Fall Baseball ... Sign Up NOW, and Not
While You're Away on Vacation in August!
It may be hard to believe in the midst of our recent heat wave, but fall will be here soon. And fall means Fall Ball, VLL's development-focused "second season" designed to promote player growth. The time commitment is reduced in the fall to allow participation in multiple sports or other after-school/weekend activities, and Fall Ball provides a relaxed environment to build baseball skills with experienced coaches and players. Some players may repeat their spring level, and others may play at the level they aspire to for the following spring (or try baseball for the first time -- it's never too late). There are no player evaluations for Fall Ball. Teams will be forming in mid-August. Register by July 31 to avoid missing out or getting wait-listed.
Seeking Fall Ball Coaches ... Did you coach this spring? Do you wish you did? The low intensity of Fall Ball makes for an ideal season to hone coaching skills. Volunteer as a head coach or assistant now. You won't regret it.
Vienna American All-Stars Claim Two More District Titles
VLL continued its unprecedented run of post-season success over the weekend as the "Code Red" squad of AL 11-year-olds and the "Red Storm" of AL 10-year-olds each captured the championship of Virginia Little League District 4 in their respective age-group tournaments. This is the third year in a row that a Vienna team has won both of these All-Star tournaments.
The Vienna National 11-year-olds went undefeated in pool play before losing their semifinal matchup to Reston National, and the Vienna National 10-year-olds were the runners-up to their crosstown AL rivals, losing a hard-fought (and weather-disrupted) game before a tremendous home crowd at Yeonas Park. The four VLL teams dominated both tournaments, finishing a collective 25-3.
Congratulations to all the players and coaches, and good luck as they each move on to pursue state titles.
The final District 4 tournament, for our Majors All-Stars (step 1 on the path to the Little League World Series in Williamsport as well as a chance to again complete the District 4 trifecta), begins July 2.
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REALTOR HITS A GRAND SLAM EVERY TIME: Real estate agent Omar Samaha of The Samaha Group of Long & Foster is proud to sponsor VLL’s new live and on-demand video streaming service at Yeonas Park (as well as this "Diamond Talk" newsletter). Through this partnership, The Samaha Group will be asking our fans each week we're in season to vote on a "play of the week" from Crabtree or Rhodes Field. The inaugural play of the week (if not the play of the season) was the walkoff, game-winning hit in extra innings in the Majors Town Tournament championship. Nico Aronin laced a double to right field to seal the victory for the Cardinals over the Pirates. Check out the play at the link below and stay tuned for more plays in the fall!
Town Tournament Victors. We are pleased to recognize and congratulate the three Yeonas Spring Classic tournament champions for 2024:
- Majors Cardinals (Manager Scott Leishear)
- 3A Orioles (Manager Mercury Payton)
- 2A Ryan Nationals (Manager Steve Ryan)
Hoffman, Wuckovich & Erickson Are VLL Coaches of the Year
 The heart and soul of Vienna Little League are the dozens of adult volunteers who selflessly give of their time each season to coach our young players. In particular, VLL's Minor League has a decades-long tradition of attracting tremendous (sometimes "undiscovered") coaching talent. Each spring, a committee selects a Coach of the Year for 3A, 2A, and 1A based upon, among other considerations, nominations from the parents of players. We received 15 nominations this year, and it was extremely difficult to select just one worthy honoree for each level. The 2024 VLL Coaches of the Year are Mike Hoffman (3A), Danny Wuckovich (2A), and Dylan Erickson (1A). These coaches represent the best of what VLL is. Please join us in thanking them for their service to the league.
Here's some of what parents told us about these fine coaches:
"My son looks forward to every single practice and every single game as a part of this team."
"Our son’s recollections of his Little League days will be all the richer for having played under such a fine person."
"My son has grown through his fears and thrived under [his coach's] leadership."
"His coaching methods are intentional and purposeful, while also being fun so the kids remain engaged."
"Due to his leadership, he has one of the most robust volunteer assistant coach and parent support networks that I’ve seen in Little League."
"My son has played organized baseball since tee ball and I have not come across a better coach!"
The TOV Wants Our POV on its Parks & Rec Master Plan
 The Town of Vienna Department of Parks and Recreation is currently developing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan -- "Our Plan to Play" -- to create a shared vision for a safe, accessible, equitable, healthy, sustainable, and community-centered parks and recreation experience in Vienna.
Our Plan to Play will emphasize the strengths of our community, identify missing needs, and define a multi-year vision to guide the maintenance, operation, and future opportunities for the Town's parks, trails, and recreational facilities and programming.
The town would like VLL's voice to be heard in shaping the future of the community's parks and recreation! Take just 15 minutes to complete this online survey by July 15, 2024.
Call for 2024-25 VLL Board of Directors Nominations
Vienna Little League is seeking nominations of qualified individuals to serve on our Board of Directors from October 2024-September 2025. Elected annually, the Board is a "working board" composed of volunteers with diverse perspectives, varied backgrounds and skill sets who commit to provide stewardship and strategic direction for our youth baseball programs.
New Board members are needed each year to replace those whose service has been completed. For more information about various Board roles, please see these position descriptions. (The current Board composition is available here.) At least 25% of the Board must consist of volunteers who are not managing or coaching teams.
Only a recognized Regular Member of VLL may be considered as a candidate for the Board of Directors. Any person who has volunteered for at least 40 hours within the prior year (October 2023-September 2024) will be recognized as a Regular Member. Qualifying volunteer service is not limited to coaching activities; service also includes time spent as a volunteer umpire, a team parent, or a volunteer at special events.
To be recognized as a Regular Member or to self-nominate or recommend a qualified candidate for the Board, please contact VLL Secretary Shannon Aimone ([email protected]) no later than Wednesday, September 4. Please provide your contact information and a description of your requisite volunteer service, validated by another Regular Member.
The election of the 2024-2025 VLL Board of Directors will be held at the VLL Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday, September 18 (time and location TBD). Participation at the Annual Meeting and voting is limited to recognized Regular Members of the league.
Lou Gehrig Day Event Was a Big Hit for VLL & I Am ALS
The I Am ALS organization extends its sincerest appreciation to Vienna Little League for its ongoing sponsorship and support of Lou Gehrig Day, which this year included the distribution of ALS awareness bracelets (and packs of baseball cards) to teams during the final weekend of the spring regular season. This annual program has been an integral part in the organization's efforts to raise awareness and find a cure for ALS.
For additional information about I Am ALS, please visit www.iamals.org to get updates on events, to learn about ways to receive support, or to get involved in making positive changes – such as increasing ALS research funding and promoting legislation.
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