HARTFORD, Conn. _ It's not an easy time to run a youth baseball league.
Participation across youth sports has declined steadily, as kids choose among more entertainment options than ever. Major League Baseball's popularity is down among members of Generation Z, who say they prefer basketball and soccer. And travel teams continue to siphon away top athletes at younger and younger ages, draining the player pool.
It's no surprise, therefore, that Little League International reports steady annual declines in participation and that many Connecticut leagues have seen steep drops over the past 10 or 15 years. Some local leagues have merged with rivals to fortify depleted rosters. Others have eliminated age groups or drastically reduced their number of teams.
Coaches and administrators maintain that youth baseball is far from doomed _ that participation has leveled off, in many cases, after years of decline and that player enthusiasm remains as high as ever. But they also acknowledge the challenges of sustaining leagues whose numbers are down, often steeply, from former peaks.
Below are the stories of five Connecticut Little Leagues: one that guards its idyllic vision of youth sports, even as participation dips; one that struggles to draw interest in an area where baseball has lost cachet; two that share a city that may not be big enough for both of them; and one that has already found strength through a pair of mergers. Together, they help explain the state of Connecticut youth baseball in 2019.
