Bergenfield residents are excited to finally have their own baseball league this spring, the Bergenfield Youth Baseball League (BYBL). Avi Rosalimsky, a longtime Teaneck resident, and youth leader, will be running the league and modeling it after the popular Teaneck town baseball league (TBO). While leading a youth group in early October, Rosalimsky learned that residents of Bergenfield were not permitted to join the TBO league. The kids were missing out on a fun, yet competitive baseball experience that their neighbors in Teaneck all had. Rosalimsky met with a number of Bergenfield parents to confirm there was a need for such a league, and met with the board of TBO to get guidance and consult with them. He said “TBO continues to be a tremendous resource for me in making this league possible, and I would like to thank them for the time and effort they committed to our cause.”
BYBL will not only play against other youth leagues in the area, they will play against TBO teams as well. The teams will play at both Votee Park and Bergenfield parks. This will allow Bergenfield players to participate in the same level of competition as TBO players, and feel included in the greater youth league.
David Greenberg, the President of TBO, is excited to work together with BYBL to ensure both leagues are improving and collaborating together. He commented “We’re looking forward to working with Bergenfield Youth Baseball to bring an even better baseball experience to both their players and our own. We’re especially excited that our TBO players will finally have the opportunity to get on the field together with their many friends and classmates from just ‘north of the border’.”
Having grown up in Teaneck, Rosalimsky played and was an umpire in TBO. He felt he gained tremendously from the experience, and enjoyed the fun, yet competitive atmosphere. He felt it was wrong that the residents of Bergenfield were being deprived of the opportunity, simply because they lived one town over.
Teams will be coached by local parents, who will receive training prior to coaching. The fundamentals of effective coaching and positivity will be emphasized. Bergenfield parent Adam Mermelstein commented “after the PAL Bergenfield baseball league closed, our children flocked to other sports. With the exciting opportunity of Bergenfield Youth Baseball that Avi Rosalimsky is leading, the children of Bergenfield will once again be able to play baseball this spring in a league that stresses sportsmanship, skill building, and strong competition. “
According to Rosalimsky, “our goal is to provide a dual faceted experience for the boys, fun and competitive outlet of sports, as well as a focus on sportsmanship and fairness”. The league will consist of three divisions, ranging from second to seventh grade. There will also be an eighth grade all-star team. It will run from the beginning of April through the middle of June, and will have a game on both Sunday and a weeknight. There has been an overwhelming response to the league thus far. The first season is poised to be a huge success.
To sign up please visit BergenfieldBaseball.org. Limited spots are available to New Milford residents as well. For any questions please email Avi Rosalimsky at [email protected].
By Eli Rifkind
