Creating a Calendar For Your Local League
Early organization is key in setting the tone for a successful Little League® season. A great way for league officials to jump start their planning is by developing a calendar of events to create an outline of important dates. The calendar should include dates and deadlines established by Little League, in addition to local league and community events and meetings.
There are a variety of formats available for calendar creation. Calendar building tools are available online. Additionally, something as simple as an Excel spreadsheet could also be used to create a calendar.
Once established, the league’s calendar of events should be made readily available and should be posted on the league’s website. Social Media pages can also be used to remind people of important dates. There are tools that allow events to be created in advance and automatically post at designated times.
A league’s calendar should include important Little League dates and deadlines. The calendar should also include the dates of key local league activities and events. Some examples would include:
- Registration Days
- Tryouts
- Clean-up/Work Days at the Fields
- Coaches Meetings and Trainings
- Parent Meetings
- Board Meetings
- Tournament Dates
It would also be helpful to note community/school events on the calendar. By plotting this information in advance, leagues can effectively plan out their season, ensuring that there are no overlaps or conflicts with other community events. For example, you may want to consider planning your main registration days during a time when very few other events are happening in your town. This may prompt local media outlets to focus on your league’s registration instead of other happenings.
By doing a little more work on the front end to establish the season’s calendar, leagues can communicate information earlier to parents and players to generate more excitement about the upcoming Little League season, which will hopefully result in more participation.