Tournament of Champions are right around the corner and individuals on who are wondering about the brackets; should be posted later next week around June 18th for baseball.  Hopefully sometime around June 14th for softball. 

Tournament of Champions start June 16th for girls, and June 20th for boys.  Please check the links of the two district sites for further information.

 Regarding All-Stars, Little League, Inc. states that no league shall announce All-Star Rosters any earlier that June 15th.  Therefore, the Heights is hoping to have all the rosters posted earlier next week.  Stay tuned for further information.

On June 29 and June 30, opening ceremonies for the Dehler Park baseball complex in Billings will take place. The City of Billings Park, Recreation and Pulbic Lands Department, the American Legion, and the Billings Mustangs are looking for major Little League involvement in these ceremonies. Baseball clinics, a parade of players, and Junior and Senior League games will take part in the activities.

On June 29, there will be Grand Opening ceremonies.  Beginning at 12:30PM, there will be a baseball clinic for selected 11-12 yr old players put on by MSU-Billings.  Your league will select the kids who will participate.  At 3:30 PM, a Little League Parade of Players into the new Dehler Park will occur. All participants will receive the new Dehler Park pin.  Pictures will be taken and made available.  We want all Montana District 1 LL'ers to participate in this event.  After some ceremonial ribbon cutting, the Billings Scarlets will host the defending state Legion Champions from Bozeman.

Little League will be holding a raffle with some great prizes.  First Grand Prize will be a 2008 Honda 250cc ATV sponsored by Montana Honda and Marina.  Second Grand prize will be 4 tickets to 2 games - Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres in Denver on August 8 and 9.  Hotel room for 4 for 2 nights at the Residency Inn - Denver and $200 gas money will be included.   Additional prizes include Ninento Wii Game Station,  4 rounds of golf at Pryor Creek, a guided fishing trip on the Bighorn River, $100 gift certificate at Sports Authority, an autographed Cincinnati Reds jersey of Austin Kearns, and other prizes.  Raffle tickets will be available at your concession stands soon, during the Tournament of Champions and at the new ballpark on June 29.  The price is only $2.00 per ticket.  All proceeds will benefit your league.  You need not be present to win.

During the day, you can tour the facility at your leisure.  Self guided tours will be available.  During the field preparation, we will be giving away additional prizes such as Little League pins, new bats, new gloves, autographed baseballs by Jeff Ballard and Jeff King and Mustangs shirts and hats..  Free tickets for these prizes will be provided at the door and you must be present to win these prizes.

 On June 30, we will be hosting the Junior and Senior Baseball Tournament of Champions championship games.  Juniors will take the field at 5:00 PM followed by the Senior game at 7:30 PM.  Billings Park and Recreation Deaprtment will be sponsoring this event.  Food and drink will be available.

The Bitterroot Complex still has plenty of work to be done.  Gates, and restringing fence is the next priority.  Anyone that can donate, or know of donations please let any board member know.  Anybody that has questions and wanting to help out please contact Red Atkeison at 671-4401 or email jamesatkeison@hotmail.com or contacting the league president, Tim Felchle at tfelchlemt@bresnan.net or 256-8228.  We are reaching out to numerous helpers and volunteers that can help make this a success and dream for our kids to play on.  So please get a hold of Red or Tim.

There are some photos uploaded under the Photo Album link to the left.  Please check them out as our progress at Bitterroot. We will continue to upload as more progress is being completed.

Good Earth Works Company and Gianan's has agreed to donate about a dozen trees and/or shrubs for planting throughout the Bitterrroot Complex.  Some trees have been planted already, if you have not already noticed.  We have heard great compliments on the construction of the berms (much like the major girls have) between the fields at Bitterroot.

The 2nd Annual Memorial Day Tournament, unfortunately had to be cancelled, due to inclement weather.  We currently will be planning for the 3rd Annual Tournament for next year.  So any help would be greatly appreciated.  Contact Neal or Scott for further information.

Coaches at all levels, please REMEMBER when sending scores to district, also remember to SEND SCORES from your game to Scott Felchle, sfelchle@bresnan.net, so he can get those posted and updated in the system.

 As a league, we are trying to set up different multiple team sites in the Heights.  These Team Pages (with your help) for each team in Heights National Little League, is a work in progress.

Each Manager/Coach should designate a parent to act as the team's Web Rep.  The Web Rep can spend the time building a team site, which is really easy!  Team Pages are for the Managers, Coaches, Parents and Kids on each team in our League.  You can set them up to use valuable communication resources, and can post information about your team and its players.  Minimally, each Team Page should have a roster and schedule listing games.  Heights National Little League's webstaff will help you insert links to your Team Sponsor(s) on your web pages.

As the season progresses, and your time permits; you can greatly expand the info on your team page, by adding Practice Schedules, expanded biographical information about everyone on the team, and updated statistics.  Coaches can post tips and game recaps, and you can also post photos, articles, and links to other related internet sites.  Relatives and friends of the kids on your team can be invited to visit the Team Page.  This is an excellent way for Grandparents and other extended family members to keep in touch with a Heights National Little Leaguer.  Feel free to poke around the team page of First Interstate Bank, or Village Rentals to see what all they have posted, and to get ideas for your own team's site.  Again, we want each Little League Team to set-up websites connected through this site.  The basic team site is absolutely free.  Beyond that, you can purchase upgrades for a nominal charge.  You do not have to purchase any upgrades.  To start setting up your team's page, email sfelchle@bresnan.net.

We apologize that it has been announced so late for the raffle prize winners for the season of 2007.  The Board of Directors believed it was being taken care of.  Sorry for the misunderstanding and the long await.  For the 2008 season, we will send out information in an upcoming newsletter.

 The following winners are:

Jackie Shields - Square Firepit

Al Kincy - $75 Gift Certificate for Lake Hills Golf

Harold Messenbrink - $100 dollars courtesy of Northland Automotive

Susan Martin - $100 courtesy of Wal-Mart

Don Baxter - 6 Piece Patio Set

Jerry Ellis - $300 courtesy of B&B Tire, Co.

Randy Russell - BBQ Set courtesy of Wal-Mart, Lawn & Garden

Mike McElvain - Circular Firepit

Mike Huggard - I-Pod Nano

Kim LeFevre - 19" Flat Screen TV

Opening Day for the 2008 Spring Season was a HUGE SUCCESS!  Heights National kicked off with recognizing one of our great volunteers, Kevin Young, who recently passed away to cancer.  He was a great inspiration to our fellow little leaguers and will be remember to all who dedicated his time and effort to the League.  Kevin will be greatly missed. 

Angela Atkeison deserves a huge thank you for taking on such a big task on planning out the efforts to make the Opening Ceremonies a success.  So if you see her around, please make sure to give her a thank you!

As webmaster, my goal is to try and upload as many pictures as possible and make a few albums.  So those that take photos, please get them to me ASAP!  Those that already sent to me, I will try and get them posted as soon as I can!!!

As always, we need your help in volunteering in some capacity. Without you as parent(s), coaches, umpires, fundraisers, and groundskeepers, we could not have the quality program we have here in Billings.  So do your part and sign up for some activity when you go to registration.  Your help is always appreciated by Heights National and District as well.

Tournament of Champions will again take place the last 2 weeks of June.  All-Stars will not start until after the fourth of July and will be completed about the third week in July.  Exact dates for these tournaments will be set in June, but basically they will be about the same dates as last year, so plan accordingly.

Heights National would like to thank all the sponsors for the 2007 season, new and old.  Sponsorships for the 2008 season have been mailed out.  Please get them sent back as soon as possible to guarantee a team.  Thanks for your continued support for the youth in the Heights community. 

We have introduced a new option for sponsors.  This year we have given the option to have a 3.5' x 8' corrugated vinyl sign to be hung at any of the local baseball or softball fields.  Signs will be saved for future years and sponsorship fees will be reduced for all returning sponsors yearly. 

Please check the Handouts if you are interested in sponsoring a team this year and for further information.

Contact Scott Felchle if you have any questions or about sponsoring any level for the 2008 season at sfelchle@bresnan.net or 861-2144.

Are you not quite sure what your child's "League Age" is?  It may be that your child is 10 years old right now , but he / she may have a "League - Age" of 11.  It is very important that the "League - Age" is determined properly, so that the child is placed in the proper Division / Level of Play.

To find out your child's "League - Age" , simply go to the "Handouts" link on the Menu and click on the corresponding chart.  It is available in a Matrix design or a Text design.  It will be up to you to determine which you choose, but both are easy to read and understand.

 If you have any questions , Please feel free to ask.

Heights Fields NEED to be Maintained.......

Our league is reaching out to parents and volunteers to help benefit better fields for our kids in the upcoming 2008 season.  Check your fields ASAP, write down any repairs you want done, and bring to the next board meeting.  This way we can improve the maintanence.  Plan your work parties as soon as possible.  Better in the fall to take care of this problem, and before the snow flies, so we are not in "crunch" time before Opening Day in 2008.

I want to send out a huge applaud to Red Atkeison for controlling the much needed thorns and goatheads over at Bitterroot.  He is now known as the "Goathead King."  Thanks Red.  Keep it up!