MV Little League
MVLL is proud of its 2023 record. Thanks to MVYouth, the beautiful Penn Field was at the center of most of the action. MVLL kicked off our first ever local, indoor baseball pilot during February and March. Twenty-four children and six volunteer coaches participated and are eager to sign up again in 2024. Before the spring season began, the board created coaches screenings, manuals and a training. A needs-based scholarship fund and process was created. Through a combined effort from Vineyard Conservation Society, Nelson Mechanical, CPC funds and volunteers, MVLL installed water fillers at Veira Park and Penn Field. To increase competitive opportunities, we created three separate summer travel teams and reinstated the all-star games at Penn Field for the 8-13yr old divisions. The all-star game included fun/games for all kids, game announcers and a live singing of the national anthem. The Little League World Series returned to Penn Field in June 2023—we had a great community turnout in the stands. During MVLL play-off games at Penn Field, we brought back the tradition of honoring all players--from Tball-up--with pins, trophies, speeches, photos, etc. Through the summer and fall, MVLL partnered with Grand Slam baseball to host camps and pickup games at Penn Field. And . . . we finally now have signage directing families to Penn Field! Thank you to MVYouth for supporting a children's experience that has friendship, fun, fitness and fresh air at its core.
MV Little League
For decades, Martha's Vineyard Little League has been providing opportunities for Island children to play baseball. Penn Field remains the crown jewel of the Island's Little League experience. Minors teams look forward to playing "on the big field" for the championship game(s) and eventually moving up to play in the Majors. The complex remains professional, comfortable, clean and beautiful and MVLL is grateful to MVYouth for their generosity.
This year, MVLL has a fresh board. We are excited about what we have accomplished over the past six months. During the 2022 summer, MVLL initiated a free weekly summer pickup series for children aged 6-13 and is now developing a new "on island" indoor winter training program pilot. We have worked on our infrastructure by updating our bylaws and website and creating standing committees (budget, discipline and competition) and project committees. A coaches committee generated a coaches screening, training and manual for all levels. The new scholarship committee created a scholarship process and applied for grant funding. A new advisory board reviewed and revised league rules and additionally drafted a process for creating more fair teams.
Improvements were made at fields as volunteers cleaned out the shed at Penn Field and rotting picnic tables were replaced at Viera Park for below cost (thank you, Eden).
A new position was added to the board to help send more players to summer tournaments, thus satisfying MVLL's mission to include more recreational and competitive opportunities. We anticipated that MVLL's new mutually beneficial partnership with the MV Sharks will translate to expanded coaching and mentoring opportunities. The board has also applied for CPC funds to install filtered water stations at Penn Field & Viera Park, and to MV Bank for a special "Play Ball!" grant to cover uniforms, equipment and needs-based scholarships
MV Little League
Penn Field is thriving as a result of MVYouth providing us with funding to complete the project in full and we have been able to implement a great maintenance program due to continued local sponsorship and registration fees. Penn Field continues to be our primary field for our major league players. The secondary field is now also utilized for all of our T-ball games as well. Last spring, we had one of our largest groups in the past 10 years! At sign-up for our T-ball program in 2021 (ages 4-5), 65 kids joined the program and as well as another 20 unduplicated kids at other age levels ranging from 6-12 years old. Overall we had 240 kids in the program this year. Penn Field continues to be our home base for all little league activities, and has matured now into a beautiful established baseball complex.
MV Little League
Sadly, the pandemic prevented MV Little League from running a spring season in 2020. We are so eager to to play baseball again this coming spring. Stay tuned for an update next year!
MV Little League
Martha’s Vineyard Little League is run solely by volunteers. From coaches at the T-ball level to the board of directors, everyone participates for the love of baseball. All of the money MVLL raises from program fees, local community advertising and donations is used for player equipment, uniforms and field maintenance. Strong community support and volunteerism continue to make MVLL one of the most affordable youth athletic programs available on the Island. Penn Field is the central location for all Little League activities from opening day festivities right through to the final out in the championship game. It is the primary field for MVLL’s highest level of players, but also accommodates beginners on its adjacent practice field. Last year, MVLL had a significant increase in the amount of kids participating. Tee ball saw 75 new players step up to the plate, and the upper divisions drew in another dozen who had never played before. Additionally, the League expanded the age range to include 13 year olds. This not only increased the overall quality of play, but has better prepared these players for for Babe Ruth and High School play. Penn Field has quite literally been a game changer for Martha’s Vineyard Little League. It is a truly an inspiring experience to be there on opening day alongside 300 boys and girls in their vibrant team colors as they celebrate the start of baseball season with their families and friends cheering them on.
MV Little League
Martha’s Vineyard Little League is run solely by volunteers. From coaches at the T-ball level to the Board of Directors, everyone participates because of a love of baseball. All of the money MVLL raises from program fees, local community advertising and donations is used for player equipment, uniforms and field maintenance. Strong community support and volunteerism continue to make MVLL one of the most affordable youth athletic programs available on the Island.
Penn Field is the central location for all Little League activities from opening day festivities right through the championship game. It is the primary field for MVLL’s highest level of players, but also accommodates beginners on its adjacent practice field. Last year, MVLL moved up to an intermediate division in Little League. This enabled us to increase the size of the infield played upon at the major league level. This will better prepare our players for a higher level of play and give them experience for summer tournaments where the field is also larger. Because of this, we were also able to increase the age range of players in the program through 13 years old. As this will be the first year that we are able to offer spaces to youth of this age, we expect to see a rise in the quality of play and level of participation within MVLL.
Penn Field has quite literally been a game changer for Martha’s Vineyard Little League. It is a truly an inspiring experience to be there on opening day alongside 250 boys and girls in their vibrant team colors as they celebrate the start of baseball season with their families and friends cheering them on.
Martha's Vineyard Little League
Martha's Vineyard Little League (MVLL) continues to be on sound financial footing, and is committed to providing an affordable program for players ages 4-13 that is inclusive of every child that registers. Penn Field has been a significant upgrade in facility, quality and convenience for our community, and for 2018 the infield is being expanded for our Majors level to 50/70 (50 ft pitching distance, 70 ft base paths) from the previous 46/60. The larger infield allows for rules that are closer to high school regulations. Our Board has also seen that players enjoy these fields more when our travel teams play in tournaments during the summer. The biggest challenge facing youth baseball programs across the country is declining enrollment, and Penn Field and the change in rules for our most experienced level is an effort to play a faster-paced, more detailed game between pitcher, catcher, hitter & baserunners. MVLL is also starting an outreach program to the Brazilian community in an effort to increase diversity and participation for 2018 and beyond.
MV Little League
2016 marked Penn Field’s first full season of use. We were able to work out a few wrinkles that showed themselves during the summer/fall of 2015. Prior to the beginning of the 2016 season, we installed a sub-surface drainage system beneath the infield of the game field due to puddling water on the base paths. Both Opening Day in April and Championship Day in June were well attended with much applause for the overall facility. Games and practices in between were coordinated so the sharing of field time and practice equipment went smoothly. The availability of a batting tunnel has allowed for better run practices and pre-game workouts. The season also included “Little League World Series” participation which resulted in several home field games/victories – a first! Continued work includes the implementation of the remaining practice and game equipment, further establishment of the parking and socializing area(s), maintenance of the planted trees and privet hedge and outfitting the maintenance shed with storage for the field maintenance equipment. Coaches are gathering and the kids are dusting off their gloves (a baseball ritual in the northeast) in some of the local school gyms. With March a month away, Penn Field will come alive for another spring and summer of baseball fun. There is no one who is currently involved in the Little League program who is not aware of and thankful for MVYouth’s support.
MV Little League
Martha's Vineyard Little League was awarded funding to complete the construction of Penn Field, practice and game fields in Oak Bluffs that will ensure a safer, more professional game environment and a more centralized home for youth baseball. MVLL has organized competitive baseball on the Island for 50 years, with roughly 250-350 children participating annually. MVLL encourages participation and good sportsmanship for boys and girls in an environment of healthy competition, building community though teamwork, volunteer coaching and family participation. Over the last eight years, MVLL has worked to procure and clean-up an old car dump off of Pennsylvania Ave., in Oak Bluffs, to use as a multi-field complex and headquarters. After receiving Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds from the towns of Vineyard Haven, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury, as well as other local grants, the complex was designed and construction begun. Support from MVYouth has enabled MVLL to complete the final steps of this exciting project and enable the fields to be usable by the Spring of 2015. The new fields will enable MVLL to focus on skill development, provide additional advertising space to help sustain MVLL's annual operating expenses, facilitate increased family participation and host tournaments that will raise the level of play across the league.
MV Little League
PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT: Martha's Vineyard Little League was awarded funding to complete the construction of Penn Field, practice and game fields in Oak Bluffs that will ensure a safer, more professional game environment, and more centralized home for youth baseball. MVLL has organized competitive baseball on the Island for 50 years, with roughly 250-350 children participating annually. MVLL encourages participation and good sportsmanship for boys and girls in an environment of healthy competition, building community though teamwork, volunteer coaching and family participation.
Over the last eight years, MVLL has worked to procure and clean-up an old car dump off of Pennsylvania Ave., in Oak Bluffs, to use as a multi-field complex and headquarters. After receiving Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding from the towns of Vineyard Haven, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury, as well as other local grants, the complex was designed and construction begun. With additional in-kind labor, access was established, utilities laid and topsoil imported to the site. Two fields were laid out and the parking areas established. A maintenance shed was built, and a drainage system installed. Dugouts were constructed and field fencing erected.
Support from MVYouth will enable MVLL to complete the final steps of this exciting project and enable the fields to be usable by Fall 2015. The new fields will enable MVLL to focus on skill development, provide additional advertising space to help sustain MVLL's annual operating expenses, facilitate increased family participation and host tournaments that will raise the level of play across the league.