The Indian Mills Athletic Association is prepared for opening day April 6 following a winter full of clinics.
The 10U and 13U boys and girls teams held winter workouts and softball ran a pitching clinic, baseball and softball director Dave Cilliberti said.
“At the baseball side, we do winter skills run by Tim Roach, and we worked out with Tabernacle Athletic Association a little,” Cilliberti said.
The IMAA has a good relationship with the TAA, working with the organization to schedule games and tournaments.
“I think the kids are ready. We actually had the first practice last Friday and they’re all excited,” Cilliberti said last week.
A portion of opening day is a cleanup of the fields, which is scheduled for March 29. The athletic association expects more than 100 participants from all levels of baseball and softball, as well as parents.
“We fix the fields up, grade the fields, fix the backstops, put up netting and clean the general area,” IMAA President Dean Egan said. “We also make sure the fencing is correct and paint the fields for the first games of the season.”
According to Egan, IMAA takes full responsibility for the upkeep and grooming of the fields. Any upgrades are done largely by the IMAA, even though Shamong Township owns the fields.
“There is team-building within their own teams and other teams [during the leanup],” Cilliberti said.
In addition to baseball and softball teams opening this season, the IMAA offered its first spring soccer league registration. The co-ed first- and second-grade teams will play April 6 through June, according to Cilliberti.
According to Egan, a field will be dedicated to Atlantic City Electric on opening day.
“They donate money each year to the IMAA, so we’ll be honoring them with a field dedication,” he said.
In addition to the dedication, Seneca varsity baseball coach Sean Cassel and Mayor Jon Shevelew will speak to the crowd. Millie the Clown is slated to perform at the fields, and children are welcome to play in a bounce house.
“It’s good for the family and the community to get together,” Cilliberti said.
The athletic association is a non-profit organization operating on donations and through volunteers.
“We do a good job raising money from the town. It’s based on people’s good deeds and people contributing their own time and money,” Egan said.
Originally, the program accommodated games on four fields. The space has since expanded to eight fields and includes new soccer fields at Stony Creek.
“We raise money anywhere we can,” Egan said.
The program hosts multiple baseball and softball tournaments to raise money, and in June, the IMAA holds a golf outing in Marlton.
“[The outing] is a big-time fundraiser for our league. We also run a War in the Woods baseball tournament over Memorial Day weekend where almost 60 teams come out and play over the weekend,” Cilliberti said.
In spite of recent field upgrades and ongoing fundraising, the association has seen a decline in softball and baseball enrollment.
“I don’t know what the exact reason is for declining enrollment. I know lacrosse is becoming bigger and bigger,” Cilliberti said.
According to Cilliberti, enrollment in the younger grades could be a factor. Cilliberti has two children in the Shamong School District, one in kindergarten, in a class of 85 children, and the other in the seventh grade with 120 kids.
“That’s a big downfall in kids coming through. Obviously, that has something to do with it. For example, last year I had 68 kids and this year I only have 44 girls in softball. We’ve got to get them back into this sport,” Cilliberti said.
Cilliberti hopes children speaking to peers about their experiences with the IMAA will change their minds and get them to sign up in the years to come.
“Getting them to come out is important. We have a great association and we need to get them to come out and play,” Cilliberti said.
Opening day for the IMAA is April 6 at 9 a.m.
“We’re all excited. Baseball and softball is America’s pastime. It’s a great sport. It’s great for the kids. It teaches them life lessons. At least three times a game they will be up at bat where the whole team is cheering them,” Egan said.
