FREEPORT, Grand Bahama … Youngsters involved in the Legacy Baseball and Softball Association programmes on Grand Bahama will return to action with preseason activities, games, and registration beginning this coming weekend.

Lillian Carey vice president of the Association revealed plans for preseason exhibition baseball games, and registration for the 2009 season in both baseball and softball beginning this coming Saturday, January 10, 2009.

“We have invited all baseball coaches to contact their players from last season to be on hand at the YMCA this Saturday to begin preparation for the ’09 season.   They should be at the YMCA in your 2008 season team uniforms at least one hour prior to the schedule game time,” said Carey.

Larry Russell, Vice President Baseball, said “Our programme will involve conditioning and training to be followed by the advancing of players to the next level where needed for the upcoming season.”

The baseball preseason schedule is as follows:

Saturday January 10th

12:30 pm          PINTO Division   Top-It-Off Tigers vs Burger King Rockies

2:00 pm            BRONCO                      Cardinals vs Mets

3:30 pm            PONY                           BTC Dodgers vs YAC Pirates

All winners will play the following week vs last year's champions.

Saturday January 17th
12:30 pm          PINTO               previous week's Winner vs Hong Kong Cuisine White Sox
2:00 pm            BRONCO          previous week's Winner vs Kitty's Boutique Yankees
3:30 pm            PONY               previous week's Winner vs PA Braves

SOFTBALL

In Legacy softball, preseason activities begin at the GB Catholic High Field this Saturday at 10:00 am as conditioning starts for players in preparation the upcoming Softball camp and College Showcase, January 23-25, 2009 at St. Paul’s College Field.

Yvonne Lockhart, Vice President for Legacy Softball said the softball league is inviting young ladies of all ages interested in softball to attend on Saturday to register for the upcoming season and to commence workouts.

“We are returning to workouts following the holidays and we want to get in as much conditioning as possible as we prepare to host Coach Dale Atkinson and his softball team from Indian River Community College to conduct a clinic for our coaches and junior softball athletes from January 23 – 25, 2009.  

“Coach Atkinson will be accompanied by other coaches who will assist with the clinic and organize an exhibition game against our local talents.   This is the second such event being held on Grand Bahama in partnership with Indian River and Bahama Telecommunications Co, (BTC).

“Beginning this weekend we intend to afford as many of our young ladies as possible from Grand Bahama, high school and night leagues, an opportunity to showcase their talent, and they will be joined later this month by other participants from around the Bahamas for the softball camp and clinic,” said Ms. Lockhart.

Steve Burrows, President of Legacy said the baseball programme aims to improve on its performance in 2008 when it captured two divisions in the Bahamas Baseball Federation’s Andre Rogers Championships in June in Nassau.

“Our team of executives and coaches are to be commended for the leadership which saw Legacy performing so well in the ’09 championships, and we hope to a least duplicate that performance if not improve on it this year.

“In concert with the YMCA we are looking to improve our facilities and afford the youngsters in the programme greater opportunities to improve their skills,” said Burrows.

The President made an appeal to the corporate community to lend their support to the programme through sponsorship of teams and encouraging the registering of children in Legacy’s baseball or softball programme which run from February through June.