Bayport-Blue Point Little League Celebrates Opening Day

's annual season kickoff parade and opening day games featured the community's youngest athletes on the fields of .

After gathering at the with their families, little leaguers prepared to march with their coaches. With a fire truck escort, the parade participants marched down Snedecor Avenue to Academy Street, and walked to the fields.

Little League co-president Bob Draffin welcomed everyone to the opening ceremony, which included a ribbon cutting and unveiling of the new dugouts that the whole Little League community helped build. After the first official pitch was thrown Draffin yelled, “Play ball!”  

Coaches, parents and kids spread out to the different fields at Bayport Commons and spent the morning and afternoon mingling with their fellow leaguers, and of course, playing ball .

Little League Board member and coach Matt McGuire was excited to report on the newly constructed dugouts at the fields.

“They are ready and look terrific. They are totally done and everyone did a great job," he said. McGuire also spoke to the event of the day: "The kids are having a great time," he said.

Megan Alicia, a Bayport resident, has two daughters that are on softball teams. Like most of the community, Alicia looks forward to this time of year.

“I am very psyched about the season starting," she said. "It's a beautiful day for ball today.”

Kindergartner and t-ball player Elizabeth Wkan noted this is her first season, as she held tight to her pink baseball mitt.

"I cannot wait to catch a ball, I’ve been practicing at home," she said.

Saturday marked the first day of John Bachek's final season in Little League. The 12-year-old joined the league as a t-ball player when he was very young and now is on the AAA Twins team. Bachek noted he hopes to play either shortstop or right field this season.

“I think opening day is the best part of the year," he said.