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Sports

Alpharetta Residents Discuss Merger of Wills, Webb Bridge Youth Baseball

Parents met at City Hall to learn more about a proposal to form a single youth baseball group for the two parks.

Alpharetta residents came together at Thursday night to discuss merging the baseball programs at Webb Bridge Park with Wills Park Youth Baseball Association to form one organization, the Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association. People were asked to attend to both learn about the merge as well as ask questions and provide input.

The meeting began with a presentation from Bill Lusby, president of the Wills Park Baseball Association, who gave an overview of the baseball program at Wills Park as well as provided an overview of how the merge would affect players.

According to Lusby, Wills Park runs about twice as many kids as Webb Bridge with approximately 700 kids in the Spring alone. Under the merge, Children under the age of eight will get to choose at which park they want to play, while older ages will rotate between parks.

The ultimate goal, said Lusby, is to provide baseball for everybody under one umbrella organization. This includes one logo with both parks represented as well as phasing in consistent uniforms for players.

Questions were asked throughout the meeting, with many parents wondering about the future of Webb Bridge Park. With decreased participation at that location, parent and coach Michael Frasier is curious about the future development of the park and how both Wills and Webb Bridge will balance each other out.

This issue, along with many others, are still being discussed as the merger is still in the beginning phases. Another meeting will be held March 15 at 7 p.m., at which time residents can make suggestions, ask questions and become more informed on the topic.

Shawn Hampton, Wills Park registrar, was not surprised parents showed up for the meeting.

“Youth sports are very emotional for the parents,” she said.

The Alpharetta City Council will make the final decision on whether or not the merge will take place around April or May of this year. If that happens, baseball officials hope to premiere the Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association by spring 2012.

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