The Weston 12-U softball team walks in the Weston Youth League Sports Initiative parade which celebrates the opening day of the baseball and softball seasons on May 18. (Scott W. Grau | Sentinel-Tribune)
WESTON — On May 18, Weston’s youth baseball and softball players paraded through town in the village’s annual fanfare celebrating the upcoming summer season.
Seventy-five athletes representing six youth baseball and softball teams were accompanied by Bowling Green State University mascots Freddie and Freida, the fire department, sponsors of the village’s recreation program, and village officials in the Weston Youth League Sports Initiative parade
The paraders lined up at the Weston Library at 3:30 p.m., went through town cheered on by families and friends, and festivities and youth games followed at Spider Park.
“We had all the teams make a banner, they got to parade through town and their families and communities lined the street and we all threw candy,” said Jeanettie Zamarripa, chairman of the community relations committee.
The event is annual occurrence for Weston, but Zamarripa says the program is “under the supervision of a newly formed board of community volunteers with a vision for a better youth program.”
“Our program was ran by one or two people for the last several years and it was a little too much for that,” Zamarripa said.
“The women who were handling that stepped down and the village decided to put in place a new board, so there are now five of us who sit on this board that head up the program.
“So it kind of makes things a lot easier. We can delegate — we have one board member who handles field maintenance, and one who handles concessions, and one that handles the money, so now we’ve got a better handle on things so it makes things go a lot smoother,” Zamarripa continued.
“So the council put in place this new panel of people to take care of things and it seems to be working so far. I think it was definitely overbearing for the women in the past.”
Zamarripa believes this could also lead to an expansion of recreational activities within the village.
“We’ve got some good people in place now that are really passionate about making this program better. We’re kind of hoping to bring in some other sports as well,” Zamarripa said.
“The council is working with parks and rec on putting in some new pickleball courts, so we’re working on branching out into some other sports for the future.”
Zamarripa says scheduling and announcements for events are on Facebook at Weston Youth League, or you can reach her at [email protected].
