YOUR AD HERE »

New summer college baseball league begins games Tuesday

Host a player

For its inaugural season, the brand-new Mountain West Summer Collegiate Wood Bat League is looking for local families to host players during the six-week season. Interested families can contact the league’s housing director Beth Dickson at 303-565-0354. For information on the league, teams and schedules, see the official website at http://www.mtwestsummercollegebaseball.com.

EAGLE COUNTY — Beginning Tuesday, you’ll hear the crack of a wood baseball bat whacking a horsehide ball in the sunshine, as God intended.

The Mountain West Summer Collegiate Wood Bat Baseball League opens league play with six teams packed with college players from around the country, representing six Colorado communities including Vail and Eagle/Gypsum.

ROLE MODELS



A few of them still need a place to stay, preferably indoors.

“We are hoping to place players with families who have young children currently playing baseball in local leagues in each of these communities.”Joseph LeFebreCommissioner, Mountain West Summer Collegiate Wood Bat Baseball League

Support Local Journalism

“We are hoping to place players with families who have young children currently playing baseball in local leagues in each of these communities,” said Joseph LeFebre, league commissioner. “We expect these college players to be significant role models and mentors to the younger players in each of the markets.”



Teams will be from Steamboat Springs, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Eagle Valley (Gypsum), Summit County and Vail. The season runs for six weeks. Teams will play three doubleheaders each week, generally on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

They have guys coming in from California, Arizona … all sorts of places.

“The draw is Colorado. Who wouldn’t want to spend six weeks of the summer in Vail, Steamboat or Summit County?” LeFebre said.

The Wood Bat Baseball League is designed as a developmental league for young players, with coaches from college programs throughout the country heading each team, LeFebre said.

League organizers are integrating players and teams into the community with baseball clinics and other activities. The plan is to put the players together with younger kids who are playing, LeFebre said.

LeFebre spent 20 years in Phoenix, where he has been coaching and scouting. He has been in baseball since he could see over the bat. He got together with some of the people he knows and set up his own league — this league.

Right now, the premier summer leagues are in Alaska, the Upper Midwest and Cape Cod. He has high hopes for his new Western Colorado league.

“There are kids on the Western Slope who are continuing to play. As we build this league, if they choose to come back for the summer, they’ll have a place to play,” LeFebre said.

Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 and rwyrick@vaildaily.com.


Support Local Journalism