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SWANSEA – The Swansea Independent Baseball League has announced its schedule of player tryouts/evaluations for the 2009 baseball season.

According to President David Hadad, the SIBL will hold tryouts/evaluations for the American League (11- and 12-year-old players) of its Bronco Division on Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Grand Slam Hitting Club located at 391 West Water Street in Taunton. Boys and girls born on or between May 1, 1996, and April 30, 1998, will be eligible to participate.

Tryouts/evaluations for the National League (9- and 10-year-olds) of the Bronco Division will be staged Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, also at the Grand Slam Hitting Club. Boys and girls born on or between May 1, 1998, and April 30, 2000, will be eligible to participate.

Tryouts/evaluations for the Mustang Division (7- and 8-year-olds) will be conducted Saturday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to noon, also at the Grand Slam Hitting Club. Boys and girls born on or between May 1, 2000, and April 30, 2002, will be eligible to participate.

Tryouts/evaluations for the Pinto Division (5- and 6-year-olds) are slated for Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., both at the Nike Site Playing Complex in Swansea. Boys and girls born on or between May 1, 2002, and April 30, 2004, will be eligible to participate.

Tryouts/evaluations for the Instructional Division (4-year-olds) are scheduled for Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Nike Site Playing Complex. Boys and girls born on or between May 1, 2004, and April 30, 2005, will be eligible to participate.

According to Hadad, the tryouts/evaluations will consist of practice in running, throwing, catching, fielding and hitting and will be directed by SIBL team managers and coaches. All registrants will be assigned to league teams; the SIBL does not “cut” players, nor does it maintain “waiting lists” for players registered through the close of tryout sessions.

Players who previously registered with the SIBL for the coming season will be notified shortly by mail by the league as to their scheduled appearance times for tryouts/evaluations. In additions, new registrants will be accepted on all tryout/evaluation dates and permitted to participate in sessions.

The SIBL has no residency restrictions; residents of any community are eligible to register.

All questions concerning the SIBL should be directed to Hadad at 401-241-2332.