Monrovia Parks & Recreation Association Inc

TO PROVIDE RECREATION AND ADVANCED ATHLETIC TRAINING, UNDER COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS, TO YOUTH LIVING IN THE MONROVIA, HARVEST, LEGACY AND ENDEAVOR COMMUNITIES OF NORTH WEST MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA, IN BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, BASKETBALL, OR VOLLEYBALL. MANY INDIVIDUALS ALSO UTILIZE THE WALKING TRAIL, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, AND BALL FIELDS. THREE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AWARDED EACH YEAR TO GRADUATING SENIORS WHO HAVE PLAYED 2 OR MORE YEARS WITH MRPA.

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.

SOFTBALL PROGRAM: THE SOFTBALL PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1993 WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHILLIPS PARK BY THE MONROVIA PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION, INC. THE FIRST YEAR AT PHILLIPS PARK WAS A BUILDING YEAR. THE ASSOCIATION BOUGHT 18.8 ACRES OF LAND AT 1962 JEFF ROAD, MADISON, AL. THE LAND WAS LEVELED AND PREPARED FOR BASEBALL/SOFTBALL FIELDS, VOLUNTEERS INSTALLED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS FOR 4 BALL FIELDS, LAID SOD TO COVER THEM AND BUILT A 24' BY 40' BUILDING TO HOUSE A CONCESSION ROOM, 2 RESTROOMS, AND 2 STORAGE ROOMS. THE SOFTBALL PROGRAM WAS INITIATED WITH THE 1994 SEASON. REGISTRATION, TRYOUTS, AND DRAFT WAS HELD FOR 180 GIRLS THE FIRST YEAR. SOFTBALL NOW HAS 8 DIVISIONS COVERING EACH AGE GROUP 5 - 18. THE PLAYERS FURNISH THEIR OWN UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT AND MPRA FURNISHES THE CATCHERS EQUIPMENT. TEAM SPONSORS BY LOCAL BUSINESS PROVIDE UNIFORMS FOR MOST OF THE TEAMS. SOME PARENTS CHOOSE TO PAY FOR THEIR CHILD'S UNIFORMS AND SAVE THE EFFORT OF FINDING A TEAM SPONSOR. THE SOFTBALL RULES 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.

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