Falls baseball looks to States; Low regional numbers has rep teams concerned

DAN DAKIN Sports - Friday, February 02, 2007 @ 02:00

Despite strong numbers for baseball in this city, declining numbers elsewhere in the region has forced the GNBA to look stateside for more competition. The Greater Niagara Baseball Association held a meeting at Niagara Falls Arena Thursday night explaining its plan to have most of its rep teams play in the Western New York Boys of Summer Travel Baseball League this season. The decision is the result of fewer teams competing in the Niagara District Baseball Association, which has been hurt by a decline in baseball enrolment combined with an increase in elite travel programs which draw players from all of the municipal programs. "We learned some information last week that it doesn't look like St. Catharines will have a travel program other than bantam," said GNBA president Bob Pysher. An uncertainty over how many travel teams Welland will field led Pysher and the rest of the executive to make a decision before being forced to. "It's a proactive approach on our part. The alternative is there's no travel baseball and that's not something anyone wants," he said. The Boys of Summer League won't mean any extra travel for parents because the furthest diamond is about 30 minutes away, but it will likely mean tougher competition because there are more teams playing than were in the Niagara District loop. "If you want to have the best teams possible playing in the Ontario Baseball Association (finals), you have to play against the best competition," said Vito Scaringi, who has two sons playing in the association. "I think this is something they had to do. They had no choice because the district has been dying." There is slight difference in how the age divisions are structured in the U.S., but Pysher said the GNBA will work around it. They will field teams in whatever age groups they have the numbers for once registration sessions are complete. The GNBA is also planning to turn its midget program into regional travel teams because of the lack of numbers outside Niagara Falls. Any players between 16 and 18 in Niagara will be invited to attend tryouts here for one of three midget-aged teams. The next registration session for the GNBA is Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the association's clubhouse. ddakin@nfreview.com