by

Alan B. Gibson

Spring sports winding down – with a strange twist

Spring sports is heading toward the finish line in fast fashion (unlike my two Kentucky Derby picks last week), and this season’s scheduled post-season will fall after the end of school for two of the three teams.

With an unusually mild winter now behind us, and only a day or two being missed due to snow and inclement weather, school will come to an end for this 2011-12 year next week.

So, when schools end – two of the three spring sports will continue. Only tennis is slated for a post-season ending this week with regional tournament play. Baseball and softball will head into district and then (hopefully) regional tournament play in the weeks following the end of school, with regular season ending for both squads during the week of May 14, followed by the start of post season the next week – beginning May 21.

Good luck to the Racket Dawgs, Bat Dawgs and the Lady Bat Dawgs as they head toward the end of this 2012 campaign.

Youth baseball opening day

Readers and fans will notice a change this season in the way we most often refer to the spring and summer baseball and softball summer leagues, as the organization has decided not to be affiliated with the Little League organization.

So, in most cases, we’ll be referring to the Albany Independent Leagues when we have notes about what was “Little League” activities.

With that explained – Opening Day ceremonies for our Albany Independent League season will take place this Saturday morning, at the Mountain View Park on North U.S. 127.

Festivities are slated to get underway with the 8:00 a.m. parade lineup from the Clinton County Middle School. Local fans can enjoy the parade through town, showcasing the players who will be involved this season, getting underway at about 9:00 a.m.

Returning to the park after the parade, the season opening ceremonies will commence, followed by a full day of games and other activities.

Same great concept, same great youth experience, same great fun. Just a new name.

As always – from one who has been there many, many years ago – hats off to the volunteers who make this youth experience happen each year.