Although the weather might be frightful now, spring is just around the corner and the DeKalb Park District has opened registration for its 1991 summer softball season.

The program includes a variety of different leagues for men and women including coed slow-pitch, men’s 16-inch recreational, women’s 11-inch slow-pitch and men’s 12-inch fast-pitch leagues. There are 19 different leagues.

The park district program also has become a member of the United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association, said program organizer Brad Garrison.

The park district’s softball program has been growing steadily since it first began. “It’s the largest program in the immediate area,” Garrison said.

Last year, 1,800 people played in the different leagues on more than 120 teams. “There’s a good (NIU) student population,” Garrison said. “DeKalb is a softball community—there’s a high player per capita.”

League play begins the week of May 5. All 12-inch games are played at Katz Park on Dresser Road. The rest of the leagues play at McCormick Park on South Seventh Street.

If a team wins its league, it will receive a place in the state tournament and can go even farther if it wins the state championship in that division, Garrison said.

Before a team can join the park district’s program, it must find a sponsor, which in turn must pay a sponsor fee of between $230 and $285, depending on the type of league. This fee covers the cost of new softballs as well as an official umpire and scorekeeper for each game.

Garrison said he will turn in the results of each game to local newspapers and the sponsors will then receive advertising. Individual player fees are $15 for DeKalb residents and $20 for non-residents.

Registration for the summer softball league is on a first-come, first-serve basis and the deadline is April 29. Those interested can register at the DeKalb Park District Office, 1403 Sycamore Rd., or call 758-6663 for more information.