Warsaw Little League President Lance Leeper has been involved with the program for nearly two decades.

WARSAW — It takes many people to make a youth sports program effective. Usually, the adults involved have a vested interest, namely children playing in the program.

Once their children get older and phase out, parents usually follow and move on to another opportunity.

Lance Leeper is an exception to that hackneyed notion. For the past five years, Leeper has served as the president of the Warsaw Little League, although his time as a board member began, literally, at the turn of the century. His involvement in the league started as a coach in the late ’90s, the beginning of his passion working with the community’s young baseball players. Here’s the catch — Leeper is single and doesn’t have any children. He volunteers because he loves the game and is passionate about giving Warsaw’s youth an opportunity to play it in a fun and safe environment.

“I’m a single guy that likes baseball,” said Leeper. “I knew some people out here who got me involved and it kind of stuck.”

Warsaw Little League program is a 100 percent volunteer organization with Leeper leading the way. He estimated during the season he donates around 35-40 hours of his time each week. This year there are 340 kids in the program, down a bit from their normal 350-400 participants.

“As usual, we’re heavier with younger kids who are just getting involved,” noted Leeper. “As the kids get older, we start competing with different activities including travel ball.”

The travel ball Leeper refers to often takes the better players in the community to compete against teams across the region, often playing 60-70 games each year. That is not what the Warsaw Little League is focusing on, however. Leeper said each of his teams plays 16-20 games, all of which take place at the Boggs Little League park just west of downtown. Some of the kids are invited to play on the Warsaw All-Star team that competes in the state tournament during the summer, and whose pinnacle would be the Little League World Series played in Williamsport, Pa., in late August.

Leeper understands the reality for the program isn’t that hallmark event. He knows most of his kids won’t compete higher than at the recreational level. His goal is to provide the kids with quality coaches with a passion for teaching the game and the life lessons it offers. Beyond that, if the kids have the desire and ability to continue playing the game it serves as an added bonus for him.

Leeper is adamant about the need for diversity in the repertoire of young athletes. He is firmly set against parents and coaches encouraging children to focus on a single sport, especially at the age levels he incorporates.

“It’s important that kids are involved in a variety of different sports as they grow up,” he said. “I don’t want to see anyone lose their passion for the game by the time they get to high school because they are burned out.

“It’s rewarding to see kids who start off at 7 or 8 years old who don’t look like they’re going to be very good, then see the smile on the face as they get older and better,” Leeper concluded. “That’s what keeps bringing me back.”