The kids of summer
This weekend the smell of new-mown grass will permeate the air and the crack of bats against balls will echo across the Little League ball fields in Libby, as Libby’s Youth Baseball and Softball Association kicks off the 2016 season.
Opening Day activities begin at 10 a.m. with the annual parade, which begins at the Libby Memorial Events Center and will proceed down Mineral Avenue. After the parade, players and fans will move to the little league fields for an entire day of fun in the sun, including games, food and the drawing of prizes from the fundraising raffle.
Jen McElmurry, owner of Teez’N Hair Salon, has been involved with LYBSA for several years and always looks forward to the opening of a new season.
“It’s really fun to see their little faces light up when they hit the ball and run their little tushies around the bases,” she said.
This season, thanks to the generosity of a number of local individuals and businesses, Libby’s kids will be playing on nicer fields and fans will enjoy the games on freshly rebuilt and painted bleachers.
Kenny Rayome has been working with a group of volunteers and donors to improve the quality of Libby’s Little League fields.
“I remember playing on nice fields and having a nice place to play when I was a kid,” he said. “I think today’s kids deserve the same quality experience.”
Rayome approached the City of Libby for assistance with the work on the fields, as they’re located in a city park. The city, he said, was instrumental in making the improvements happen.
“The city provided labor, equipment and dirt to build the new tee ball field, as well as a lot of other help with repairs and filling in,” Rayome said. “I talked to Corky Pape, and he was great in getting us what we needed to make this happen.”
One of the upgrades fans will notice this year is a newly-painted flagpole. With paint donated by Jeff Forster of Woodland RV Park and equipment donated by Rick’s Rental, Libby Police Sergeant Darren Short painted the pole. Noble Excavating donated time and equipment to help level and pack the infields, and Brent Teske and Brent Orr sprayed the weeds around the complex.
Rayome said there are more kids participating in youth baseball and softball than at any time in recent history.
“We have 35 teams this year, including eight in tee ball,” he said. “That might not be as many as we had in Libby’s heyday, but it’s certainly more than we’ve had any time recently.”
McElmurry extended an invitation to the entire community to participate in the Opening Day festivities.
“Come on out and support the kids, the community and the Little League,” she said. “We’ll have concessions all day long and it’s going to be a really fun time.”