Warsaw Little League Teaches Kids the Value of Teamwork
Writer / Matt Keating
Photography Provided
Tony Clay with the Warsaw Little League says the league is valuable for young people.
“The Warsaw Little League is a 501(c)(3), which certainly teaches kids the value of teamwork, dedication, discipline, physical fitness and conflict resolution,” Clay says. “The game of baseball is one of the great teachers of the game of life. It’s a game that can really knock you down emotionally, so learning to deal with that in a game setting turns the diamond into a classroom if you, the player, let it take hold as a lesson. We like to think players take these lessons with them into their lives and build on them.”
Clay was the league president for three years until last August, when he stepped in as treasurer. He says the program benefits the whole community. It also brings families, friends and the people of Warsaw together.
“The Warsaw Little League benefits the whole community as a fantastic activity which can be enjoyed by all ages,” Clay says. “Players from ages 4 to 18 will play at our parks on assorted teams, and with them come siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers and past coaches. The congenial environment of game day at the ballpark is truly a great and therapeutic place for people to leave the troubles of the world behind for a little while. When 50,000 people pass through the gates each year, that’s a lot of much-needed stress relief in these ever-changing times.”
The league, which completed its 70th season in 2021, has been a positive way to bring different generations together.
“The Warsaw Little League has had multigenerational families through the ballpark,” Clay says. “We have grandparents watching their T-ballers play who also played their baseball games at either our current facility or at the previous sites. One of our first-ever coaches, Charlie Ker, started on here just after his senior year of high school in 1952. When he had some children later in life, he coached his own boys as a 60-something coach some 40 years later. Charlie is rightfully immortalized on the Warsaw Little League Wall of Fame, citing invaluable service to the league.”
The Warsaw Little League leaders hope to have their first season of Challenger Baseball, which is a league specifically for members of the special-needs community who wish to play the game.
“This would fill a need in our area, as the closest Challenger division is at Concord Little League,” Clay says. “We’re always excited about our spring and fall seasons, which serve around 700 players combined. We also have the Warsaw Community High School junior varsity season, which uses our park as their home field most of the time.”
Clay says the league brings out the best in everyone.
“What I personally like best about the league is that I love that kids of all skill levels can come out to the old ballpark and get hundreds of hours of quality time with coaches and friends – time that will hopefully etch positive, happy memories which they can take with them throughout life and hopefully when they return to the ballpark as a coach, umpire or fan,” Clay says. “Watching a generation of kids go through our park over the last 12 years has been a true joy. I can’t go anywhere in Warsaw now without seeing one of ‘my kids.’”
The Warsaw Little League has gone through several generations of baseball players with an ever-changing roster of volunteer board members.
“As with most charitable organizations, it is only as strong as its workforce of volunteers, and we are always searching for new, capable people to add their skills to the mix,” Clay says. We invite anyone interested in helping to email warsawlittleleague46580@gmail.com.”
For more information, visit warsawlittleleague.com.
