DIXFIELD – America’s pastime will continue at Harlow Park throughout the summer. Dixfield has been granted permission to field an American Legion baseball team.

State Commissioner Chuck Berube reviewed the detailed intentions that had been documented for the endeavor and will allow Dixfield Sawsey-Torrey Post 100 to be the home-based American Legion sponsor.

Todd Fenstermacher of Peru will be the manager and act as a liaison between the team and Legion commissioners.

“A lot of organizational work has already been done,” Fenstermacher said. “This includes the start-up funds, which have been raised from donations of benefactors and local businesses. Any help would be appreciated and is important in the continued development of this program.”

The head coach will be Dave Lafleur who was recently appointed varsity coach at Dirigo High School.

“I am very pleased with the recent approval for a Legion team in the Dixfield area,” Lafleur said. “One of my goals as first-year head coach for both programs is to establish the awareness, both from the players mindsetand to college recruiters that we indeed have talented athletes in our area that have the potential to play college baseball. I’m hoping to change all that, and Legion baseball is obviously a step in the right direction for the Dixfield baseball program. It is truly an honor to be involvedwith such dedicated and talented athletes and to be a part of the great tradition of American Legion baseball.”

Members of the Cougars staff will continue assisting Lafleur in coaching the players this summer. They are Reggie Weston, Hart Daley and Dave Berry and of course, Fenstermacher’s efforts.

“We as coaches, as well as the players, look forward to the challenges and competition,” Lafleur said. “It will not be easy, as we have one of the smallest areas to draw from but hope to instill the well-known philosophy It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, thattruly counts.”

Dirigo will serve as the base school and the team drawing area is SAD 21 (Dixfield, Canton, Carthage, Peru). It will compete in Zone III, which includes Rumford, which draws from Mountain Valley, Telstar, Bethel, Locke Mills. The Post 24-sponsored team reorganized in 2007 and was comprised of players from Mountain Valley and Dirigo. The other teams include Andy Valley (Leavitt), Gayton Post (Lewiston), Smith/Tobey (Morse), New Auburn (Edward Little), Bessey Motors (Oxford Hills), Gilman Electric (Poland), Gray/Windham and Brunswick.

“A full set of equipment has been made available,” Fenstermacher said. “Uniforms will be ordered, and Post 100 will help us in any need for meeting space. We plan to continue to solicit businesses in the area for support and donations.”

For information, contact Fenstermacher at 562-4616 or e-mail [email protected]