International youth baseball comes to county
HUNTLEY — The mid-July tradition for local baseball fans – the McHenry County Youth Sports Association (MCYSA)Summer International Championships – is nearing and Huntley area teams will participate.
This year’s MCYSA tournament will be the 31st annual event. It begins with session one on July 12 through July 15, followed by the second session, July 18-21. Games are played at Crystal Lake’s Lippold Park and Veterans Acres and other locations.
The area will be contributing several teams to the 99-team field, including two from Huntley, the Citius Navy 8U and Raiders Baseball Academy 13U. The Lake in the Hills based Phenom has teams slated to compete in 11U, 13U and 15U.
Huntley families are also part of the homestay program, for teams from Japan, Brazil, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Some interesting facts about the contingents coming this year are that the Japan Little Senior Baseball Association selects one junior high team of about 25,000 teams to come to MCYSA. Also, the Maceteros squads from Puerto Rico won their first title back in 1998. Brail’s Beisball organization has also been a long-time participant.
“There are over 30 homestay families participating,” MCYSA Board President John Streit said. “Homestay is extremely critical to drawing international teams and we are extremely grateful to the families who participate.”
This year’s baseball fun includes the 38th state to send a team over the years as a North Dakota team has entered. Internationally, this is the 40th anniversary for the Macesteros baseball program from Puerto Rico and their achievements will be honored.
The public may catch the spirit of international competition at the opening ceremonies for session one, about 7 p.m. on July 12 at Lippold Park’s Mickey Sund Fields in Crystal Lake. MCYSA scholarship winners will be announced, Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblan will throw out the first pitch, the parade of participants will take place and national anthems of participating countries played.
The second session gets underway on July 18 and it will also have an opening ceremony. There will be recognition of the MCYSA Hall of Fame, the Crystal Lake Central Class 3A baseball state champions will be lauded; and McHenry County Board Chairman Mike Buehler will throw out the first pitch. A fireworks display is planned for 9 p.m.
One more international flavor to MCYSA is that the teams from Japan will attend a Chicago Cubs game against Milwaukee July 22. They hope to meet countrymen Seiya Suzuki (who met the team last season) and Shota Imanaga.
MCYSA Board of Directors include, in addition to Streit: Dan Malone, executive tournament director; Chris Wellspach, vice president; Brian Edge, treasurer; Todd Oconnor, secretary and Bob Frazier, board member at large.
For more information on the MCYSA Summer International Championships, visit the organization’s web site, www.MCYSA.org.
