November 25, 2024 General Membership Minutes
Harris Baseball Softball Board Meeting Agenda
November 25: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Location: Virtual meeting via Zoom
Members In Attendance:
Tim Fitch (President)
Autumn Nguyen (Treasurer)
Claire Walker (Secretary)
Steve Shaw (Baseball Commissioner)
Kelly Brabec (Softball Commissioner)
JT Trenery (Operations)
Evan Walker (At Large)
Harris Community Members:
Kayla Thomas
Andy Breden
Elisha Anderson
Josh Semak
Mike Hoy
Mike Johnson
Sarah Kotys/Chad Kotys
Scott MacKenzie
Trent Evans
Bart Roberts
Kristin Szerszen
Josh Semak
Opening (Tim Fitch, President)
THANK THE PATRONS FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT
New Board Introductions
- MIKE JOHNSON AS VICE PRESIDENT
- STEVE SHAW AS BASEBALL COMMISSIONER
- CLAIRE WALKER AS SECRETARY
- EVAN WALKER AS PARTY AT LARGE
- JEFF TRENERY AS OPERATIONS
RETURNING (AUTUMN KAYLOR AND KELLY BRABEC) BOARD MEMBERS
BOARD INTENTIONS AND DUTIES
Focus is on the kids, volunteering is always needed and appreciated.
Treasurer’s Update (Autumn Kaylor, Treasurer)
Overview of balance sheet, income statement
Larger projects for 2024 were batting cages, new barn renovation (sponsored by Cavinder).
Baseball Update (Steve Shaw, Baseball Commissioner)
Review baseball numbers for 2024
Fall Baseball was up 31%, need to prepare for that next year
All-star registrations were up 98%
Baseball was up 11%
9 Travel baseball teams
Introduce sub commissioners for 2025
Dustin Coffman 5U
Dustin Menz 7U
Trent Evans Minors
Mark Zache Majors
Off season training opportunities for players
Steve w/12U providing many opportunities
IUSB 6U-11U clinic first week in Jan
Pitching clinic TBD
Hitter’s Edge will host hitting clinic over Christmas break
Player evaluation date and draft dates
March 8
Player evaluations based off pitching. Will also get a look at hitting and fielding.
Pitchers will be split up among teams to ensure each team has pitching. 2 travel kids per team and then a lottery if we have more travel players.
Introduction of practicing 2 teams at a time with 1-2 inning scrimmage following. Did this last season as a test and worked well to better prepare and develop the kids for game situations.
Practice templates to be given to coaches for best practice.
Let coaches know EARLY they can schedule additional practices through sub-commissioners working with Zac Roop.
Softball Update (Kelly Brabec, Softball Commissioner)
Review softball numbers for 2024
220 across all age groups
13% down from 2023
61 coaches (22% up)
Appreciate all volunteers
19 Teams and Sponsors
40 Players try out for 28 all star team tryouts
All Stars 8 tournaments
3 Runner Up Finishes
48 players participate in Fall Softball
High School coaches led sessions
Great role models
New in 2024:
Required Background checks & Safe Environment Training
Baseball & Softball
Valid for 2 years upon completion
Re-vamped evals and
Evaluation guide that adults can go through with players to prepare for evaluation
team assignment
Commissioner/sub commissioners evenly distributed players to make game as fun and competitive as possible
Minor rule changes
will again be reevaluated this year
coaching resources…
Sample practice plans and drills for practice.
Off season training opportunities
Exposure to game like situation
Planning for 2025
Clinic scheduled in February
In need of volunteer sub commissioners
Please contact Kelly Brabec with questions of if interested in volunteering
Evaluations in March, Date TBD
Practices begin: April 14 (week following spring break)
Opening Day: May 3
June 23 End of season tournaments
June 28, season concludes
All dates TBD and subject to change based on weather
Operations Update (JT Trenery, Operations)
Coaching for 4 years, currently operations.
The park is winterized 100%
Dry well quotes are in for the parking lot
We are acquiring quotes for 2025 on field mowing, port-a-potty, field maintenance, etc.
Acquiring quotes on capital improvements such as walk-paths, bleachers, sound system, scoreboards
Membership Question and Answer (Led by Mike Johnson, Vice President)
Please use the “raise hand” function on Zoom to ask a question.
Question & Answer
Sarah Kotys
When are financials presented?
Autumn: No formal budget for this past year but plan on creating one for this year after taking CIP into account.
Chad:
Any question as to why funds were frozen?
Claire: We cannot answer at this time on the advice of legal counsel
Kayla Thomas
Why wasn’t there an 18 U tournament?
Kelly Brabec: We didn’t have sufficient players signed up. We are trying to increase numbers. Requires better coordination with the external Parks, and we need to do a better job. It's [end of season tourney] in the plan for the future.
Sarah Kotys
Please strongly consider not taking out a loan until a budget is made.
Chad Kotys
Scheduling, happy to volunteer to assist with scheduling.
To respect all involved and time requirements, we request no more than 1 question per member.
Closing (Tim Fitch, President)
Thank you to everyone in attendance
Thank you to our volunteers.
Additional Volunteers are always needed.
Board members are available via email, Please reach out directly to Harris email addresses