Saranac Lake youth baseball players hold the organization’s banner during a Memorial Day parade. (Provided photo)

SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Youth Baseball and Softball Association recently announced that registration is now open for the 2024 season.

Parents and guardians can register their kids for T-Ball, Rookie, Majors and Minors softball and baseball at www.slybsa.org. The league uses SportsEngine for registration, team rostering and communications, so parents will have to create an account, which is free, if they don’t already have one.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to complete registration as soon as possible so that team rosters can be created and kids can get their team jerseys/shirts and hats on time. Registration will close April 28.

Registration cost is the same as last year at $50 per player, with discounts available for families registering more than one player. Financial assistance is available, if requested.

Leagues: The SLYBSA will offer play at the following levels (Note: Age cutoff is April 30, grades as of the 23-24 school year.)

¯ T-ball: boys and girls ages 5 and 6

¯ Rookie: boys and girls ages 7 and 8

¯ Minors Baseball: boys ages 9 and 10

¯ Majors Baseball: boys ages 11 and 12

¯ Minors Softball: girls in grades 3, 4 and 5

¯ Majors Softball: girls in grades 6, 7 and 8

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Schedule

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T-ball and Rookie levels will start with Saturday clinics for all players during the month of May. After Memorial Day, we will divide the kids into teams and shift to Monday/Wednesday evening games and practices.

Minors and Majors Baseball and Softball teams will be formed in early May, when practices will begin. Games will start the week of Memorial Day, with Minors games on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and Majors games on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings. This schedule is subject to change based on field availability and weather.

T-ball and Rookie seasons typically run until the last week of June. Minors and Majors Softball goes until the first week of July, and Minors and Majors Baseball typically ends by the third week of July.

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Eligibility

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The SLYBSA is open to Saranac Lake area players only. It does not accept registrations from players who live in Bloomingdale, Lake Placid, Vermontville and other towns that have their own youth baseball and softball programs.

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Help needed

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Each year, the SLYBSA takes pride in teaching the sports of baseball and softball to local kids, but it wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated group of volunteers. To ensure a successful 2024 season, the SLYBSA is currently in need of the following people: coaches at the T-ball and Rookie level, volunteer field crew to maintain and upgrade the fields for our kids, and umpires who know the game and can work one or two evenings per week. Pay for umpires is $40 behind the plate and $30 for bases for majors games, and $30 behind the plate and $20 for bases for minors games.

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Sponsorship

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For those interested in sponsoring a team for the season: T-ball/Rookie sponsorships are $125, Minors and Majors team sponsorships are $225.

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Events

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The SLYBSA will once again march in the Memorial Day Parade and host the Memorial Day Classic at its fields this year. The league is also planning to host movie nights at the fields as a fundraiser for its Grand Slam Campaign.

For more information on registration or volunteering, visit the FAQ section of www.slybsa.org, or contact SLYBSA President Chris Knight at cknight27@yahoo.com or call/text 518-637-5814.