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Scott Miller will cram as much baseball as he can into his days during the next month. As the District 1 administrator for Little League, it is Miller's job to create some semblance of order to a chaotic schedule.
Miller, a Weston resident who grew up in Stamford, is responsible for scheduling approximately 200 games over the next 4-6 weeks. His task includes lining up the teams, umpires and fields for the district tournaments in three age division for boys, a softball tournament and a series of "friendship games" for teams once they are eliminated from district play. "There aren't any truly open days,'' Miller says of the upcoming schedule. "There are too many games and not enough days." Rain and thunderstorms can throw Miller's finely crafted schedule off kilter. "Last year, we had just one postponement, which is pretty good when you have 150 games,'' Scott says.
Miller, 43, has served as the district administrator for 13 years. He helps teams, players and fans keep abreast of the tournaments via the organization'swebsite. "There are so many moving parts, the website makes it easier to avoid making 9,000 phone calls,'' says Miller, who receives assistance from nine other volunteers to keep the tournaments humming. "It has made the coordination easier."
There are 15 charters for Little League teams in District 1, including teams in Norwalk, Darien, Stamford, Weston, Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield. Several organizations combine baseball and softball. There are tournaments for players in 9-10, 10-11 and 11-12-year-old age divisions. The 11-12-year-old age bracket is the group that advances to the World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Teams must survive district, sectional, state and regional play to qualify for the World Series.
During Miller's tenure, the district has expanded significantly. Softball is now a key part of the district. "In the last 10 years, it has grown exponentially,'' Miller says. He enjoys the challenge. "It's fun,'' Scott says. "There are ups and downs, trials and tribulations, but at the end of the day, seeing people stay involved in the community is the biggest reward."
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