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INFORMATION AND HISTORY Grenada Youth League (GYL) daily operations are controlled by thirty board members and an executive committee. GYL has three lifetime honoree board members. (Aubrey Carter, John Bailey, Wayne Carson) Grenada Youth League (GYL) is a privately owned and operated (non-profit) league, which provides the ultimate recreation experience in softball and baseball for children from the age three to sixteen years GYL receives its operating capital from registration, sponsors, donations and post season tournaments. Also, GYL depends heavily on volunteers for most of its manpower. GYL has only one paid employee. GYL was started by Bob Ellard in 1953 with two teams and one field (Charlie Stewart Field) on Fairground Road, then expanded to four fields in 1971 with the purchase of the Moss property on Jackson Avenue Extended. GYL expanded in 1993 to seven fields with the purchase of the adjoining Whately property. In 2004, two more fields were added for a total of 9 fields on approximately twenty-five acres of property. GYL currently offers softball and baseball to approximately eight hundred children divided into seventy teams. Our softball teams are currently sanction through ASA and our baseball teams are currently sanction through Dizzy Dean. Girl’s softball was started in the summer of 1973, after much persistence from local mothers and fathers. At the time, there were rumors that idle threats were circulating by the mothers. A three and four year old T-Ball was added in the summer of 2004. The Grenada Exchange Club has played a vital role in our past. They assist in gate collections at preseason and post season tournaments. They currently have regular season concession rights until 2013. Both concession stands were built by the Exchange Club. In the spring of 2001 GYL named the park WAYNE CARSON PARK in honor of Mr. Wayne Carson who served as our commissioner for thirty-seven years (1963 –2000). Our annual preseason Frankie Bailey Tournament is held in April. The tournament started in 1990 with only area softball teams participating, then in 1999 the format changed to a girls and boys tournament with only GYL teams participating. Since the format changed in 1999, GYL has contributed over $38,000.00 dollars to St. Jude. It is estimated that over $100,000 has been donated to St. Jude in memory of the GYL Frankie Bailey Tournament during the 16 years of the tournament’s existence. After our regular season is completed, then the players and coaches select all-stars to participate in post season tournaments. Also, GYL normally hosts a post Season STATE or WORLD SERIES TOURNAMENT. Also, GYL is proud of the fact that Grenada High School and Kirk Academy soft ball and baseball teams have a 70.5% (720 – 217) winning percentage since 1997. Kirk Academy has won the state softball championship in 1999, 2000, & 2001. Grenada High School won the state softball championship (5A) in 2003, & 2004. At least 90% of the players at both schools have participated in GYL’s program. |