Welcome Parents…. The purpose of this page is to provide you with an overview of the Chugiak High School / Post 33 Legion baseball program.  It is primarily intended for parents of incoming players who are transitioning from Little League to High School ball, but it can also be informative as a refresher for parents of returning players or players that may be moving into Chugiak/Eagle River from elsewhere.

 

Often the #1 question for parents of incoming HS baseball players is: “what exactly is the difference between High School and Legion baseball”?   So let’s try to demystify that. 

 

In the Anchorage School District (ASD), High School baseball is similar to other HS sports.  It is made available as a (spring only) sports activity through the school and must follow all the ASD rules and policies such as minimum grade point average for eligibility, geographic residence boundaries, and so forth.   However the key difference with baseball is that ASD provides no funding.  ASD does allow the use of school athletic facilities, such as gymnasiums, for practices, but otherwise does not directly provide financial support to the baseball program.  That’s where the American Legion steps in.

 

High School baseball then, within ASD, is categorized as an “outsourced” sport.  That's because the American Legion administers it and provides it’s funding.  So when the time comes for your player to pay the High School athletic fee for baseball the check is made out and given to the American Legion – not ASD.

 

High School baseball in Anchorage, much like everywhere else, has two levels of play – Varsity and Junior Varsity (JV).   The season commences in March with practices occuring through April (usually indoors due to our climatic conditions).  High School baseball games begin as soon as fields are available and are typically played at Mulcahy Stadium, the Kosinski Fields and Bartlett High School.  Information regarding field locations can be found on the Field Locations page, or by visting the Alaska Legion website.

 

Next is Legion baseball (versus High School baseball).  The Legion summer ball program is basically an extension of the high school season.  Legion baseball is also administered and funded by the American Legion, but it is distinctly separate from High School baseball.  The rules and policies set forth by ASD no longer apply.  Instead, play is now governed by American Legion rules.  One of the differences is that Legion baseball does not have a grade-point eligibility requirement.  So it is possible that a player who was not eligible to play high school baseball, due to grade point average, can now play Legion baseball.  Otherwise Legion baseball mirrors the high school baseball program in several key ways – including geographic school boundaries and having two levels of play.  So for example, if you reside in the Chugiak High School ASD boundary you will play on the Chugiak Post 33 Legion baseball team.  Varsity level of play is mirrored as Legion AA (double-A).  And Junior Varsity level play mirrors to Legion A (single-A).

 

Legion baseball games begin in early June and continue thru late July.  Games are played at all Anchorage field locations. Legion baseball also usually involves out of town games and/or tournaments.  Trips to locations such as Fairbanks, Wasilla, and Kenai are common for both teams as well as the possibility of a trip to Juneau, Ketchikan, or Kodiak, along with an out-of-state trip for the AA (Varsity) team.  

 

There are additional fee's required in order to play Legion baseball.  The HS athletic fee that was previously paid only covered the High School season.  It had nothing to do with (summer) Legion baseball.  Even though the High School fee was still paid to the American Legion, it was paid to cover just the High School season.  This is often a point of confusion for parents so it’s important to understand the distinction between the two fees.  The Legion baseball fees will be higher than the High School fee due to the longer season.

 

Hopefully this has helped by providing you with a good understanding of what Chugiak High School and Post 33 Legion baseball is all about.

 

 

Enjoy the games and have fun this season!