The Brookhaven Recreation Department is planning extra publicityfor the Dr. A. L. Lott Baseball League this spring in an effort toincrease participation after the league was unable to form in2007.

Only 26 children signed up for baseball last year – not enoughto proceed with the formation of teams in any age groups. Thisyear, Recreation Department Director Terry Reid said he hopes toregister more than 100 children, or enough for three teams in eachof three age groups.

Approximately 25 people attended a Thursday evening meeting atthe recreation department office to discuss league plans this yearand ways to increase participation.

In order to shed light on the league in 2008, Reid plans to mailout 200 postcards containing information about the league to allformer players on Feb. 1. He will also be distributing flyers toschools in the area in mid-February.

Also, two weeks before the league’s draft day occurs on March25, Reid and members of his staff will make personal visits to areaschools to promote the league during physical educationclasses.

The biggest challenge for Reid and the recreation department isnot turning children onto the Dr. A. L. Lott Baseball League, butbringing parents into the fold.

“We pretty much have the kids blanketed,” he said. “What we neednow is to get the parents informed. If we’re going to make thiswork this year, we have to have parental involvement. If you get100 kids together to play, but no parents, then you’re fighting alosing battle.”

Reid has also brought extra manpower to the Dr. A. L. LottBaseball League this year.

Joining the league will be two commissioners of baseball, RandyBelcher and Kenneth Smith. Belcher and Smith have coached baseballin Brookhaven before, are familiar with the area children and willhelp form the teams evenly when the time comes.

Also coming on board is Chase Coley, a former player from Co-Linand coach at Belhaven. Belcher, Smith and Coley will host abaseball clinic during the week of spring break to promoteawareness of the league, as well as to prepare the children whowish to play for the coming season.

Help from the outside has also been promised.

Community Action Group of Brookhaven President Roy Smith pledgedThursday evening that his group will be working to insuring thesuccess of the league.

“We’re going to be fully engaged in promoting the Dr. A. L. Lottprogram,” Smith said. “We’re going to get the kids together, getthe community together and see that parents get involved.Pro-active participation is the plan.”

Smith and the community action group will go pro-active onSunday mornings, as they plan to visit churches around thecommunity to speak to congregations about the league. Smith saidhis group will request three to five minutes behind the pulpitafter services are over.

Brookhaven Park and Recreation Department officials are alsooffering assistance to parents who may have trouble paying the $35registration fee.

Reid and the department will provide “scholarships” to insurethat children who want to play have the chance. These scholarshipswill be made possible by various donors and sponsors who will putforth the money for a child.

“The $35 fee covers everything a child will need. We provide thebats and helmets, and I have a lost and found supply of shoes andgloves from over the years that we can dig into,” Reid said.”There’s nothing out-of-pocket for a parent if they can afford the$35. If they can’t, they just need to come talk to us.”

Reid and his staff are hoping the planned measures will bulk upparticipation in the Dr. A. L. Lott Baseball League. If themeasures fail, the only alternative for continuing with league playis to combine similar age groups to form mixed teams, a measurethat failed when attempted last year.

“We might can combine some age groups, like 8, 9 and 10,” Reidexplained. “But you gotta keep them somewhat in their age and sizegroups. We don’t want an 8-year-old playing with 13-year-olds -they can throw hard and hit harder. The possibility of a childgetting hurt just ain’t worth it.”