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Little League in need of help

Lead Summary

After a year off, Little League baseball is poised to resume in Ely later this spring.
But first, the local organization needs some help - from parents and families.
If Little League is going to resume and Ely’s youngest boys and girls of summer are going to participate, parents need to step forward to assist a core group working to keep youth baseball alive.
“We’re in need of new board members, coaches at all levels, volunteers, somebody to schedule umpires,” said Kevin Marolt, one of two remaining board members.
In a transition from Little League’s last full season in 2019 to this year, the group is losing five of seven board members as children graduate up to higher age levels.
That leaves the Ely group scrambling to reassemble after the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 sesason.
“We missed a whole year,” said Marolt.
For Little League to move forward this year, the group needs help on multiple fronts.
First, coaches are needed for all four of the “majors” teams and as many as five “coach pitch” teams.
Coaches are generally drawn from parent volunteers, but one does not need to have a child in the program in order to coach.
The Ely Little League will also need someone to take on the task of coaching at the T-Ball level.
Meanwhile, after a year off, Little League is looking to get a head start on player participation levels for 2021.
“We want to get registration started in the next couple of weeks,” said Marolt.
While Little League majors teams have players ranging in age from 9-12, the coach pitch group includes some in the same age range and those younger.
T-Ball players may be as young as five years old.
Parents or others who may be willing to assist are urged to call Marolt at 218-349-4181, Tim Leeson at 218-343-3457 or tleeson@ely.k12.mn.us, or Kim Kerntz at 218-370-0533. Email inquiries may also be sent to elylittleleague13@gmail.com.

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