The fields at Westbury Little League teem with observant Jews all fall long, but come spring you’ll be hard pressed to find a kippah in sight. This is because while fall games are traditionally played on Sundays with one practice during the week, the far more competitive ‘Spring Ball’ has three touches per week, and games often fall out on Saturdays. This has left young, frum baseball aficionados with two less-than-ideal options; either skip the spring season entirely, or join and miss approximately half the games.
Until now.
Prior to the 2023 spring season, a group of parents, led by Geoff Singer, petitioned Westbury Little League to make accommodations for Shomer Shabbat players. After much back and forth and logistical planning, the league finally sanctioned the first ever Shomer Shabbat Westbury Little League spring ball team.
The move involved some major modifications to the game schedule to ensure that the Shomer Shabbat team is able to participate fully while still playing all their games during the week.
The team, assigned the name Space Cowboys, consists of 11 third and fourth grade boys and is coached by Stephen Goldenzweig, father of one of the players. They face a grueling schedule, with practice and/or games on Sunday afternoons and Monday and Wednesday evenings, but they are excited to finally be participating fully in Westbury Little League spring ball.