Baseball League Celebrates 2008 Season

City Councilmember Eric Gioia speaks to players, families and friends at the 2008 Gioia-YMCA All-Stars Youth Baseball Awards Ceremony.

On October 4, the Gioia-YMCA All-Stars Youth Baseball League completed its seventh season with an awards ceremony at the Long Island City YMCA. More than 300 children, parents and family attended the event, held annually.

The players relived the memories of a good season and celebrated their accomplishments. The director of the program began the evening by talking about how this league was an opportunity to create memories that last a lifetime and learn valuable lessons that can be put to use in many facets of life. He remarked on how vivid some memories were from his own childhood and then said that he hoped that this league had created the same types of memories for those who have played during the seven years of this league. He cited specifically Charles Huynh's game saving catch in right field and his teammates subsequently mobbing him as he came off the field and Darryl Harris' first hit of the season to tie the championship game. He mentioned several others and then said those memories would be cherished forever.

Coach Luis Feliciano and Gioia- YMCA All-Stars Youth Baseball League player Devon Battle.

The coaches of each of the 14 teams then talked about all the good times that happened during the 2008 season. Each team member was called up to the stage and excitedly received his or her trophy. The director also thanked each coach for their dedication and commitment to the players and their teams.

Before Coach Luis Feliciano spoke about his own team, he told about when he filled in for another coach and a young man, a pretty good player, became upset when he didn't get his way, threw his jersey down and left the field. After the game ended, the player, in tears that he had acted in that manner, apologized. Feliciano said he told this story, not to embarrass the child, but to show that everyone makes mistakes and that the real lesson was to learn from those mistakes and by controlling one's emotions, one can reach one's potential. He then presented the player's framed jersey to him.

City Councilmember Eric Gioia, who appropriates the funding for this league, spoke of his early days on the campaign trail in Queensbridge. The league began seven years ago, when Gioia saw an empty park that he thought would be a good place for a baseball league. He took his fond childhood memories of playing baseball to the LIC YMCA and he and the YMCA partnered on the idea. The Gioia-YMCA Youth Baseball League is a collaboration between the people of the 26th District represented by Gioia and the Long Island City YMCA.

The league focuses its registration efforts in the Queensbridge and Ravenswood sections of Queens, but serves children from all of Queens and the city. This season the league provided an opportunity to play baseball for more than 250 children with more than 30 volunteers acting in various capacities. The program emphasizes learning the game of baseball and developing athletic and social skills while practicing the YMCA's core values of respect, responsibility, honesty and caring.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer coach or seeking more information about programs offered by the LIC YMCA, including the upcoming Youth Flag Football League, contact Thomas Sylvester at 718- 392-7932, ext. 239, or e-mail tsylvester@ymcanyc.org