MONROVIA PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOC

CAL RIPKEN/BABE RUTH BASEBALL PROGRAM: IN EARLY 1993 A LOCAL GROUP OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZED A SHORTAGE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF MONROVIA AND HARVEST LOCATED IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA. THE ALL VOLUNTEER GROUP FORMED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE MONROVIA PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION, INC. (MPRA) AND BEGAN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RECRETIONAL FACILITY CALLED PHILLIPS PARK. THE INITIAL PURPOSE WAS TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMS FOR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL. THE PARK WAS DEVELOPED WITH 4 BALL FIELDS AND A BORROWED CONCESSIONS TRAILER. IN 4 YEARS, THE FACILITY HAD GROWN TO 7 BALL FIELDS WITH FIELD LIGHTS, IRRIGATION AND SUPPORTED BY A FIRST RATE CONCESSIONS BUILDING, PAVILION, AND STORAGE BUILDING. THE BASEBALL PROGRAM CONTINUES TO DRAW 650-700 PARTICIPANTS EACH SEASON. EACH AGE GROUP SHOWS GREAT PROGRESS WINNING TOURNAMENTS AT THE DISTRICT AND STATE LEVELS EVERY YEAR. THE 2007 CAL RIPKEN 10-YEAR OLD SOUTH EASTERN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT WAS HELD AT PHILLIPS PARK. TEAMS FROM 6 STATES PARTICIPATED IN A 4 DAY TOURNAMENT TO SELECT AN ENTRY FOR THE WORLD SERIES. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT WIN, OUR 2 ALL STAR TEAMS WON 5 GAMES, PLACING A TEAM IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. THE MPRA BASEBALL PROGRAM OPERATES WITH A SET OF RULES ESTABLISHED TO FOSTER FAIR PLAY, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, AND ENSURES EVERY CHILD GETS PLENTY OF PLAYING TIME. DURING REGISTRATION THE PARENTS MUST SIGN AN ADULT CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY.

BASKETBALL PROGRAM: THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM WAS INTRODUCED IN 1995 WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF 258 PLAYERS. IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET COACHES THE FIRST YEAR. AFTER SECURING BASKETBALL GYMS FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY SCHOOL TO PLAY GAMES AND PRACTICE, THE SEASON WAS ABOUT TO GET OFF TO A FLEDGING START. IF WE COULD JUST FIND REFEREES. OUR LOCAL BASEBALL GROUP, THE MONROVIA UMPIRE ASSOCIATION CAME TO OUR RESCUE. THEY ENROLLED ENOUGH HIGH SCHOOL REFEREES TO CALL ALL OF OUR GAMES AND THE SEASON WAS STARTED. THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO PLAY ALL OF OUR GAMES IN THE 3 LOWER GRADE SCHOOL GYMS AND THE MADISON COUNTY COLISEUM GYM. THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN TO THE LEVEL WHERE EACH SEASON WE REGISTER AROUND 535 BOYS AND GIRLS. WE NOW PLAY IN 6 GYMS, 4 FURNISHED BY LOCAL SCHOOLS AND 2 BY THE MONROVIA COMMUNITY CENTER. LAST YEAR WE HAD 8 TEAMS GO TO DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS AND 6 TEAMS WENT TO STATE TOURNAMENT. THE BASKETBALL RULES FOSTER FAIR PLAY, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, AND ENSURES EVERY CHILD GETS PLENT OF PLAYING TIME. DURING REGISTRATION THE PARENTS MUST SIGN AND ADULT CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY.