[New] BATTER UP

DGYB and D.O.L.L.S. hit a home run with young players in the community

BY CINDY MAQUET

Take me out to the ball game right here in good ol’ Downers Grove!

Whether Downers Grove Youth Baseball (DGYB) or Downers Own Little Lassie Sports (D.O.L.L.S.), these two organizations have become quite the dynamic duo by bringing hundreds of girls and boys together to play ball for over 70 years.

In 1952, the DGYB league was formed with 10 teams. Now, 70 years later, 54 teams are in the organization ranging from kindergarteners to 18-year-olds. The organization had a record-breaking 700 players this past spring.

Dgyb

DGYB starts its program with a developmental league in kindergarten. This league runs through second grade, followed by a Youth League for players in grades three through six. Next, they have the Prep League for 13- and 14-year-olds. What makes DGYB stand out is the addition of the Babe Ruth and Palomino teams. This allows the players to continue playing through high school.

In 2013, the White Sox became DGYB’s biggest sponsor. Every year the entire league is invited to attend a White Sox game as a fundraiser to benefit the program. The players wear their jerseys, sit together and get to walk on the warning track before the game. This year was extra special for one lucky player. “I was excited when I learned I was chosen to throw out the first pitch. It was cool to walk on the field and mound and throw the pitch,” said Ethan Miller (14U), who has played DGYB since he was 6 years old.

DGYB also offers an Umpire training program. Many players in the league take advantage of this opportunity. Players must be 12 years old and attend a weekly training session from January until the season begins. James Tremmel, Chairman of the DGYB Board and whose son went through the training, explained, “It is a tremendous program. It not only is a way for the kids to make money, but they learn how to speak to adults, be organized, and be responsible.”

(D.O.L.L.S.)

Seventeen years after DGYB started, a group of mothers came together to take action and fight for the rights of girls’ athletics. Led by Ouida Gabel, a Downers Grove South High School P.E. teacher, these mothers were given $75 from the park district to start their league for girls. The club started with only two teams in 1969; one year later, it had five teams. Currently, D.O.L.L.S. officially has 37 teams playing for their organization.

D.O.L.L.S. offers both instructional and association play. The instructional play level emphasizes development rather than competition and starts in kindergarten and goes through fourth grade. Participants begin with T-ball and then move on to Coach Pitch, Instructional Pitch and then Live Pitch in fourth grade. As the girls age into fifth grade, they transition to association play, where teams are formed through a draft.

The D.O.L.L.S. season runs from early April through June, with around 500 players through eighth grade in the league. In 2020, D.O.L.L.S. added a fall season from August through October.

Jon Harrison, a Downers Grove South graduate, is not only a volunteer coach but a board member as well. “The DOLLS organization has consistently had several hundred girls from the Downers Grove area playing rec league softball in the spring and the fall over the last few years. We expect this to continue or grow even more as fastpitch softball continues to gain popularity nationally and is now televised more than ever,” commented Harrison.

How do both these organizations keep going strong after all these years? Two key factors. First, volunteers. Volunteers dedicated their time and energy to both programs. Whether it be the coaches, managers, board members, or team moms and dads, these organizations’ success is truly dependent on the volunteers working together to make it happen.

The second key factor is the sponsorships. Many local businesses have done their part to sponsor teams and, in return, have their business name put on the back of the team jerseys. D.O.L.L.S. coach Annemarie Ruiz has the opportunity to coach her daughter’s sixth-grade team and sponsors her team. “Sharing the love of softball with new girls every year is a true gift. Better yet, as their team sponsor, they get to sport my women-owned company (Humble Organics) name on the back of their jerseys,” said Ruiz.

After a three-year hiatus, the annual tradition of the DGYB and D.O.L.L.S. parade was back to kick off the season. In late April, the players wore their jerseys and joined their teams as they walked down Main Street to Fishel Park. Parents and fans lined up the street to cheer them on. This tradition will continue for years to come as this dynamic duo continues to hit it out of the ballpark!

Both organizations conduct Board Meetings monthly and are always open to the public. ■

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS, VISIT: https://www.dgyb.org AND https://dgdolls.secure.force.com/ dollsHomePage/