The Albany Independent League is divided out into teams and ready to hit the diamonds this year with newly appointed President Taylor McGaw.

McGaw is no stranger to the field as she played all through youth league, through middle school, high school and even three years at Berea College.

“It’s been trying, but I think we are doing good considering it’s everyone’s first year essentially,” McGaw said.

McGaw said the league has a whole new look, including officers with Vice-President Whitney Logan, Secretary Kristin McGaw, Treasurer Kevan Young and board members, David McIver, Josh Patrick, Adrian and Katie Pierce and Taylor Sawyers.

“Kevan is the only repeating officer,” McGaw said. “I went to a meeting and happened to be the only person there other than, of course, last year’s president. They said if they don’t have somebody to take it, there might not be a league this year. I didn’t think that was very fair. Do I have time for it? Maybe not, but these kids needed the league, so I stepped up to do it.”

McGaw said there are around 320 kids who signed up for divisions from Wee Ball to Live Arm.

Divisions this year include Wee Ball, T-Ball, Coach Pitch, and Live Arm.

“It’s just a huge number to me,” McGaw said.

Wee Ball and T-Ball are both girls and boys together, with Coach Pitch and Live Arm being separated in boys’ teams and girls’ teams.

“Those are like full teams too,” McGaw said. “We still took applications after deadline because we didn’t want to take away any opportunity from anybody.”

Having a youth program in Clinton County is essential to having players play at the high school level. Both the high school softball coach and baseball coach agree to have continued success at their level, there must be a feeder program that is alive and well also.

“I think it’s very important … especially as a feeder program into your high school teams,” MaGaw said. “I know numbers have been down the last couple of years. When I was in the youth program, that was the place to be. I wouldn’t have been where I was without that program and I would like to see the program back to that. I’m hoping my experience can reflect how I run the league. I couldn’t do it by myself, but I think it takes somebody who knows what goes on during the game to kind of do the back end as well.”

This year’s opening day festivities are scheduled for Saturday, April 9, with a little different schedule of events.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the IGA parking lot and finish up at the VFW field.

“We want to take it back to where it all started in Clinton County,” MaGaw said. “As long as the weather permits.”

MaGaw said to check the Facebook page for changes and updates.

“Line up is at 9:30 with the parade at 10,” MaGaw said. “Festivities will start at 11:15 and I know the parade won’t take that long, but it gives people time to park and that sort of thing. We have to be careful about parking at the VFW. We are going to sing the National Anthem, we will announce all the teams and then we will have a first pitch with a member of the VFW to throw that for us. There are several members who played youth ball and one of them is going to throw out the pitch. We will end with a closing prayer.”

MaGaw said it’s not a traditional opening day where the league has games, but she hopes to get back to that in upcoming years.

“When I did opening day when I played it was like a whole day with games and it was a whole thing,” MaGaw said. “I would like to get back to that at some point. We have to do what we can to start with.”

MaGaw said she is excited to get her first year as president underway with games.

“It turned out bigger than I thought it was going to be, but I’m excited,” MaGaw said. “I think now that COVID is dying down a little everybody is anxious just to get out and into things. I think that’s helped out numbers a lot. The game schedule will be completed shortly. I am working on that. We will probably play four days a week … Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.”

MaGaw said when she does make the game schedule, the VFW field will be included in the scheduling.

“We don’t know how many games we will have out there, but we want to have some,” MaGaw said. “We want to take it back to where it all started.”