Lake Norman Little League has experienced rapid growth since its founding in 2011. The league started with 4 teams and 2 coaches, and has now grown to over 32 teams and nearly 600 players for the fall 2015 season. It is entirely volunteer run, with 125 volunteers holding roles such as coaches, scorekeepers, and concession workers. While the league has had success winning district championships and sending teams to state tournaments, its main focus remains providing an opportunity for kids to learn the sport and be part of a team. As the league continues to attract more players, finding sufficient field space for practices and games is a challenge, and the league is exploring options like building its own fields. Community support through volunteering, sponsorships, and attending games will

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“We were behind once. We came back to tie it up,” says head coach Tim
Buck to his AAA division River Dogs during a chilly weeknight game. The
fall baseball season was about a week away from wrapping up, and the
team—comprised of players between the ages of 6 and 10—was behind by
four runs.
The kids tried to rally. When their team was up to bat, those in the
dugout chanted for their teammates. They were reminded to start chewing
their “good-luck gum.” Unfortunately, the game didn’t turn around for the
River Dogs. It’s in these moments that the whole point of Little League is
evident—the players on both teams exhibited sportsmanship, respect, and
teamwork, and had fun despite the loss.
But don’t be fooled; Little League is serious business. The teams play
for championship titles, and in the spring and summer, All Star teams are
formed. These teams compete in district championships and then move
on to state championships. The best of the best make it all the way to the
Little League World Series.
Lake Norman Little League has had success. Over the summer, both the
A League
ofItsOwnLake Norman Little League started small and
has quickly expanded to meet the needs of the
community—all with the help of volunteers.
by Katie Coleman • photos by Justin Driscoll
The Rockhounds played the
River Dogs at the Westmoreland
Athletic Complex in Cornelius,
where most games are held.

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6- to 7-year-old All Star team and the 7- to 8-year-old All
Star team won the district championships for their age
groups and went on to the state championships. With suc-
cess like that comes rapid growth.
The league started in 2011 with four teams and two
coaches. This fall season, the league had 32 teams. From
fall 2014 to fall 2015, the league grew by 100 kids. Turnout
for the spring 2016 season is estimated to be about 55
teams, with 10 to 12 players per team.
“Some guys wanted to see better options for the kids in
the area,” says Glenn Jones, the president of the league’s
board of directors, about the beginning of the young
program. Lake Norman Little League was formed from
several existing leagues. The founders wanted a unified
group, rather than just pitting one lake town against
another.
Little League has a few missions including promoting
good citizenship, teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect.
“Our focus continues to cater to the kids who won’t play in
high school or beyond, but they have the chance to learn a
sport and be on a team,” says Jones.
The league is steadily growing—with nearly 600
players—and is still entirely run by volunteers. At the
moment, the league has 125 volunteers who have all been
approved after background checks. Volunteers hold every
role, including head coaches, assistant coaches, score-
keepers, pitch counters, concession stand workers, and
team moms.
Some volunteers continue to help even after their kids
are out of the program. Tim Buck, also a member of the
board of directors, says that Bill Hill, one of the founders
of the league, continues to help out. “He became a role
model to kids who may not have had one,” says Buck.
“He’s a role model to me.”
While the league has had major growth, there are a few
hurdles.
“The challenge we face is that we’ve built a reputation
as a great league, so we have an influx of kids and need
more facilities,” says Jones. “Everyone thinks there’s
going to be a slowdown, but there never is.”
Even with multiple fields at six different parks, there’s
still not enough space for practices and games for all the
teams they expect to have. The league has started a com-
mittee to see what it would take to build their own ball
fields.
“Our growth is now,” says Jones. “We can’t take 10 years

5. december 2015 lakenormanmagazine.com 65
waiting and have to turn kids away. That’s
the last thing we want. I’d hate to see a kid
who wants to play get turned away.”
While baseball grows for Lake Nor-
man Little League, they’ve decided to add
another option: softball. Cornelius already
had a softball league, and that has now
been incorporated into Lake Norman Little
League. The leadership from the Cornelius
league is staying on and is now part of the
board of directors.
There’s plenty for the public to do to
help the league continue to provide a place
for kids. The most important act: volun-
teer. As the league grows larger, it needs
more volunteers. You can also support
through sponsorships, buying merchan-
dise, and even just attending a game. The
league is there for the kids—go watch
them play ball.
Find out more about the league and how
you can help at www.lakenormanlittlelea-
gue.org. LNM