For first-year student John Kozlar, there’s nothing like the crack of the bat against the ball, the hustle to chase down an outfield fly or the slide for a stolen base.
Baseball has been a fixture in his life since he was barely old enough to hold a bat. His love of the game is what Kozlar wants the next generation in his neighborhood to appreciate as much as he does, so he finds time to volunteer as president of the Canaryville Little League.
Kozlar, who is planning for a career as a patent attorney, admits it takes yeoman’s effort to keep the league going and be a full-time student. “I manage because I keep myself organized,” he explains. “I have to plan my weeks and months ahead of time to make certain I stay focused and don’t fall behind on my readings and assignments.”
In 2009, while he was still a pre-med/political science major at the University of Chicago, Kozlar stepped forward to coach a little league team. He became league president the following year, and set about organizing the league to increase participation. He got his friends and community members together, and the league today serves an estimated 350 boys and girls. With the expanded budget, the league has made improvements to the privately owned park and provides the necessary uniforms and equipment for the players.
“The park was in need of improvements, so we set out to do major fundraising so we could get as close to a professional field as possible,” Kozlar explained. Over the past few years, donations from regional businesses have helped the league rebuild the park. Volunteers have installed new fences, bleachers and an electronic scoreboard, a brick backstop wall was built, and the field today is leveled and in pristine shape.
“I’ve played baseball since I was three years old,” Kozlar said. He moved from the Canaryville Little League to playing ball as a pitcher for Mount Carmel High School, followed by four years as a pitcher for the University of Chicago baseball team. Today he plays mostly pick-up games with his friends.
“Baseball is a big part of my family’s life, too, but I got to an age where I couldn’t play organized ball anymore, so I wanted to give back to little league.”
Kozlar has kids from seven Chicago neighborhoods, including Bridgeport and Canaryville, play league baseball and softball. Teams serve boys and girls ages three through 12, and girls ages 13 through 16.
The ballfield, on the 400 block of West 45th Place, isn’t far from U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. Kozlar said the major league team has been great about taking Canaryville Little League kids for its various baseball camps.
