"LANE TECH, A CITY BASEBALL POWERHOUSE FOR DECADES"
- FOX News, June 12, 2006
The Chicago Lane Tech’s baseball program is one of the top programs in the city and arguably the state. It is the priority of Head Coach Jeff Szukala that his student-athletes not only excel on the playing field but also in the classroom.  It is the program’s attention to detail and drive for excellence that won the varsity City Championship for two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006, and the freshmen City Championship for the past seven.  Coach Szukala runs a superb program and he, his coaching staff, and his players work extremely hard to maintain the highest standards on and off the field.

The Lane Tech mission statement reads:

The Vision of Lane Tech is to provide all students with a superior academic, technical, and fine arts education that prepares students for success in their post-secondary endeavors of school career, community, and family life.
However, there has been a huge concern the parents, coaches, teachers and the committees have in regards to the Lane Tech Baseball diamond. Our baseball facility is in desperate need of repair or replacement.  Every year the parents, student-athletes, and coaches get together to do what they can to repair the field, but the impact is limited due to its horrible condition.  It's an absolute shame that a model baseball program, such as Lane Tech’s, should have to practice and play baseball under such unsafe conditions.  (Please see the attach picture of what Lane Tech Baseball diamond looks like today.)  The outfield is several feet lower than the infield which makes the field unplayable for several days after even the lightest rain.  When playable, the playing surface is filled with rocks, cinder, glass, and a few weeds for color.  Recently, Lane hosted a state regional baseball tournament and it was embarrassing to hear the players and parents of the other teams make fun of the poor field conditions.     
The LTBB, Inc. began as an informal “parents club” to support the teams and coaching staff.  By 2004, that parents’ club had begun to struggle with dropping membership and, by 2006, had ceased to function effectively.  A casual conversation between concerned parent Rick Amico and Head Coach Jeff Szukala led to its revitalization as the Lane Tech Baseball Booster Club.  A Board of Directors was elected and the first order of business was to incorporate the organization.  In April of that year, the LTBB, Inc. was granted 501(c)(3) tax exempt status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, taking on the legal name of the LTBB, Inc.

The LTBB, Inc. was established solely to assist the baseball teams in raising funds to repair or rebuild the field, purchase the necessary equipment and uniforms needed for our young athletes.  In the first year, the booster club was able to begin building a co-operative relationship with our neighbor, DeVry University, and hosts an all-day event at which players, parents and coaches cleaned the field, repainted benches and fences and erected a much needed batting cage.  Heading into our second year in existence, our primary focus is the rebuilding of the baseball facilities and reaching out to baseball alumni.

We are proud and privileged to be working in conjunction with the Field of Dreams and the Century Foundation.  LTBB, Inc. feels confident that we can raise the necessary funds to complete this project. 

The newly elected LTBB, Inc. Board of Directors which will be effective May 1, 2007 is as follows:

Jeff Hoshell, President
Harry Huber, Vice President
Mini Babilonia, Secretary
Edward Babilonia, Vice President of Finance
Tod McElhaney, Board Liaison
Annette Huber, Treasurer
Rich Amico, Board of Director Advisors
The Lane Tech Baseball Booster Club (a non-profit organization, 501(c)3) is a group of people - fans, friends, parents, and coaches - whose single purpose is to support the Lane Tech baseball teams every way we can. One of the primary ways we can do this is to make sure that the baseball program is as well-funded as possible. Join us!
As a team, we can do amazing things.