Fall Ball families - despite many challenges, our baseball, softball, and T-Ball clinics were a success. Thanks to all parents and coaches who volunteered their time this fall.

COVID has put a strain on everyone's finances this year, including Coginchaug Little League. We have lost thousands of dollars due to the cancellation of the Durham Fair, the inability to open our concession stand, and an overwhelming number of registration refunds. Some of you have asked what you can do to help, and there are a few options:

1. You can donate directly by sending a check to Coginchaug Little League PO Box 34 Durham, CT 06422. No amount is too small. We also accept donations via PayPal (sent to coginchaugll@gmail.com) Because Coginchaug Little League is a licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations are tax-deductible. We are happy to provide donation confirmation letters upon request.
    
2. You can purchase CLL gear at our official store here. There is a wide variety of apparel in youth and adult sizes and 15% of every sale is donated to our league. Keep an eye out for Black Friday specials later this week on our website and Facebook pages.
    
3. Help recruit new Sponsors for the 2021 season. Is your business or employer interested in a sponsorship? More information is available here and Sponsorship forms here.
    
4. Encourage friends, classmates and neighbors to register for one of our Spring 2021 programs. Registration opens in mid-December, so please help spread the word!

Thank you again for your understanding and support during this unprecedented time. We hope your son or daughter enjoyed the fall clinics and look forward to seeing everyone back at the field next spring.

Due to the uptick in COVID cases and guidance by local health officials, all Coginchaug Little League activities are suspended indefinitely. While we love seeing the girls and boys on the field, our paramount concern remains the safety and well-being of our players and our community. The Halloween Drive Thru at the Durham Fairgrounds scheduled for this Saturday also has been postponed, which hopefully will be rescheduled at a later date.

Thank you for your understanding and your support.

Despite the challenges of the COVID era, our first-ever Fall T-Ball program was a tremendous success. Thanks to Coach Faticone and all our volunteers for making this clinic possible for the youngest members of our league!

On Saturday night, our 13U 50/70 baseball team defeated Cromwell for its 20th win to conclude the season. In a year unlike any other, this group stuck together while playing anyone and everyone across the state (and even a team from Massachusetts). Most of these boys have been with us since T-Ball, and we could not be more proud as they finish their Coginchaug Little League careers!

Our Fall Minors Clinic concluded with a final session under the lights. Special thanks to Coach Kotos and all our volunteers for making the clinic a success!

Little League has partnered with T-Mobile to help families in need cover registration fees for the upcoming season. Simply text "LittleLeague" to 313131 and T-Mobile will donate $5 on your behalf.

If your family would like to apply for a grant, please visit https://www.littleleague.org/call-up-grant-program/

It was another beautiful day of baseball at the 10-12 yr old Fall Clinic.
Thanks to Coaches Torello, Farnsworth, Collins and Champagne for volunteering their time to make these sessions possible.

Coginchaug Little League is on Facebook!

Click here to like us and receive CLL updates on your feed.

Congratulations to our 12U Softball team, which captured the District 9 championship with a thrilling extra inning win over East Hampton!

Coginchaug Little League's COVID-19 safety protocols are available here:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.leagueathletics.com/Text/Documents/9938/98777.pdf

These protocols govern all regular season and tournament games played in Durham and Middlefield. They were adopted by the Board of Directors in accordance with the guidelines for youth sports promulgated by the State of Connecticut and Little League International, and in consultation with the health directors of District 9 towns.

We thank all players, parents, coaches, umpires, volunteers, and spectators for your cooperation as we navigate this little league season in the coronavirus age. Together, we can make it a safe and enjoyable one for all involved!

Coginchaug Little League is proud to announce that Taylor McDermott and Nathan Strang have been selected as recipients of our 2020 academic scholarships. Taylor and Nathan have truly distinguished themselves in both the classroom and as members of the Coginchaug High School community. Taylor will be attending Curry College this fall, while Nathan is headed to Duke University. Because we are unable to recognize them as part of Opening Day ceremonies, we asked them both to share a few words on their selection for this scholarship:

I'd like to thank the Coginchaug Little League board for selecting me for the 2020 CLL scholarship award. I am appreciative of the opportunities that have been presented to me throughout my Little League experience up until this now. I would also like to thank my previous coaches: Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Lane, and Mrs. Huddleson for their time that they dedicated to my team and allowed me to grow as a player. Also, a special thanks to Mr. DeMartino who has watched me grow up through Little League and continues as my high school and travel coach. Personally, Coginchaug Little League has played such an important role in my life. I enjoyed all four years that I spent in the league with numerous different coaches and teammates. One of my favorite memories throughout the years was winning two championships and especially all-stars. I really enjoyed playing deep into the summer with a new team and some of my closest friends. The four years I spent in Little League showed me how much I love playing the game and I knew I didn’t want to stop playing anytime soon. In my final year, I knew I wanted to continue to play, thanks to the great experience I had in Little League, so I began travel softball. I enjoyed playing for the middle school, and then transitioning to more competitive high school softball. Seeing the high school program develop from when I first got there as a freshman to now is credit to all the skills that were developed when we were younger, in Little League. Everything that I’ve ever learned to love about the game began when I was in Little League. I now get the opportunity to continue my softball skills at the next level, in college. If it wasn't for such a great experience, I am not sure I would be the athlete or person I am today.
- Taylor McDermott
 

I'd like to state what an honor it is to have been selected to receive the Coginchaug Little League scholarship, Little League was such an important aspect of my childhood ever since I was around eight or so and this award really means a lot to me. When I look back on the handful of years that I spent playing in or working with the CLL, I'm filled with such nostalgic feelings of joy. This league brought me together with so many unique individuals I would have never otherwise known to, at the surface, just play baseball, but at a deeper level become brothers to and build lifelong memories with, all while growing up alongside one another. The perfect amalgam of friends, family, community, and culture; nowhere else could this ever have been done, but, maybe more importantly, nowhere else would I rather have spent those moments. The Allen Brook fields were like a sanctuary for me and so many others, and I sincerely thank the Coginchaug Little League and all of its volunteers for providing us all with a truly special place to grow up.
- Nathan Strang

Coginchaug Little League wishes Taylor and Nathan, and all CLL alumni, every success as they head off to college this fall.