Parents: Before Purchasing a Bat

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Ten weeks following the Fundraiser is the start of the 2013 season. You only have ten days left to register for the 2013 Fundraiser. Look at the smiles on these faces! Follow this link and sign up now...

Thank You, Volunteers

Southern Little League would like to thank Jeanine Luciani and Bella Design for the logo and design work, Jeff Christians and Gilson Graphics for print, mail and email marketing, Tim Kolk, Steve Bender, Patty Malewitz and their committee and Mark Norton, Paul Vanderlei and Jeff Elble for compiling a comprehensive mailing list. The work being donated by all of these people has put Southern in a great spot for a very successful Lead Off Party.

Thank You All,
Bob Hams - President
Southern Little League

Matt Kutsche

On Friday January 11th, Southern Little League lost one of its very own special players. Matt Kutsche was with a team of people on a mission trip in Haiti when tragically their vehicle crashed. Matt did not survive. Matt was a player at Southern from the time his hat hung over his eyes in coach pitch until the most prestigious level of Big Leagues. He was also a dedicated umpire taking the time to teach the littlest players along the way. Matt was a valued team mate to every team he ever played for and leaves a huge hole in the hearts of those who knew him. He was a trusted friend, a loyal brother, and son and a man of impeccable character. My son Chris was lucky enough to call him his best friend, and we were so grateful with how much time we were able to enjoy Matt ourselves. Matt towered over most people and I’m not just speaking of his size. His great optimism in life, his faith in God, and his ability to make even a stranger feel like a friend are all virtues that came naturally to Matt. Simply put, Matt made a difference. Our families, our friends and our community are grief stricken but we will somehow move forward. Spring will come, new life will begin, and the first pitch will be thrown at baseball games all over the world. And this time, with no doubt, Matt will have the best seat in the house for each and every play.

- Terri Vulpetti

2013 Tryout Schedule

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE NOTE

First off, keep in mind that the term "tryout" here is a bit of a misnomer. It's actually more of an evaluation to help determine the appropriate league for each child. No one is omitted from participation based on this evaluation. We use the term "tryout" regardless, so bear with us.

To determine your child's official Little League Age, use their online age calculator here. Please use ONLY this official Little League age when considering which tryout session to attend.

All of the time slots listed below are for baseball only. There will not be a softball tryout session this year.

Please notice that only kids in certain situations need to come to tryouts. Read the conditions below carefully. If you find that your child does not fit into any of these situations, then there's no need to come to tryouts. Get it? If you're still not sure, you can contact the director.

Here is the schedule for tryouts:

• Date: Saturday, March 23rd
• Location: East Grand Rapids High School Gym.
• Please plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time slot.
• These times are subject to change. We will announce all changes on the website and email all subscribers. Sign up for email notification here.
• 9:00am-10:00am: all 9 yr olds (baseball). No 8 yr olds will be allowed to play in the minors.
  
• 10:30am-11:30am: all 10 yr olds (baseball) who were not in the majors last year and who wish to try out for majors this year. Also, any 10 yr olds (baseball) who are new to Southern this year must attend at this time. (For 10-yr-olds who were in minors last year and want to play in minors again this year, you do not need to attend the tryout.)
  
• 12:00pm-1:00pm: all 11 and 12 yr olds (baseball) who were not in the majors last year
• 1:30pm-2:30pm: all 13 and 14 yr olds (baseball) who were not in the juniors last year
• 2:30pm-3:00pm: umpire sign-up and meeting

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you know your child will not be able to attend, please contact the director.

Sign Up In Person for the 2013 Season

You can sign up in person for the 2013 season. This is for folks who do not want to use a credit card to register online. If you'd rather pay by cash or check, come to the in-person sign-up sessions where we'll be able to accept your payment and provide you with access to a laptop so you can fill out the rest of the registration information online. There are no paper sign-ups this year.

The in-person sign-ups will take place at Breton Village Mall. The sign-up table will be located near the fireplace inside the mall.

• Where: Breton Village Mall
• When:
• Monday, February 11th, 6-8pm
• Monday, February 18th, 6-8pm
• Saturday, February 23rd, 10am-1pm
• A parent or legal guardian must be present at sign-up.
• The child need not be present.
• We do not need to see birth certificates.
• Cost is $130, payable by check, cash, or credit card.
• You cannot sign up by mail.

Sign Up Online for the 2013 Season

• DEADLINE IS MARCH 15! (Deadline for Seniors is May 10.) Online sign-up will close after the deadline.
• The cost is $130. After the deadline, the cost increases to $150.
• You can sign up and pay online by clicking here.
• Please note: The online sign-up is hosted by a third party (active.com). There have been reports of high volume on their site. Please keep trying. There is nothing the Southern webmaster can do about this.
  
• There is no additional fee for online sign-up. The cost is the same as in-person sign-up.
  
• We no longer need to see birth certificates.