All, I wanted to encourage you all as boards/presidents to start talking to each other right now, if you haven't already. By working together as a district, communicating, and focusing on executing a good season, we can make a stronger family of Little League all the way around. Some topics that are coming up almost daily: 1. Where do I get umpires? Can I pay umpires? (No, you are not supposed to pay your umpires unless you are also buying supplemental insurance that covers them and the league, L&I, filing 1099's or W2s, and more). Volunteer umpires are covered under LL Insurance! Plus a LL trained umpire understands LL rules. This is kinda funny to me because we just had a LL Umpire Clinic, and everyone was invited. Some of the people that did not show up, are now asking where the umpires are? They come from interested people in your own leagues. You have to grow them up. 2. Coaches Clinic. we will have a coaches clinic when enough people ask to have one. Otherwise I will work with individual leagues to get sort of a "private" clinic going. EVERY LEAGUE SHOULD HAVE SOME COACHES TRAINING FOR THEIR NEW COACHES. Otherwise the kids are usually the ones that suffer under the hands of a bad coach or manager 3. Team parents - get them assigned early and get them involved! 4. Scorekeepers - get them trained, assigned early and get them on the fields keeping "book". Remember when you go to Districts for the post-season tournaments, YOU CAN'T KEEP BOOK OUTSIDE OF THE DUGOUT. 5. Reciprocation --- I have a lot to say about this: First of all, the goal of Little League is not about baseball, it's about building BETTER individuals, and stronger community. This means the leaders of the leagues AND parents need to be the good examples. I have had MANY presidents call me and ask the question "I am willing to travel to someone to give them a game, but they won't come to my fields". I call this "reciprocation". or lack of it. All the presidents should work together to give as many home games as they get when it comes to working with another league in a different town to pick up games. If someone gives you a home game, then you should give them a travel game. Some presidents have said "Well, my parents and coaches won't put up with that!". too bad. And it's not really realistic. Many leagues have shortages in one division or another. If you are strong in majors and weak in minors, then you might need minors' games to make up enough games to get in a "legal" season. And if someone is weak in Majors and strong in minors, they may ask YOU for some majors games. and of course you don't want to travel majors, but do in minors. be kind, and smart, and work together to come up with a schedule that gets everyone what they need. If you all work together, the season is good for everyone. Now, to the parents/coaches that say "I don't want to go to XYZ to play a game". well make it a double header so there are two games (I sanction double headers for Majors and above, not minors and below). Also, a lot of these same parents don't mind spending $1500 to go somewhere to play a travel ball tournament for 3-4 games on a weekend. In our area, it's smart to travel to play, and to host others than will travel to you. Why? It gives the kids another "look" - gets them an idea that there are other places to visit, see other things, expand horizons. It gets them into competitive baseball at a different level. It shows them other fields, other players, and other styles of playing baseball. It's good for the coaches as they learn new tricks, and see teams before District play. All of that is good. Nothing on the schedule in our district(s) require an over night stay. maybe a lunch they would buy anyway, and getting the kids in the car an hour and a half earlier so they can go play baseball. Be Kind, Be Smart, give other people games at your fields, and travel to other fields for games with them. Lets have a good season, Let me know if you need anything, and your thoughts on a Coaching Clinic real quickly before the season gets going too fast. Best Regards JP DA WA5/13