BONNERS FERRY — We’re only just now getting into the winter months in Northern Idaho, but before we know it, summer will be right around the corner. And with summer comes the TeamsWin fast-pitch softball and baseball leagues in Boundary County.

The format of the TeamsWin leagues are unique to the organization itself, and different from traditional Little League or Babe Ruth Softball leagues. The

TeamsWin is a kids-driven organization designed to empower and encourage its players. There will be one coach for up to 75 kids at any one given location, and the kids serve as their own umpires and coaches, do all the pitching themselves and hit their own fly balls and grounders in practice.

To encourage the most sportsmanship possible, kids get to learn and play all the positions. If more than 75 kids sign up for a certain location, a second coach will be found to help control the volume of players.

Teams will constantly be divided up in a number of ways: by skill, age, gender and neighborhood. Both softball and baseball are offered in order to be inclusive of everyone who wants to play.

Registration has begun for anyone interested in playing in a TeamsWin league in the summer. Anyone interested can contact Bob Pace at (208) 295-7094 or (208) 304-4458, or through email at bpace@teamswin.net.

“[TeamsWin] is a unique program,” Pace writes on his website, teamswin.net/fastpitch. For hitting, pitching, throwing, fielding and running that I would like to pass on to Boundary County parents and children, both boys and girls for both fastpitch and baseball.”

Pace plans on conducting the league from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on weekdays at up to five different locations determined by turnout. The five likely locations are Paradise Valley, Three Mile, Southside, Northside and the Boundary County Fairgrounds.