Colville Baseball to Take Over Little League Program from Kiwanis

“Colville Baseball is proud to announce an exciting new chapter for youth baseball in our community. We are officially taking over the Colville Little League program from Kiwanis,” said Colville Baseball President Sawyer Bardwell.

The transition places oversight of Little League under the same umbrella as Colville’s broader baseball programs in an effort to create a streamlined structure from youth levels through high school.

“This transition allows us to streamline fundraising, align our programs, and create a more unified baseball culture in Colville, from Little League all the way through high school,” Bardwell said.

Bardwell, who took over as president two years ago, said the program was still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time.

“It really hurt the booster program, but we got a great group of people going now, and we have a good base,” he said.

Since then, the organization has rebuilt its board and volunteer base and begun working closely with area coaches to strengthen the sport locally and turn Colville into a baseball town.

“Kiwanis has run it for years and has done a good job,” Bardwell said. “With the number of their members going down, the organization asked to pass the baton over to us, and we made that work.”

With Little League now under its direction, Bardwell said Colville Baseball can consolidate fundraising efforts and operations. The organization is also trying out a few online platforms to make it easier for people to register their kids for playing.

A major focus moving forward will be consistency in player development. Bardwell said the organization plans to implement coaching clinics to ensure young players are taught foundational skills the same way at every level. Facility improvements are also high on the priority list. Colville Baseball works closely with the City of Colville and the school district, and leaders hope to invest in safety and upgrades across multiple fields.

“We are fundraising to come alongside the city,” Bardwell said. “We have a good relationship with them, and our goal is to improve the fields. The big things on our list include redoing the fencing and cutting into the bank of the high school field to adjust the outfield dimensions."

Colville utilizes the city park field and two junior high fields, with additional progress made in recent years at Macdonald Park and Fort Colville.

“Last year, with donors, we did a lot of work on Macdonald Park,” Bardwell said. “We were able to put fences up, bring in benches, and bring in topsoil, so it’s not that far off from being able to play games on. We also went through a donor to redo some of the fields at Fort Colville, brought in dirt, and made it into an actual diamond. Now we have up to five fields we can use. If we can keep growing the program with players, we can fill those up.”

Bardwell emphasized gratitude toward Kiwanis for its longstanding support of youth baseball.

“We are incredibly thankful to Kiwanis for their many years of dedication and support of Little League baseball in Colville. Their foundation has helped make this next step possible,” he said.

To support the expanded program, Colville Baseball is ramping up fundraising efforts, including banner sponsorships and the return of its popular Shrimp Broil fundraiser.

“The two big hitters are selling banners for the field,” Bardwell said. “A business can purchase a banner for $600, and it will be put up in three different locations. We’re hoping to get as many businesses as possible. It would be pretty sweet to have the whole outfield plastered with signs.” 

Bardwell said the Shrimp Broil, once the organization’s largest fundraiser, is gaining momentum again after a hiatus during COVID-19. The event is scheduled to occur at the Ag Trade Center in Colville on Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. Advance tickets cost $25 a person, $40 for two people, and $12 for a child 12 and under.

“The Shrimp Broil used to be the biggest fundraiser for the program,” Bardwell said. “Before we restarted it last year, they had not done the broil since everything closed down for COVID.”

The organization hopes to significantly increase fundraising totals this year.

“We’re hoping to double what we did last year,” Bardwell said, estimating that the youth program costs between $5,000-$7,000 annually.

“One of the biggest reasons why we’re hitting fundraising is because of the additional cost of taking on the Little League program, which was funded by donors and Kiwanis,” he said. “Our goal is to not only fund that but also be able to do new uniforms for new teams, update some equipment, and a lot of this will go towards funding. We also want to work with the school district and renovate the dugout for the high school fields.”

Bardwell credited the Colville Baseball board for doing this work; Adam DeVaul is the board’s vice president, Nate Burkey is the secretary, and Sincerray Holland is the Treasurer.

“It’s been a privilege to come back and work as a Colville Baseball alumnus to serve the community and the youth this way,” Bardwell said. “Having coached before, I know how fundraising can go, and it’s a big help for coaches at the high school level not having to worry about bringing in money.”  

And at the end of the day, Colville Baseball wants to offer local kids the opportunity to play ball.

“This is about investing in our kids, strengthening our community, and building something that lasts,” Bardwell said. “The future of Colville Baseball is bright, and we’re just getting started.”

For more information, email colvillebaseball.official@gmail.com