Managers, Coaches, Parents and Players,
As this 2011 Mill Creek Little League season comes to a close there are a few thoughts that I would like to share. First of all, I would like to thank all of the volunteers who have committed countless hours towards making this season a great success. I have tried to get out to as many fields and games as my schedule would allow. I have seen kids playing baseball and softball and having fun. I have seen our community of parents and grandparents excited as they watch their kids grow into another stage of their lives. Whether it has been the baseball games at Freedom Field or the softball games at Heatherwood Middle School, the kids of this community have been provided a safe and positive environment to play ball. These are truly memorable moments that will be treasured for years to come. So as we move forward I would like share with everyone a perspective of where MCLL stands as a league and where we are headed.
The strength of Mill Creek Little League has been the long standing successful and competitive nature of the organization. Over the years MCLL has established itself as the premier league in the State of Washington and in the US. Many dedicated coaches, parents and community volunteers have worked hard to create a league that is so successful. This year alone we had over 950 kids participating in softball and baseball on 76 different teams in the 10 different divisions. We will be representing our community in a variety of local tournaments and all-star games. All of this will come to a close with MCLL hosting the 2011 (10/11) District 1 baseball Tournament in July at Freedom Field. Through the long hours, rainy days and nights we come to realize that all of our efforts have proven to be a success. Please take the time to thank your coaches, the team parents, and the board members for their commitment.
As with any organization, we also have some challenges. The rising costs of supplies and maintaining safe equipment will require us to be creative in our purchasing. Securing fields in our own community is proving to be a difficult concern that must be worked on immediately. Other programs are competing with us for field space. The umpire situation is area that we need to address for next season. We are very fortunate to have a tremendous Umpire in Chief, Tony Mackay. Going into next season we need to encourage more participation (especially at the juniors and seniors division).
Mill Creek Little League made great strides this season in many areas. We were able to institute a new online management program through Bonzi. This was a great addition to our league and in time will help us expedite many administrative procedures. I would like to especially thank our League Player Agent Marci Kearney and her leadership with implementing the new Bonzi program.
MCLL also followed up a great tradition with second annual Jamboree in April. This event was an opportunity to thank all the community members who put forth so much time to make Mill Creek Little League a top quality program
Safety was again a main emphasis this season for all our players and coaches. The safety first aid backpacks and coaches manuals helped to stress the need of awareness and preventative measures. MCLL also purchased an AED machine for Freedom Field. For the 2012 season we would like to get as many people trained to use the AED as possible. More information regarding the AED will come out. Thanks to Lorene Wiggins and Hal Sullivan for their leadership in this area. MCLL was recognized by Little League International for having one of the top three Safety Plans in the Western Region.
Our softball program experienced tremendous growth this year due to the hard work of Keith Cottingham (Softball VP) and his staff. We need to note that our Majors Softball team coached by Stoney Taylor won the District 1 Tournament of Champions. We also have selected three softball All Star teams for the second season. As we continue to grow our Softball program it will bring additional field scheduling challenges that we will be addressing during the off season. Our goal for softball next season is to have even more girls from our community playing and perhaps adding a new Farm division as well as additional majors teams.
The Snack Shack at Freedom Field proved to be another big hit this year. This was a significant centralized place for coaches to pick up information and supplies. Also, the coordination and operation was very well so well this year during the regular season that we must extend our appreciation to Stephanie Maxwell and her team who coordinated all of the volunteers to keep the Snack Shack open most every game.
I am sure you can appreciate that I could go on about all of the key people who helped make MCLL a national recognized Little League program. There are so many people who have put a lot of time into this league. Please understand that MCLL is a 100% volunteer organization. We do not have any paid staff members to do all the work that is needed. All that is accomplished is done so on personal time. If our league strives to be the best in providing a safe and quality program for the kids of this community we will continue to need your support and volunteer help. As the next few months approach, information will be sent describing what our volunteer needs will be for the 2012 season. Please consider being a part of an organization that provides a great softball and baseball experience for the kids of the greater Mill Creek area.
With all this being said I would like to share with you that I have decided to step aside as President of Mill Creek Little League. This has been an exciting four year opportunity and I am thankful for all the experiences and friendships that I have made. Mark Sjolund has agreed to take over in August and will certainly carry on the tradition of establishing Mill Creek Little League as one of the best Little League programs in the United States.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Ed Lundberg
President
Mill Creek Little League
2007-2011