The first pitches of the Little League season have been thrown.
Kicking off the season despite a bit of rain, Mineola, East Williston, and Williston Park held their annual Little League parades on Saturday. Parade day doubles as opening day, Mineola Mayor Paul Pereira said, something athletes and their families look forward to.
“It’s always a lot of fun,” Pereira said. “It’s great to see the kids and their parents, and it’s always nice to see the snacks and hot dogs and pretzels and Cracker Jacks and all. It’s as American as it gets.”
“The village is so much more than just taxes and roads and garbage and snow,” Pereira added. “This is a big part of our community, these kinds of events we have for our children. It’s important that the village recognizes the importance of it, especially in this day and age where students are indoors, on their devices. It’s nice to promote a healthy lifestyle, get students outdoors, being active, being physical, learning the lessons of teamwork and overcoming adversity and improving through hard work.”
In Mineola, the parade began in the village’s Wilson Park at 9 a.m. Young players marched through the village, ending up at the Mineola Athletic Association Field.
East Williston’s parade kicked off at The Wheatley School at 11 a.m. where athletes marched around the high school’s track.
“The coaches and Little League Board, by doing what they do and mentoring these children, contribute to our community in a way that is unique,” East Williston Mayor Bonnie Parente said. “It’s an organized coaching mentorship program that promotes not only sportsmanship, but the idea of being outside, being off your phones, being part of a team,” she added. “It gets families together.”
She said the program’s graduating seniors caught the first pitch from the league’s youngest players during the season’s kick-off.
“It was a touching moment. They were passing the ball, passing the torch, to the next generation,” Parente said. “It’s especially nice for newer families to see how the older families stay involved.”
Williston Park’s Little Leaguers also began their parade at 11 a.m. at the corner of Broad Street and Hillside Avenue, in front of Frantoni’s. The athletes and coaches traveled onto Willis Avenue, Dartmouth Street and Yale Street before arriving at a small celebration with hot dogs and pizza.
“It’s been a tradition going back to the beginning of Little League, and it’s an event that creates a lot of community spirit,” said Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar, who added that his children used to play in the league when they were younger.
“It reminds people of the small village we are and how we are a great community who work and play together,” he added. “It’s a great day for the village.”
