, and Marshall Fry. Congrats to the Dodgers on a successful campaign.

Next up was the Minors In-House All-Star Game, featuring Brayden Nash, Ilo Blentlinger, Luke Wiles, Herbie Blache, Dylan Dotson, Kaiden Dewees, Owen Ott, Dallas Smith, Liam Delawter, Bryce Rickerd, Payton Fritz, Joey Schenck, Scarlett Riffle, Jason Day, Andrew Ledbetter, Chris Kehne, Leland Beach, Wesley Meekins, Xavier Meekins, Tyler Martin, Levi Baker, and Julian Thompson.

These teams had a lot of fun and put on quite a show for their fans. Additionally, there will be a Minors All-Star team traveling to play in the Emory Frye Memorial Tournament and the Frederick American Youth Tournament. Managed by Darryl Dextradeur, the team is made up of Levi Baker, DeSean Brown, James Clements, Bryce Rickerd, Julian Thompson, Chase Dumas, Nemo Dewees-Johnson, Gracen Baer, Dallas Smith, Payton Fritz, Ethan Smith, and Wesley Meekins.

The Majors division was represented by two teams in end-of-season tournaments as well. The 2nd place Nationals and Manager Jeff Kuhn played in the Dave Fogle Tournament at Frederick National Little League; the team gave it their all, but the tournament was eventually won by the Brunswick Cubs. Meanwhile, the Thurmont Angels, coached by Brandon McQuay, played in the Gregg Quedeweit Memorial Tournament of Champions right here at Thurmont Little League. The Angels had a remarkable season, going undefeated in league play. They started strong with wins over Montgomery County and Mountain Valley, but, ultimately, they would lose in a very hard-fought game to Brunswick in the championship. All in all, it was a great season for these boys, and they made all of us at TLL proud. There will be two All-Star teams from the Major’s division. The 11-to-12-year-old team, managed by Brandon McQuay, will play in the District 2 Tournament. Players selected were Chase Cregger, Brody McQuay, Nate Morlan, Brayden Rickerd, Graysen Strobel, Marcus Kuhn, Bracen Webb, Landon Kelley-Voisine, Barry Riddle, Callen Edmonston, and Luke Berg. Adam Cregger and Lane Strobel will serve as assistant coaches. The 9 to 11-year-old team will begin their District 2 Tournament on June 25. This team will be managed by Jeff Kuhn, with assistant coaches, Justus Yocum and Chad Hahn. The roster includes Tucker Bryant, Reed McCauley, Ethan Tokar, Eli Yocum, Weston Tyler, Myles Kuhn, Parker Hahn, Cole Merriman, Riggins Koenig, Chance Kruger, and Camden Magluilo. Congratulations and best of luck to all the teams participating in tournaments this summer.

As another season came to an end, we were extremely saddened to learn about the loss of another close member of our Thurmont Little League family. Jeff Koenig, who served as an assistant coach for the Majors Orioles this season, passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. A tremendous baseball player in his own right, Jeff shined locally at Mount Saint Mary’s University, where he was inducted into their Hall of Fame. Over the past several years, he coached his sons as they moved through TLL at various levels. Despite his illness, Jeff could be found sitting on a bucket or in the dugout, right up until the very end, firing up his players and chirping at the umpires as only he could. Our thoughts are with Jeff’s wife, Erin, and their three boys, as well as their family, friends, and all of the players he impacted over the years. Rest in peace, Jeff. Thanks for your many years of service to TLL!

Be sure to check out next month’s edition for a full update on All-Star tournament play, as well as a recap of several fun events TLL will be taking part in this summer. Fall registrations will be opening later this summer as well, so be sure to sign up to be a part of a tremendous organization.

Minors Division Champions, Thurmont Dodgers Majors Division Champions, Thurmont Angels,

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

Baseball is officially back at Thurmont Little League (TLL). The four TLL majors teams kicked off the spring season by participating in the annual Garel Hauver Memorial Tournament, hosted by Brunswick Little League. Despite the frigid temperatures and mixture of wind, rain, and even snow over the course of the two days, each team was able to pick up at least one victory over their competitors. The TLL Angels and Orioles went undefeated on the first day, and both advanced to the semifinals on day two. Both teams fought hard against tough teams from Brunswick, and ultimately, the Orioles would advance to the championship game, where they finally ran out of steam and finished as the overall runner-up. Regardless, it was an extremely impressive achievement, and everyone at TLL was proud of their effort and the way they represented Thurmont Little League.

After months of planning, opening day arrived on Saturday, April 2. After soggy weather forced the cancellation of our games and several activities in 2021, the league was determined to make this year’s celebration bigger and better then ever. Those who attended know that was definitely the case. The complex was full to the brim, with people parking and walking from blocks away to attend the festivities. The day started off with several T-ball teams taking the field for their first games of the season. Despite some windy weather during the first few games of the morning, the sun peeked out for the first time in what seemed like ages and made for a beautiful day to celebrate.

Once the first slate of games were completed, a welcoming address was made by League President Robbie Nash, who kicked off the league’s 71st season. Robbie expressed how thankful the league was for the tremendous outpouring of support the league receives on a yearly basis. This year was no exception, as TLL had the highest number of registrations ever, at over 330 players. In an effort to help with crowd control due to these massive numbers, the league held dual ceremonies again this year. At 10:00 a.m., players from the T-ball and instructional divisions were introduced, along with their coaches and team moms. The second round of introductions were held at 3:00 p.m. for the minor, majors, and softball programs.

Next up, was a bit of a somber moment, as the league paid tribute to our Chief Safety Officer, Chris Morlan, who passed away in December after a lengthy battle with COVID-19. Chris was an extremely dedicated member of the TLL family, serving on the board for many years and volunteering as a manager at almost every divisional level. He was always there to help out whenever needed at any of the league’s events, from tournaments and parades to our movie nights and trunk or treat. As TLL kicked off a new season, it was hard to envision Chris not being there to be a part of it, and although he may be gone, he will certainly not be forgotten. Every TLL team will wear a special patch on their jersey this year in honor of Coach Chris.

The Morlan family was invited on to the field to line up along the first base line with many of his brothers from local fire departments joining them. President Nash then welcomed two of Chris’s long-time team members, Chase Cregger and Brody McQuay, to lead the players in reciting the Little League pledge. Next, his mother, Gina Morlan, was invited out to lead everyone in the Parent/Volunteer Pledge. Gina has been a fixture in the TLL concession stand for many years and has also helped with several other events, so she was the perfect choice for this responsibility. During the second ceremony, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins recited the pledge before wishing all players good luck during the upcoming season. On hand to throw out the first pitch for both ceremonies were several of Chris’s children. Son, Bodhi Morlan, and daughter, Abby, performed the duties during the first ceremony, while his older sons, Patrick and Nathan, handled the second. Afterwards, the family was presented with a memorial plaque, commemorating Chris and everything he meant to the league.

Finally, members of the Thurmont Cub Scouts took the field to present the colors before the singing of our National Anthem. This year, it was performed by Thurmont Middle School student, Alaina Furry, who honored our country with a beautiful rendition. Alaina has two brothers who have played baseball at TLL for many years, and she was excited to represent the TLL family. To close the ceremony, Robbie thanked everyone for coming and also recognized the many volunteers and board members who made the event so successful.

After the ceremonies, families and players stayed around to enjoy delicious BBQ by The Sauced Savage, who sold completely out by the end of the event. New this year was ice cream and sandwiches from Glamourview Creamery, who brought a smile to many faces with the size of their cups and cones. And, as always, there were other tasty items from the TLL Concession Stand. The brand-new popcorn machine was a big hit among the youngsters in the crowd! Many vendors were on hand throughout the day. Pivot Physical Therapy, Crucible Performance, Thurmont Cub Scouts, Thurmont Library, and CYA Football had tables to provide information about their services.

Other highlights of the day included a photo booth, complete with balloon archway and fun photo props; meet and greets with Keyote and The Oriole Bird; and Facepainting by Elizabeth, who had a line stretching across the parking lot. Additionally, equipment from the Frederick County Sheriff’s office and many local fire and ambulance companies were there for players to explore and get their pictures with. All in all, it was a wonderful day, with lots of fun for everyone who took part.

Fundraising is always a big part of the opening day ceremony, and this year was no exception. The community showed up in a big way to support the league this year, as the basket raffles and spiritwear tables generated over $13,000 for the league. People were excited to get their TLL t-shirts, hats, and hoodies, and to take a chance at one of the 25 wonderful prizes. The Grand Prize was a custom-made Thurmont Little League cornhole set, generously donated by TLL parent and Coach, B.J. Schildt. The winners were Trevor and Meghan Swain. The league would like to thank all the local businesses that donated to our baskets; without this support, we could not have generated the interest and raised the money that we did. To view a full list, please check out the Thurmont Little League page on Facebook.

The next big event will be the hit-a-thon on May 14, which is the largest annual fundraiser for the league and helps to raise money for uniforms, field maintenance, and everything else the league needs to make a great experience for its players and fans. 

Be sure to check out the next edition of The Catoctin Banner for a recap of that event and all the other happenings from around the Thurmont Little League.

Thurmont Middle School student, Alaina Furry, sings our National Anthem.

TLL coach pitch teammates are shown.

Members of the Thurmont Cub Scouts take the field to present the colors.

Keyote and The Oriole Bird are shown with a TLL fan on Opening Day.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

It’s hard to believe another season of Thurmont Little League (TLL) is already under way. It may still be a bit chilly outside, but the season is off to a hot start. The registration period for baseball and our brand-new softball program closed on February 13.

Evaluations for the majors and minors divisions were held on Saturday, February 19. Afterward, the drafts were held and teams were assigned so that practices could officially kick-off.

Our majors-level teams will be hard at work, preparing for the annual Garel Hauver Tournament in Brunswick in late March, which officially kicks off the season. The rest of the league will begin play on TLL’s official opening day: Saturday, April 2.

Opening day is always an exciting event for our league. Family and friends come out to watch all the players be announced, as well as to see some take the field for the very first time. This year, there will once again be split ceremonies to help accommodate parking and keep crowds to a minimum, with the COVID-19 protocols for large gatherings still in place.

The T-ball and instructional teams will have their ceremony in the morning, while minors and majors will take place in the afternoon. There will be delicious treats on-site from the TLL concession stand; and, this year, there will be several food trucks, such as The Sauced Savage, Glamourview Creamery, and Kona Ice. The popular TLL Photo Booth will make its return for all those social media opportunities, and we are expecting visits from local celebrities, such as Safety Pup and The Oriole Bird! Other vendors on-site will include local fire and ambulance crews, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Pivot Physical Therapy, and Crucible Performance.

Another extremely big draw during the opening day ceremonies are the raffle baskets. Tickets will be on sale to win a variety of awesome prizes. Baskets include gift cards and other donated items from a variety of local establishments, such as Carriage House; Kountry Kitchen; Mountain Gate; Wait, What? Sauce Company; McCutcheon’s; the Frederick Keys; and more. We will also be having a 50-50 and a table of Spirit Wear and TLL discount cards for sale. Mark your calendar today; you won’t want to miss out on this awesome event!

As always, we are looking for volunteers for the upcoming season. If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to us at www.thurmontlittleleague.com. The biggest need is for volunteer umpires. If you are a high school or college student looking for community service hours or semi-retired with time on your hands, we will provide all the necessary training. The league is holding its annual umpire clinic on Sunday, March 6, from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the TLL complex.

We can’t wait for everything this season has in store for our players and families!

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

As the ice and snow continue to blanket the ground, it’s hard to believe that baseball season will begin in just a few short weeks. The registration period for baseball and our brand-new softball program will close on February 13. There is still a lot of other work to be done before the season starts.

Evaluations for the minor and major divisions will be held, along with a draft for each. Plans are being made for our opening day celebration, which will once again be split into two ceremonies based on division level. There will be lots of fun activities, delicious food to eat, and great prizes to be won. Fundraising efforts have already begun, with the league beginning to accept donations for the annual basket raffles.

Speaking of fundraisers, a special fundraising night will take place at Roy Rogers on Tuesday, February 1, with proceeds from all orders going to the league. There will also be in-person registration ability available onsite. Come on out for a great meal to support Thurmont Little League (TLL).

We are once again selling discount cards, which are always a popular item. For $20.00, you can purchase a card for unlimited usage at many of your favorite local businesses, everything from a free drink to 20 percent off your order. Several new additions are featured on the cards this year, including Dunkin’ and Los Amigos. Please contact TLL on Facebook or by email at tllnetwork@gmail.com for more information. You may also pick up a discount card at several of the participating restaurants.

With all the exciting things happening during the offseason, we must also take a moment to reflect upon an extremely difficult loss for our organization. On December 23, 2021, our chief safety officer, Chris Morlan, passed away.

Chris was an extremely dedicated member of the TLL family, serving on the board for many years and volunteering as a manager at almost every divisional level. He was always there to help out whenever needed at any of the league’s events, from tournaments and parades to our movie nights and trunk or treat. As we move towards our new season, it’s hard to envision Chris not being there to be a part of it. The board of directors is hard at work thinking of ways to honor his memory and legacy at TLL. While he may be gone, he will certainly not be forgotten.

Be sure to check out next month’s issue of The Catoctin Banner for even more details about our opening day festivities and all the other events going on to kick start our 2022 season!

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

Thurmont Little League (TLL) is well underway with its largest fall season to date. This season saw 193 total registrations, up from the previous high of 148 last year. It is wonderful to see more and more children from the surrounding community coming out to participate and learn the game of baseball. Just four years ago, the fall total was a mere 96 players.

Now, we are proud to support five T-ball, four instructional (coach pitch), five minors, four majors, and an intermediate team. This is not only impressive from a number’s standpoint, but the fact that the teams are also extremely competitive is an extraordinary feat. It would not be possible without a tremendous network of volunteers and support from the local community.

Along with a new season, came the election of a new board of directors for 2021-2022. TLL would like to welcome Robbie Nash as the new president of the league. Robbie spent many years as a manager in the T-ball/instructional divisions, also serving as a vice president of those leagues. He has also been extremely hands-on in creating signage, uniforms, and spiritwear for the league, as well as maintaining social media. He will also continue to manage a team in the minors division.

Other newly elected board members include: Jeff Kuhn, who moved from vice president of minors to league vice president; Darryl Dextradeur, vice president of minors; Kaitlin Nash, vice president of instructional/T-ball; Nikki Hahn, director of sponsorships/uniforms; and Nicole Tyler, head of field maintenance.

As the new members settle into their roles, we cannot forget to thank our outgoing board members who made so many wonderful contributions to the league over the years. Keith Myers, in his second run with TLL, served as a manager, vice president, and spent the last few years as league president. John Code was also a manager, league vice president, and master scheduler. Kathleen Davis and Joey Youngerman also spent many years in their positions of sponsorships/uniforms and vice president of T-ball/instructional. Last, but not least, is P.J. Nicholson, whose contributions to field maintenance led to his name being immortalized on our minors (Nicholson) field. The league is grateful to each of you for your many years of service.

In addition to baseball, the league has many other events and fun activities planned for the remainder of the fall.

Team and individual pictures will take place in late September. This is normally reserved for the spring season, but due to the overwhelming numbers, it is being offered this fall season as well.

A movie night will be taking place, featuring the classic baseball film, The Sandlot. Players, families, and the community are invited to pull up a chair on the outfield grass and grab a bag of popcorn for a fun evening for the whole family. And, finally, plans are in the making for some fun Halloween activities at the ball fields.

For more information on Thurmont Little League, please follow the league on Facebook or visit the league website at www.tllbaseball.com.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

Thurmont Little League (TLL) closed registration for its fall season on August 15, and practices began in late August for the majority of its players. It was a welcome sight for many; however, for others, it seemed as if there was no off-season to speak of due to the many tournaments and activities the players took part in throughout the summer.

The Thurmont Minors All-Stars represented the league well this summer in two different tournaments. Managed by Jeff Kuhn, with assistants Gregg Warner, Justus Yocum, and John Veronie, the team finished in second place in the Pen Mar “Mayhem on the Mountain Tournament.” However, it was their performance in the Emory Frye Tournament in Brunswick that brought home a championship for Thurmont Little League, after battling it out for several days against some of the top teams in the area. Congratulations to this awesome group of boys on their performance and for making TLL proud!

In late July, the Potter Baseball Tour made its annual stop in Thurmont. Coach Potter and his team travel up and down the coast doing service projects and teaching kids how sports and service go hand-in-hand in building character and doing the right thing. TLL is happy to collaborate with Coach Potter on several activities each year. In the past, they have hosted a charity kickball game and helped update the Thurmont Food Bank. This time around, the crew, along with members of TLL, painted the exterior of the Thurmont Senior Center.

Speaking of Coach Potter, he also helped Thurmont secure a bid in the annual Cooperstown Dreams Tournament, which saw several of our 11- and 12-year-old’s fundraising for the past year in order to take the trip of a lifetime. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, TLL was forced to change up plans and head to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for The Ripken Experience Tournament. Playing as Potter Pirates Black, the team from Thurmont spent the week in Tennessee playing six games over five-days against great teams from all over the country. The team started the week with an opening ceremony that included inspirational words from former MLB player Ryan Klesko; participated in a skills competition featuring a Home Run Derby, in which TLL’s Brennen Conrad put on an excellent performance; and spent the week bonding and having fun as a team. All in all, it was a great trip that these players will never forget. Each player took home a ring as a keepsake from the event.

Finally, on August 18, TLL held its annual meeting and board of directors election. Results of the election were not immediately available at the time of this writing, but there will be more details on the outcome in next month’s edition. It was a wonderful year for the league financially, as it bounced back well after the lost COVID season during 2020. Highlights included over $5,200 raised on opening day from raffle baskets and spirit wear, $3,000 from TLL discount cards, and the most successful hit-a-thon in league history that brought in over $22,000. TLL could not do any of this without the help of its community and volunteers and is thankful for all of the support, especially during these challenging and uncertain times. We are looking forward to an exciting fall season ahead.

Thurmont Minors All Stars celebrate their championship victory in the Emory Frye Tournament.

Potter Pirates Black team members pose with their rings in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Ryan Tokar, Thurmont Little League

The regular season came to an end for the Thurmont Little League (TLL), but there was still a lot of baseball to be played!

As the normal slate of games concluded, the league quickly moved into All-Star and tournament season.  First up were the TLL In-House All-Star games for the T-ball and Instructional (Coach Pitch) divisions, which were held on Saturday, June 12. Representatives from T-ball included Addison Ling, Parker Ketterman, Madelyn Toms, Logan Otto, Mireya and Harlen Chavez, Reid Thurston, Jaycee Moriyama, Erin Mcgrew, M.J. Hoke, Jett Derr, Riley Woodward, Ben Roberts, Franek Zielinski, Garret Troxell, Wyatt Murray, Caleb Lynn, Lily Tankersly, Caleb Valentine, Tyler Warfield, and Riley Woodward. The teams were managed by Mark Lingg and Evan Atkinson. The Instructional rosters were made up of Brayden Nash, Hunter Crabb, Aaron Oden, Payton Fritz, Xavier Meekins, Dennis Smith, Cheyenne Jones, Stiven Makarov, Gage Emert, Angus Riddle, Ryan May, Levi Baker, Julian Thompson, Bryce Rickerd, Abby Harrington, Harper Holmes, Devin Riffle, Luke Wiles, Chris Kehne, Bryant Price, Gracen Baer, and Riley Workman. Managers for this game were Robbie Nash and Darryl Dextradeur. Congrats to all of these future stars on a great season of baseball!

Next up was the Minor League division In-House playoffs, which included a host of extremely hard-fought games, culminating in the Thurmont Nationals becoming back-to-back league champs, overcoming a valiant effort by the Cubs. This was an extremely hard-fought game that came all the way down to the final at bat. Both teams put forth a tremendous amount of effort and displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout the game. The Nationals were managed by Jeff Kuhn, with assistants John Veronie, Darren Hudson, and Tim Swartz. The roster included players: Weston Tyler, Mason Delcid, Myles Kuhn, Tyler Creel, Jeremy Veronie, Noah Bradbury, Desean Brown, Colt Hudson, Herbie Blache, and Daniel Genemans. Congrats to the Nationals on another successful campaign. After their regular season ended, many of these teams also participated in the Frederick City Minor Tournament, which provided even more valuable experience for their players. Additionally, there will be a Minors All-Star team traveling to play in the Emory Frye Memorial 11U Tournament and the Penmar Youth League Tournament. Managed by Jeff Kuhn, with assistants John Veronie and Gregg Warner, the team is made up of Daniel Genemans, Myles Kuhn, Jeremy Veronie, Camden Magluilo, Devin Youngerman, Ayden Wolfe, Eli Yocum, Weston Tyler, Desean Brown, Tyler Creel, Colton Warner, Landon Kelley-Voisine, and Parker Hahn.

The Major Division was represented by two teams in end-of-season tournaments as well. The league champion Brewers, managed by Chris Morlan, played in the Gregg Quedeweit Memorial Tournament of Champions at Brunswick Little League. Meanwhile, the second-place Orioles and Manager John Code played in the Dave Fogle Tournament at Frederick National Little League. The team fought extremely hard and finished in second place. There will be two All-Star teams from the major’s division. The 11-12 year-old team managed by Keith Myers will play in the District 2 Tournament. Players selected were Carson Fry, Connor Smith, Gage Eyler, Hunter Byington, Jay Code, Justice Myers, Lane Koenig, Layton Wilhide, Mason Fry, Mason Hewitt, Skyler Sotzky, and Tanner Shorb. John Code and Jeff Eyler will serve as assistant coaches. The 10-11 year-old team will begin their District 2 Tournament on June 26. This team is managed by Chris Morlan with assistant coaches Brandon McQuay and Adam Cregger. The roster includes Weston Brantner, Brody McQuay, Chase Cregger, Brayden Rickerd, Grayson Strobel, Nate Morlan, Tucker Bryant, Bracen Webb, Justin Salonis, Reed McCauley, Ethan Tokar, Noah Shankle, and Marcus Kuhn. Congratulations to all the teams participating in tournaments this summer.

In addition to the full slate of year-end tournaments, TLL will also be taking part in several fun community events. On Saturday, June 26, the league will be riding in the Emmitsburg Community Heritage Day Parade with several teams participating. Then, they will play host to the Guinness World Record Game of Catch on Wednesday, June 30, at 7:00 p.m. Sponsored by The Potter Baseball Tour, Thurmont will be one of over 100 virtual locations participating across the country. Along with having a memorable time (and receiving a medallion), all proceeds will go towards CureSearch, a non-profit organization that does research on pediatric cancer. The cost is $10.00 for ages 13 and over, and $5.00 for ages 12 and under. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Refreshments will be available, including The Sauced Savage food truck and Kona Ice. Please come out and join in the fun and help raise money for an incredible cause!

Thanks to everyone that came out to support the league this year. Following the loss of our last spring season due to COVID-19, it was great to be back on the fields to celebrate 70 seasons of TLL! Fall registrations will be opening in July, so be sure to sign up to be a part of a tremendous organization.

Minor League Championship post-game, featuring the Cubs and League Champion Nationals.

After months of planning, Thurmont Little League’s (TLL)opening day arrived on Saturday, April 10. Unfortunately, due to several days of rainy weather, the full slate of games scheduled for the day were forced to be postponed. However, despite the soggy conditions, and lack of games, the league proceeded with the festivities and a wonderful time was had by all.

The day started off with a welcoming address by League President Keith Myers, who kicked off the 70th season of TLL baseball. In an effort to socially distance and help with crowd control, the league held dual ceremonies this year. At 10:00 a.m., players from the T-ball and instructional divisions were introduced, along with their coaches and team moms. The second round of introductions were held at 3:30 p.m. for the minor and major divisions.

On hand to throw out the first pitch for both ceremonies was Sherry Myers, owner of Thurmont Kountry Kitchen. Selected for the amazing work that her family has done for the community, Sherry stated, “I felt so honored as I stood on the field representing our business. It was so awesome to see all the players walk across the field as they were introduced.” After receiving her ball in a commemorative holder for display, Sherry was kind enough to present the league with a donation.

Next, the National Anthem was sung by Allison Balanc, who honored our country with a beautiful rendition. Players Carson Fry, Ethan Tokar, and Connor Smith led all players in reciting the Little League Pledge, while Luke Humerick and Pam Eyler led everyone else in the Parent/Volunteer pledge. To close the ceremony, league Vice President John Code thanked everyone for coming and also recognized the many volunteers who have made the league so successful over the past 70 seasons. A special moment of silence was held for one of those individuals, Ronnie Eyler, who passed away in December. The Thurmont Yankees minor and instructional teams will be playing in his honor this year.

After the ceremonies, families and players stayed around to enjoy delicious BBQ by The Sauced Savage, ice cream from Antietam Dairy, and many other treats from the TLL concession stand. Pivot Physical Therapy and Thurmont Cub Scouts were on hand with tables to provide information about their services. Other highlights of the day included a photo booth, complete with balloon archway and fun photo props courtesy of Carrie’s Craft Room.

Fundraising is always a big part of the opening day ceremony, and this year was no exception due to the loss of revenue from missing out on last season due to COVID-19. The community showed up in a big way to support the league this year, as the basket raffles and spiritwear tables generated over $7,000 for the league. People were excited to get their TLL t-shirts, masks, hats, and hoodies and to take a chance at one of the 17 wonderful prizes. The Grand Prize was a DeWalt Tool Set, valued over $700 dollars, generously donated by Hessong Bridge Contractors. The winner was Shaun Hamlette. The league would like to thank all the local businesses that donated to its baskets, without this support they could not have generated the interest and raised the money that they did. To view a full list, please check out the Thurmont Little League page on Facebook. The next big event will be the annual hit-a-thon on May 1. This is the largest annual fundraiser for the league and helps raise money for uniforms, field maintenance, and everything else the league needs to make a great experience for its players and fans.

Finally, on Tuesday, April 13, the league was able to kick off its actual game schedule. After several days of games being postponed due to rain, the newly refinished fields were finally deemed to be playable. The first two games to be played were the Majors Orioles vs the Brewers, with the Orioles coming out on top. On the other field, the Minors Nationals were victorious over the Cubs.

Everyone was extremely excited to be back out there, and the fields looked great! Come on out and watch a game this year to support the players, coaches, and volunteers as TLL celebrates 70 seasons of baseball!

Sherry Myers has the honor of throwing out the first pitch for Thurmont Little League’s 70th season

After a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Thurmont Little League was excited to kick off its 2021 spring season. As the weather began to warm up and all the snow and ice melted, players and coaches resumed practicing in early March. The response to baseball this year was extremely positive, even with the pandemic, as the league will be fielding 2 Intermediate Division teams, 4 Major Division teams, 5 Minor Division teams, 7 Instructional/Coach Pitch teams, and 7 T-ball teams.

The Major Division kicked off the year by participating in the 3rd Annual Brunswick Little League Garel L. Hauver Memorial Tournament. Its namesake, Mr. Hauver, had a passion for sports, but especially baseball. He wrote about sports in the Brunswick Citizen for over 40 years and was an active member of Brunswick Little League for over 30 years as a player and coach. The tournament took place the weekend of March 27-28 and featured 16 area little league squads. Thurmont was well represented by its four teams, and it was a great way for the players to get back into the swing (pun intended) of things.

The opening day ceremonies will kick off the start of game play for all of the other divisions and will take place on Saturday, April 10. Led by master of ceremonies Brian Mo, formerly of 99.9 WFRE, all players and coaches will receive on-field introductions. This will be followed up by a special performance of the National Anthem, and the throwing out of the first pitch by the Myers family from Thurmont Kountry Kitchen. Thurmont Little League spirit wear will be on sale in many different styles and sizes, along with the ever-popular discount cards for local restaurants. Great raffle baskets will be available with many valued at over $100 each, as well as a 50-50 cash drawing. Also, on hand for the day will be food from The Sauced Savage BBQ and ice cream from Antietam Dairy. Bring the family out for a fun-filled day celebrating 70 years of Thurmont Little League.

As the 2021 spring season approaches, Thurmont Little League is looking to the future, yet reflecting on the past as well. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the league. Although COVID-19 restrictions will not allow for the grand celebration deserving of such a milestone, the board of directors is still working hard to plan an exciting year for players, coaches, and families. The league is looking for information to recognize any past board presidents from the 1950s-2000s. Additionally, anyone with photos from the 1950s-1990s, especially from league championships, please feel free to pass them along to the current president, Keith Myers (keithmyers07@gmail.com).

After an off-season, filled with field renovations and improvements to the grounds, the league is now moving full-speed ahead for its opening day festivities. This year, opening day will be held on Saturday, April 10. DJ Brian Mo will be on hand once again as Master of Ceremonies, presiding over player introductions, the National Anthem, and the throwing out of the first pitch. Throwing out the first pitch this year will be the Myers family from Thurmont Kountry Kitchen. Their dedication and service to the town of Thurmont, as well as their constant support of the league, have been greatly appreciated, especially during the pandemic.

There is still lots of other work to be done before the season starts. Evaluations for the minor and major division will be held, along with a draft for each. Fundraising efforts are continuing as well, with the league accepting donations for its annual basket raffle and continuing to sell spiritwear items, such as t-shirts, hats, and hoodies. The league is once again selling discount cards, which are always a popular item. For $10.00, you can purchase a card for unlimited usage at many of your favorite local restaurants, everything from a free drink to 20 percent off your order. Please contact the league on Facebook or by email at tllnetwork@gmail.com for more information.

Finally, a fundraising night will be held at Roy Rogers on Friday, March 19, with proceeds from drive-thru orders going to the league. Come on out for a great meal to support the Thurmont Little League.

As always, the league is continually looking for volunteers to help with coaching, concessions, and umpiring. An umpiring clinic will be held at Leisner Field on Sunday, March 21, at 9:00 a.m., with lunch provided. If you are interested in seeing what is involved, please make plans to attend. This is open to all adults and youth ages 13 and up. It is a great opportunity for retirees who love the game or high school athletes looking to gain some volunteer hours. Please contact Umpire in Chief Blaine Young at beyoungjr@comcast.net for more information.

Everyone is excited for the upcoming season, in hopes of adding a return to normalcy for players and families. Thurmont Little League can’t wait to see everyone at the fields.

Thurmont Little League’s upgraded bullpen area.

A local group of 11 players and three coaches from Thurmont Little League have teamed up to plan the baseball trip of a lifetime in August 2021.  The team, consisting of players ages 10 through 12, will participate in the prestigious Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament in Cooperstown, New York. This tournament is well known nationwide and attracts hundreds of youth baseball teams each summer. 

This annual event has a long waiting list and is difficult to get into. However, with the help of Coach Jeff Potter from the Potter Baseball Tour, the team was able to secure a spot in this summer’s event. The team will play under the name Potter Pirates Black. Thurmont Little League has partnered with Potter Baseball on several activities over the past few years, including a charity kickball tournament to benefit the Fuse Teen Center and a painting project on the exterior of the Thurmont Food Bank. They are excited to partner with Coach Potter and his organization again for this amazing opportunity. The local team will consist of players Jay Code, Brennan Conrad, Chase Cregger, Carson Fry, Mason Hewitt, Lane Koenig, Nathaniel Morlan, Justice Myers, Theron Rolko, Hunter Sanbower, and Tanner Shorb. Manager John Code and assistant coaches Keith Myers and Chris Morlan will accompany the team to Cooperstown, along with umpire Blaine Young and Coach Potter.

Players and coaches get to stay on-site for a week, lodging at Baseball Village. They will be spending quality time together, meeting players from all over the country, and, of course, playing a lot of baseball. They will be provided with daily meals and custom uniforms for the tournament. The team will get to partake in an opening and closing ceremony, skills competitions, and a minimum of seven games. Other benefits include Pin trading, personalized baseball cards for the players, tournament rings, and a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. There will be digital webcasts of the games and highlights as well for those wishing to follow along at home.

The trip comes with a hefty cost, so the team is fundraising and seeking support from the community to help them fulfill their dreams. They are asking the community to consider supporting the team at a fundraiser or by donating to the group. Many efforts are already underway such as Roy Rogers and Thurmont Kountry Kitchen donating a portion of their proceeds from scheduled fundraiser nights. In addition, there has also been a Pampered Chef Party fundraiser and a Super Bowl grid fundraiser in support of the team. A Go Fund Me page has also been established as a method of collecting online donations. For more information on how you can help support this worthy cause, please contact team manager, John Code at jcode8@yahoo.com.

Thurmont Little League (TLL) has stayed busy during its brief offseason. When the fall season ended, construction immediately began on improvements around the complex. The most noticeable difference is the addition of TLL’s new sign at the entrance just off Westview Drive. This sign was made possible by several local sponsors and was a 100-percent donation to the league. Another major improvement was new fencing for the bullpen areas, which was also made possible by a donation from Long Fence Company. The league is extremely grateful for these generous donations to help spruce things up. Finally, the work on the Minor and Major League fields to improve playing conditions is nearly complete. Despite some small delays during the December snowstorm, sod was laid down and things are on track for both fields to be up and ready for the start of the spring season.

Registrations opened on January 1 for the upcoming season. Players from ages 4-13 are now able to register for the appropriate division, from T-ball all the way up through Intermediate. If you still have a credit remaining on your account from the canceled 2020 season, you can apply it to this year’s registration. Registration will close on February 21, so don’t miss out. Visit www.TLLBaseball.com today!

Thurmont Little League is seeking volunteers for the upcoming season, including managers, coaches, team moms, and umpires. These are great opportunities for retirees looking to give back to the community with their free time, parents with flexible work schedules due to COVID-19, or even high school students looking to fulfill their community services hours. The league offers various types of training opportunities, including free umpire clinics. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to the league at theTLLnetwork@gmail.com.

Finally, don’t forget that spirit wear is available for these colder months. Hooded sweatshirts, long sleeve t-shirts, and wool beanies are all still available in many sizes. Additionally, a limited supply of Thurmont Little League logo masks is available in youth and adult sizes. Check out the league page on Facebook or contact them via email for more information. Thurmont Little League can’t wait to see everyone at the fields soon!

The Thurmont Little League Fall Ball season is in full swing, literally! From intermediate all the way down to T-ball, the kids are working hard and having a great time being back out on the field. The board of directors planned out a very extensive season, and it has been jam-packed with games and events thus far.

Speaking of the board, they welcomed several new members for the 2020-2021 year: Mike Smith—V.P. of Intermediate Division, Jeff Kuhn—V.P. of Minors Division, and Chad Hahn—Equipment Manager. They were all recently sworn into their new positions. The league would also like to thank Jeremy Johnson and Joe Wehage for their years of dedicated service as they exit their positions on the Board.

Along with the typical slate of games and practices that make up the fall season, there have been several ongoing fundraising efforts to help make up for the lost spring season. Spirit Wear and raffle ticket sales have been extremely successful in bringing in additional revenue for the league. On Saturday, August 29, the basket raffle was held, and the lucky winners were notified of their prizes. A “Mom’s Day Out” basket was won by Becky Wilson, while the “Guys Day” basket went to Richard Balsley. Two additional “Family Fun” baskets were won by Diana Merritt and Gail Bunyan. Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who purchased tickets.

Over Labor Day weekend, the Major Division Twins and Orioles competed in the second annual Brunswick Little League Garel Hauver Memorial Tournament. Eleven teams played over the course of the weekend, and both Little League teams did a fantastic job representing Thurmont Little League and making the community proud.

The Hit-a-thon is the largest annual fundraiser for the league. This year, it was held on Saturday, September 12. The goal is for players to obtain sponsors to contribute money for them to get a certain number of hits. For every $10 earned, a player gets one hit, with a maximum of ten hits per player. A special bonus hit can be procured with a non-perishable food donation. This year, Thurmont Little League players raised over $8,000 and collected more than 120 items for Blessings in a Backpack. Individual prize winners were: Bryce Yocum—Overall Fundraising Winner ($365), Aiden Munday—Farthest Hit T-ball, Nemo Dewees—Farthest Hit Instructional, Seamus Riddle—Farthest Hit Minors, and Teddy Topper—Farthest Hit Majors. This event was a huge success, and the Thurmont Little League could not have done it without the support of its community and volunteers.

Finally, Thurmont Little League would like to give a special thank you to Thurmont American Legion Post 168 for donating brand new American flags for the complex. These will be put to great use as players recite the pledge to the flag before each game.

It has been a tremendous start so far, with lots of action and events. The league is looking forward to continuing on with the remainder of a successful fall season.

Hitathon winner for the furthest distance: Majors Division — Teddy Topper (221 ft.).

It’s been several months, but Thurmont Little League has finally returned to action, following the district approval of its Return to Play Plan. After the league was forced to suspend its spring season, along with all planned activities such as opening day, spiritwear sales, basket raffles, and its annual Hit-A-Thon, the league was uncertain of when baseball would return. After many meetings and conversations with county, league, and town officials, Phase 1 and 2 of the Return to Play Plan was approved on June 16, 2020. Phase 3 was approved on June 30, and the plan was amended on July 27 to include changes to certain restrictions. To view the current plan, please visit www.tllbaseball.com.

Baseball is not only resuming in Thurmont. After many years, the fields in Emmitsburg will be alive with activity as well. Thurmont Little League is lucky to be partnering with the town of Emmitsburg to use the wonderful fields that have been vacant for some time. Each division will be playing home games on these fields. They will also be utilized for team practices, as space is always limited during the season.

Activities officially resumed on June 30, with the beginning of a series of “sandlot style” pickup games for each age group. These games were open to the first 20 players to register online. The players were then split up and assigned to designated coaches who volunteered for each of the games. While no official scores were kept, it was a great way to get the kids back onto the field after several months of inactivity. Among the new restrictions in place during these games were enhanced safety measures, social distancing among players and coaches, mask mandates for coaches, umpires standing behind the pitcher’s mound, no use of dugouts or sharing of equipment, and extra sanitizing of balls and other items.

Registration for the extended fall season, running August through October, began in early July. Despite the pandemic, overall numbers were up this year due to the cancellation of other sports. The league ended up with two Major Division teams, four Minor teams, four Instructional teams, and four T-Ball teams. Practices began in the intense heat of late July, but that didn’t stop the dedicated players and coaches excited to be back on the field.

Thurmont Little League would not be possible without an amazing group of volunteers. From the board of directors, managers, assistant coaches, team moms, umpires, and down the line, nothing could be accomplished without this large cast of hard-working individuals.

Community service is a natural part of any youth organization. Because of this commitment, Thurmont Little League was happy to partner with the Potter Baseball Organization again this year, after a successful charity kickball game last summer. This group of young athletes, led by Coach and Author Jeff Potter, travels from town to town completing service projects and teaching about how baseball used to be played. On July 23, the Potter Baseball team arrived and helped volunteers from the town and league paint the Thurmont Food Bank exterior. Thurmont Little League was happy to provide lunch and snacks, with special help from Rocky’s Pizza and Thurmont Roy Rogers. The league is grateful to Coach Potter and his team and look forward to hosting them again in the near future. They will also be coordinating efforts along with the league to take a team of Thurmont youths to Cooperstown next year.

Prior to the season starting, Umpire in Chief Blaine Young held a clinic at the Thurmont Little League complex for managers and coaches to learn more about the rules and regulations for the upcoming season. There was also a focus on some of the additional restrictions and rule changes in place as part of COVID-19 and the Return to Play Plan. As mentioned, the league relies entirely on volunteer umpires. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the league website.

Finally, on Saturday, August 8, the opening day was held. Volunteers worked hard to adorn the complex with balloons, banners, and signs, outlining the new safety protocols. Basket raffles and spiritwear sales were held, and the majority of teams took part in their first official games. A successful, but hot morning was capped off with the sudden appearance of everyone’s favorite Kona Ice truck. It has been a long, hard road, but baseball is officially back at Thurmont Little League!

The groundhog failed to see his shadow, meaning Spring is just around the corner! With that, Thurmont Little League (TLL) is busy making preparations for the start of the 2020 season. On February 4, a very successful fundraiser was held at Roy Roger’s restaurant. Many families came out to enjoy a great meal to benefit the league and to register their children in person for the upcoming season. An overwhelming response to spiritwear and discount card sales led to a hugely successful evening.

Over 50 TLL players from across all ages attended the Winter Baseball Clinic at Mount Saint Mary’s University. This three-part session, led by college athletes and coaches, was a tremendous opportunity for the players to get some practice in before the upcoming season. Everyone involved seemed to really enjoy this opportunity, and the league hopes to return to campus later this year for TLL Day during one of the Mount’s home baseball games.

Player evaluations were held for the minor and major divisions on February 15 and February 23. There was an excellent turnout, and the players seemed excited to get back into baseball mode after a long winter. Team selections will occur on March 1 and, weather permitting, practices will begin the week of March 9.

TLL offers many volunteer opportunities for families to get more involved. Outside of coaching, there is always a need for concession help and volunteer umpires. TLL will hold an Umpire Clinic on March 21 for any interested parties to see what is involved or to brush up on their skills. The league is in need of adult umpires ages 18-plus, but there are also youth umpiring spots available for ages 13-17. This is a great way to earn community service hours. Umpiring spots are available for a few, or several, games if desired.

For more information, please visit the umpire section of the TLL website. Please pass the word to anyone who may be interested!

The Thurmont Little League Board has been hard at work making plans for opening day, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 4. Along with a full slate of games, the day will also include an introduction of all players and coaches, as well as a special ceremony hosted by WFRE’s own Brian Mo. The first pitch will be thrown out by head Catoctin baseball coach Michael Franklin, who is the reigning Frederick County Teacher of the Year. There will be fun for all ages, with animals on display by the National Park Service, ice cream from Antietam Dairy, face painting, basket raffles, and more. You won’t want to miss out on the fun, so please mark this date on your calendar.


TLL players attend the Winter Baseball Clinic at Mount Saint Mary’s University.

The Thurmont Little League Minors Pirates won their in-house playoff championship game on Saturday, June 15, 2019.  They won in the fifth inning, 15 to 14. Players names are: Devin Youngerman, Theron Rolko, Carson Fry, Parker Davis, Jacob Burtner, Logan Holden, Ben Blackwell, Dalton Mathias, Brody Mathias, and Tyrone Vanecho. Team coaches are Joey Youngerman, Matt Rolko, and Rick Fry.

Blair Garrett

April is upon us. The sun is shining, the last remnants of snow are finally withering away, and the faint sound of kids flocking to the ball fields are off in the distance. With the start of Little League season just a few days away, kids between ages 4-12 across Emmitsburg and Thurmont are breaking in the mitts getting their first taste of Spring baseball for 2019.

For years now, baseball has been the pinnacle of success for the local youth leagues, with Thurmont Little League teams winning multiple accolades and providing kids an opportunity to explore the sport of baseball in a fun and encouraging environment.

Thurmont Little League supports four teams: Tee ball, Instructional League, Minor League and Major (Little) League. Kids are separated by age where they learn everything from the basics of the game to the mechanics of becoming a great baseball player.

Over just the past few years, Thurmont baseball teams have become the 2015 and 2016 9/10 state champions, 2016 Little League District II Champions, 2017 9-11 District II Champions, 2017 Little League District II and Maryland State Champions.

Winning has followed this program for years now, and the Thurmont Little League will look to replicate that success come Opening Day on April 6. The involvement from players to coaches and down to the parents has given families a great outlet to teach and grow with their young little leaguers and may just be the foundation to the club’s success. 

The Thurmont Little League was established in 1952 and continues to be a driving force behind the love of the game of baseball in the Catoctin Area for kids year after year.

Registration may be closed for the upcoming season, but showing support at Leisner Field of the Thurmont Little League Complex is always welcome and appreciated. Come support your community and your favorite little leaguers as the teams aim for Little League glory once again.

James Rada, Jr.

Emmitsburg will still have baseball in town this season, but it won’t be provided by the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League (EBSL). Because of dwindling support and participation, the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League is taking a break to either re-energize or disband.

According to an e-mail from the EBSL to the Town of Emmitsburg, “Through the devoted efforts of a few, Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball managed to somehow survive the dwindling number of players and volunteers, but the time has now come to merge the two.”

Some residents expressed a bit of shock when the EBSL’s Facebook page showed a post directing players to register with the Thurmont Little League or Catoctin Recreation Council. One member wrote, “There were meetings scheduled to decide what to do. No one attended. More parent volunteers would have eliminated the need to merge with Thurmont. There were only a few board members doing all the work without a president or vice president or player agent or fund raiser, plus many more board vacancies. Some people said they would help next year, but no guarantee, and where were they for the past few years when help was needed. Too little, too late. This will at least provide the opportunity for more kids to play.”

Sandy Umbel with the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League said it has been years since the league has had a full board. This means that more and more duties fell on a smaller number of volunteers, and this led to fewer people willing to volunteer because they didn’t have the time to do everything. The league also had fewer than 90 participants last year. The softball program was dropped entirely because the team that did play, aged out. “To run a good program, you need probably 180 to 200 kids,” Umbel said. “Kids have been dwindling each year.”

With so few participants, all of the games could not be played against other town teams. The teams needed to travel to nearby communities to play against other teams. All of the travel proved to be a reason that many parents cited for enrolling their team in another league.

All of the Emmitsburg baseball players under thirteen years of age are being referred to Thurmont Little League so that they can register to play. Softball players are being sent to the Catoctin Rec Council.

“Little League is for every kid, and if we can get kids playing together, it’s a fabulous thing,” Thurmont Little League President Jeremy Johnson told the Emmitsburg Mayor and Commissioners.

He said that the area’s kids played basketball, soccer, and football together already, and once they reach middle school, they participate on the same teams. That was his vision for including the Emmitsburg children in Thurmont Little League. Coaches will hold a draft, where players are picked for a team, regardless of where they live. Emmitsburg players already make up roughly a third of the 250 Thurmont Little League players.

Thurmont Little League, which was established in 1952, has a strong record. Its teams were the 2015 9/10 Maryland State Champions, 2016  9/10 Maryland State Champions, 2016 Little League District 2 Champions, 2017 9-11 District 2 Champions, 2017 Little League District 2, and 2017 Maryland State Champions.

Some discussion has taken place about whether the name of Thurmont Little League could be changed, perhaps to Catoctin Little League, to reflect Emmitsburg’s participation in the league. Thurmont Little League President Jeremy Johnson told the Emmitsburg Commissioners that his board would not agree to that at this time. He pointed out that if the name was changed, and then in a year or two the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League decided to re-organize, all of the efforts to make the changes would have been for naught.

Thurmont Little League asked the commissioners to use three of the Emmitsburg town’s ballfields for practices and games during the season. This would ensure that baseball was still played in Emmitsburg. He said that Thurmont Little League would prepare, clean, and maintain the fields for the town.

The Emmitsburg Mayor and Commissioners seemed uncertain as to whether or not to embrace the merger. They were happy that children in town would still have a baseball league, but they were disappointed that it wouldn’t be Emmitsburg Baseball.

“We’ve got to beef it (our baseball league) up and bring it back,” expressed Mayor Don Briggs.

Commissioner Cliff Sweeney asked why there couldn’t be teams that were just made up of Emmitsburg players.

“The segregation of Thurmont and Emmitsburg is defeating the purpose of why Sandy (Umbel) came to me,” Johnson said.

Sweeney then mentioned that Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League had been affiliated with Thurmont Little League at one point, but it had become part of the Cal Ripken program. He said if the town started a Little League program again, the district lines for league teams would require any Little League players from Emmitsburg to play for the Emmitsburg team, even if they were currently part of Thurmont Little League.

“We’re trying to get our league established here again, and we’re not going to get that through Thurmont, I don’t think,” Sweeney said.

Commissioner Elizabeth Buckman pointed out that besides making sure there were enough players, Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball hadn’t been able to get enough parent involvement to run the program.

While the commissioners held off approving Thurmont Little League’s field use request until the league could decide on which specific fields it did want to use, they did approve a request for Mid Maryland United Baseball League to use three of the town’s six fields.

This relatively new league has traveling teams and, unlike Little League, not everyone makes the cut to play on one of the teams. It is also much more expensive to participate in this league. The league will be sponsoring several youth clinics in town, with the goal of eventually rebuilding a new Emmitsburg Baseball League that would be affiliated with either Little League, Babe Ruth, or Cal Ripken Baseball sometime in the future.

“A lot of people want to see it restarted, and once the mechanism is moving forward, I think people will be attracted to it,” said Commission President Tim O’Donnell. “Success attracts interest.”

So, the town now finds itself in the position of having its baseball players recruited for two leagues, and neither one is organized by volunteers in Emmitsburg, at least for this year.

State championship marks only the second time Thurmont has won this prestigious honor in over sixty-six years. Read story on page 27.

Pictured from left: #54 Will Gisriel, #33 Braden Bell, #4 Griffin Puvel, #13 Donovan Baker, #35 D.J. Shipton, #7 Connor Crum, #21 Joe McMannis, #23 Braden Manning, #3 Josh Skowronski, #34 E.J. Lowry, #17 Logan Simanski, and #77 Peyton Castellow. Not pictured: Manager Tim Castellow; Coaches Chris Skowronski and Ed Lowry.

For only the third time in twenty-seven years, a team from Maryland District 2 has won the Maryland State Little League Championship.  This year’s champions are from our very own community: Thurmont Little League. Each year, over eighty Little Leagues from across the State of Maryland compete for the championship. Thurmont Little League punched their ticket to the State tournament by winning the Maryland District 2 Championship.

This State championship marks only the second time Thurmont has won this prestigious honor in over sixty-six years. The last team from Thurmont to win the Little League division State championship was the team in 2005, managed by John Tomasini. This year’s team faced some very tough competition, beating teams from Elkton Little League (11-1); Easton Little League (17-0); and then a very tough Berlin Little League, twice (3-2, 11-5).

“This is a very special group of young men,” commented Ed Lowry, Thurmont Little League president and assistant coach on the team.  “Each of these boys accept their respective roles on the team, and are willing to do whatever for the greater good of the team. They represent our communities with such pride, dignity, and class, it’s just a privilege for our coaching staff to work with these fine young men.  The success on the field is great, but the comments we get about their character is even more rewarding.”

With this victory, Thurmont Little League has earned the right to represent the State of Maryland in the Mid-Atlantic regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, this coming August 5-12. All of those games are televised on the ESPN family of networks.  Thurmont will play their first game on Monday, August 7, at 4:00 p.m., versus the winner of the Pennsylvania/Delaware game. Our Banner readers can watch that game on ESPN3.

With this success comes some financial challenges for the team’s families. The team just recently spent the week of July 14-21 on the Eastern Shore in Maryland, participating at the State tournament. The families incurred a collective expense of nearly $19,000 to participate at the State-level tournament. “We were very fortunate to receive a donation from the Town of Thurmont in the amount of $1,500 to help offset some of the cost. Mayor Kinnaird and Board of Commissioners from Thurmont have been staunch advocates and supporters of our program over my tenure at Thurmont Little League. Other than their generous donation, our families picked up the rest of the expenses,” Lowry commented.

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for Thurmont Little League, both on the field and making the preparations to get to the Bristol, regional tournament in August.

“Unfortunately, Little League doesn’t contribute to the expenses of the families to get to Bristol. It’s a real financial burden in some cases.  We estimate the expenses somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000,” stated Lowry. Thus, the Thurmont Little League players and families are in active fundraising mode. If you would like to donate, you can do so via their “GoFundMe” page at: www.gofundme.com/11-12ThurmontAll-Star-s, or go directly to their website at TLLbaseball.com and click on the “donate” link.

“The great part about this is that everyone in the community can be a part of this. You will get to watch the team play on ESPN and know that your donation helped get them there,” said Lowry.  “We have adopted the hashtag #SmallTownBigDreams for this team, and I can assure you that this group of boys will make you proud to say that they are a team from your hometown community.” The Thurmont Little League 11-12 team leaves for Bristol on August 4.

 

Melissa Kinna

On Saturday, April 15, 2017, over 275 Little League players, ages four through twelve, will take to the fields for the 2017 Thurmont Little League (TLL) Opening Day of Baseball. The day will begin at 8:45 a.m., with the first round of games, followed by an Opening Day Ceremony at 10:00 a.m., with special guest announcer Brain Mo from WFRE.  The Board of Directors would like to invite the entire community to celebrate the beginning of the 2017 season.

The TLL Opening Day festivities will include two Egg Hunts for the kids at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., as well as 50/50 drawings, ice cream, and more.

“Our Opening Ceremonies are always a wonderful day to celebrate our players, parents, and volunteers,” said Ed Lowry, TLL president.

Little League has provided communities around the world the opportunity for families to connect and for children to come together in a healthy, safe environment to learn the values of team sports and the fundamentals of baseball. Thurmont Little League is proud to have been able to provide this opportunity to our community for sixty-six years, and continue to be one of the largest youth sports association in the Northern Frederick County area.

It will be a great 2017 season at Thurmont Little League, so please mark your calendars for Opening Day on Saturday, April 15. Check us out on the web at www.TLLbaseball.com, visit us on Facebook: ThurmontLittleLeague, or on Twitter or Instagram @theTLLnetwork.