For the last three weeks baseball and softball pitchers have been getting ready for the season practicing their throws in the high school gym at night.
Liason Rick Blais, working with about ten girls Thursday night walked around and watched, and corrected posture and pitches.
"Our registration night was on a storm night so we didn't have as many people sign up as usual," he said of people starting to trickle in now. "People are still coming out just a little bit slower than this time last year."
He said minor ball typically gets started the beginning of May and said registration for all levels, is still open until the end of the month.
Terry Gagnon, vice president of Innisfail Minor Ball, said the group isn't just looking for players but volunteers as well.
"We're always looking for coaches," he said, especially at the younger ages. "If you have six or eight kids you want three coaches at least so the kids aren't standing in a line with nothing to do." He said the organization has been focusing on growing the younger, early levels such as t-Ball, rookie and mites to build a base of interested players for the coming years.
"T-ball is getting kids out and active," he said. "Rookies, we set up a pitching machine and get the to hit off of that. It gets them ready for the next level. It's important to change it up so it's not adult style right off the hop," he said explaining some kids can find baseball to be slow. "At the younger levels we get them running after they hit every time just so that they're always moving."
Practices run Monday and Wednesday which he said compliments soccer which runs Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"We work with them that way so it doesn't conflict. It's good though too because every day after school or supper the kids have something to do," he said.
Last year the numbers grew in the younger groups with the association seeing three mosquito teams form instead of the usual two. Gagnon said the numbers are looking to be about the same again this year.
Anyone still wanting to register their children, volunteer as a coach or coordinator for the board can find more contact information on the website at innisfailminorball.com. Registration is due March 31 and forms can be printed off online and left at the town office.
April 24 and 26 players will meet at the arena for uniforms and practice.
