CFABA Sign-Ups Hit a Home Run

The first round of Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Baseball Association sign-ups were held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the on Grant Avenue. Additional Saturday sign-ups will also be held at the Quirk Cultural Center February 12 and March 4. The league, which has been teaching children baseball and sportsmanship for the past 50 years, welcomes players anywhere from five to 19 years old. 

Bob Brown, president of the CFABA for the past 14 years, has been involved with the association since he began coaching at the age of 18. “I have a lot of fun volunteering for this organization,” he said. “We want these kids to learn baseball, but ultimately we want them to learn sportsmanship.”

The CFABA has six leagues: T-ball for ages five and six, coach pitch for ages seven and eight, the H league for ages nine and 10, the G league for ages 11 and 12, the F league for ages 13 and 14, and finally the E league for ages 15 through 19. The teams within each league are organized to ensure they are even skill-wise. This past summer, 460 players participated in the CFABA across a total of 39 teams.

The price for joining a team within the CFABA is relatively low, and kept so by various fundraisers held by the association. One such fundraiser, the Joe DiGeroloma CFABA Memorial Golf Outing, will be held Saturday, August 6 at the Brookledge Golf Course. A Nite at the Races, another fundraiser for parents involved with the CFABA, will be held Saturday, June 18 at the Quirk Cultural Center. These two fundraisers alone collected almost $9,000 for last year's leagues. Fundraisers like these ensure that  participation is kept at a low price; the E league costs $50 per player while the younger leagues cost only $40 per player.

Additionally, the CFABA maintains a separate fund for special hardship cases; the association makes every effort to get every player out to the ballpark. Parents of multiple children benefit as well, because the CFABA offers a 'sign-up two, get the third free' special.

“We make sure everybody gets to play baseball,” Brown said. “We do not have tryouts. You sign up and you play. So we may not have the skill of Little League Baseball, but every single player gets to participate.”

Every player is given a complete uniform, which includes a jersey, pants, a baseball cap and socks. Catching equipment and batting helmets are also provided. The games begin Monday, May 23. The CFABA is currently working on a website that will be linked to the Cuyahoga Falls Parks & Recreation site. The site is expected to launch within the next two weeks.