1:9 Legacy is a reference to Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  We have an opportunity to use our talents in the game of baseball/softball to make disciples. We can be a light and leave a Legacy for others to believe in Jesus and join in the journey. 

After Game 7 ceased its operations, a void was left in the community. The youth and families in this region deserve an opportunity to learn the game of baseball/softball in a positive environment with Christian values at the center of decision-making. Some coaches that were in the Game 7 program got together to keep the mission going, with a few changes. The age-appropriate Christian theme is embedded in the name 1:9 Legacy--to be strong and courageous on and off the field, setting an example of sportsmanship and faith. 

1:9 Legacy is a spin-off of Game 7. As stated in the FAQ above, a few coaches got together to continue the mission that Game 7 started. Jon Haws, the founder of 1:9 Legacy, was an assistant coach at University High School in Normal under head coach Jim Collins, founder of Game 7. At the time, Jim's son Michael was also an asst. coach at U-High but was tragically killed by a drunk driver prior to the spring 2014 baseball season. Game 7 was created in his honor and sought to share the gospel while playing competitively. 1:9 Legacy will continue to make disciples. 

Yes, we are a non-profit that seeks to make strong and courageous disciples through the game of baseball/softball. We hope to be a generational program that offers youth programming in the Bloomington-Normal community for years to come!

Through a partnership with The Performance Lab, we will offer indoor practice times throughout the fall and winter months leading up to the season. Each coach is responsible for setting dates to use the facility and will have access to the indoor turf facility at least once per week. 1:9 Legacy will also setup specific dates/times for positional practice that's offered program-wide to provide specific lessons for individual positions. 

8u (coach pitch) can expect to play around 35-40 games while 9u and up tend to play 45+ games. It largely depends on the rate of success at tournaments and weather trends. 3 games are guaranteed at most tournaments, however, with successful outcomes, a team can play 5-6 games in a weekend, boosting their number of games played. Note: 8u games take approximately 1 hour to complete 6 innings since coaches are pitching and there's a 5-run maximum allowed per inning. Many 8u contests are double-headers for that reason, so fewer game days are needed to achieve a 40-game schedule. Softball tends to play a fall season as well. More information to come! Most teams start games in April and wrap up before the 4th of July. 

Some teams choose to stay local for most contests, playing games vs. PONY, Renegades, Morton, Washington, Olympia, etc. There are many teams and tournaments available within a 45-minute radius that offer competitive gameplay. Some teams add in a hotel stay to provide an extra opportunity to bond as a team and experience something different, but it's not an expectation of the 1:9 Legacy program that you travel far and wide to play games.

1:9 Legacy is partnering with Eastview Christian Church to have practices and games at their 1500 Airport Rd. location in Normal. The goal is for teams to have ample access to these fields throughout the fall, spring, and summer. We strongly encourage you to check out Eastview's programming for kids and adults. If you are looking for a church home, you will find it at Eastview!

No, you do not have to be a follower of Christ to join 1:9 Legacy. We are hopeful that your experience will lead to a journey with Christ, but it's not fair to demand that all are followers right from the start. We are all sinners. No Christian is perfect or claims to be. We strive to be Christ-like and fall short every day. Our relationship with Jesus, however, gets us to realize that there's a better way . . . on the field, off the field, at school, at work, and in the community.  

1:9 Legacy coaches have the autonomy to run their own tryouts in order to view the skills needed to evaluate and create the most competitive roster. Typically, players are run through a set of drills in pitching, hitting, fielding and base running (8u does not have pitching). Some coaches may also offer feedback to see how your son/daughter responds to constructive criticism. "Coachability" is one metric considered when selecting a player for the roster. Registration will be completed online and we will have someone on hand prior to the tryout to ensure that you are registered and signed in! 

8u-14u is the long-term goal for 1:9 Legacy on both the baseball and softball side, but in the early years of the program, some age groups may not be represented due to other, more established teams in town. 

Baseball and Softball differ in philosophy on this one due to the governing body in each sport. 1:9 Legacy will provide guidance to ensure that your youth baseball or softball experience allows for future success in high school. If players are "playing down," they are not getting the competition needed to keep pace with their peers. Playing up is allowed, but should only be reserved for players that are truly heads above their peers at their age group. 

Baseball - it's important to remain at grade level. For example, a player trying out for 12u should be going into 6th grade. Chances are that if you are going into 7th grade, your peers are playing at 13u. If a player is talented enough to play up, it's encouraged to match their current level of performance and readiness. Cutoff for each age group in baseball is April 30th per USSSA baseball.

Softball - grade level and age often do not go hand-in-hand. Birth year is the focus of each team as December 31st is the age cutoff according to USSSA softball. All players should be born in the same calendar year. Ex: players trying out for 8u softball in 2024 to play in the 2025 season should be born in the year 2016. The easiest way to think of it . . . How old will your daughter be on December 31st? That's the age group you should be playing with.

We believe in an affordable, efficient player fee structure that focuses on individual and team development opportunities. The player fees are designed to provide 40-55 games (depending on age group), team membership to an indoor facility, access to our home field, and a "player pack" that includes two jerseys, pants, hat, helmet, belt, t-shirt, and hoodie! 

8u - $950*

9u-14u - $1300*

*A $100 discount is offered for any family that pays in full by September 1st. 

Fundraising opportunities are also available to directly offset player fees. If you've already paid in full, the organization will cut a check to you for your efforts. If you are on the payment plan, the amount you fundraise will be deducted from your last payment(s). 

9u-14u Baseball & Softball | Payment Plan  ($1,300)

$325 - Commitment Fee due at signing

$325 - October 1st

$325 - December 1st

$325 - February 1st

8u Baseball & Softball | Payment Plan  ($950)

$325 - Commitment Fee due at signing

$250 - October 1st

$250 - December 1st

$125 - February 1st

Jon Haws is the founder and president of 1:9 Legacy. Fellow board members include Matt Wettersten, Stephanie McClure, Ken Meisner, and Ashley Haws.