Registration underway for La Jolla Youth Baseball

Registration is open for the 2015 season of La Jolla Youth Baseball at www.LJYB.org through Jan. 17.

Since 1952, LJYB has been helping kids learn the game of baseball and develop the skills needed to play. LJYB’s goal is to provide organized recreational baseball played in a healthy, competitive spirit with an emphasis on skill development, teamwork and sportsmanship. As a non-profit organization, LJYB depends on many generous community volunteers and donors who help make youth baseball in La Jolla possible.

For the fourth year, LJYB will continue its special partnership with the San Diego Padres in 2015. Through its Youth Baseball Initiative, every player in the league — from Shetland through Pony — will again wear authentic Padres jerseys and caps representing various eras throughout Padres team history. In addition to LJYB, the Padres team is outfitting more than 16,000 kids throughout the region in Padres gear. The Clorox Company has signed on as a title sponsor.

Opening Day is Saturday, February 28, 2015. Assessments are planned for the last weekend of January. Teams will be formed and practices begin in February. The regular season and playoffs continue through Memorial Day and post-season tournaments and All Stars continue into the summer.

A player’s division is determined by their age as of April 30, 2015: Shetland (ages 5-6), Pinto (ages 7-8), Mustang (ages 9-10), Bronco (ages 11-12) and Pony (ages 13-14). The cost is $205 and includes about 20 games and 40 practices over the course of the season. Shetland is $185 due to fewer games and practices at that level.

At the LJYB annual meeting in September, outgoing president Jim Benham reviewed the 2014 season including financial and facility operations, and tournament results, and he presented a slate of two new board members for election to three-year terms: Geoff Longenecker as incoming president, and Cindi Stratton as secretary. Continuing board members are Mark Bale, Brian Canino, Chris Coleman, Aaron Roberts and Bo Solis. Four Division presidents were also introduced: Mac Armstrong (Pinto), Walter Birnbaum (Mustang), Cory Lancaster (Bronco), and Tom Murphy (Pony).

Longenecker closed the meeting by thanking Benham for his outstanding leadership and years of service to LJYB. The new board held its first meeting of the 2015 season in October.