January 2010
Happy New Year ~ I hope this finds you and your family doing well.
Everything you need for Spring 2010 registration is online at www.sanorthside.org
Please review for information, registration, managing, coaching, dates, etc.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers that have provided the most important resource they have; their time to NSLL. From the Managers ~ the face of this League, to the team parent, and every other volunteer we have, your service in invaluable and required to make this League work. I challenge you all to make the commitment once again.
The new NSLL Board of Directors took office in October 2009. James Culver selflessly served his term as President of NSLL and continues to serve on the NSLL Board, a commitment he has made for over 5 years. Darryll Dullnig, Scott Soefje, and John McFall, were Board Members who served out their tenure on the Board, all well over 5 plus year volunteers and respectfully vital to NSLL’s contract negotiations with the city, registration, and purchasing, in addition to setting policy and running teams.
We have current Board Members; Randy Reinagel, Joseph Losoya, Daron Lofton, Lee Rodgers, Pete Sanchez, Roger Ford, and Walt Nichols who continue to serve on the NSLL Board. They have done too much to list, all have put in 5 plus years, and are extremely valuable to NSLL, and I would like to thank them each for their continued dedication.
Additional Board Members who have quickly contributed and bring new ideas to NSLL are: Karen Gipson, Stacy Grove, Julie Growney, Maria Bercher, Charlie Riggs, Troy LeMasters, Gerald Biela, Mike Silva, & Richard Sherman, their commitment is appreciated.
This leaves one additional Board Member who alone has been doing this for over 15 years. He no longer has kids playing at NSLL, but continues to put his time and labor into NSLL; Dennis Thrailkill, we appreciate all you do for NSLL and for the District.
NSLL ran a successful Fall Season, the rain withstanding, in which we interleagued with NWLL in a joint effort to upgrade the Fields. NSLL also saw a 15% increase in our numbers this past Fall. NSLL is finalizing the leveling of the Big Field; we are completely redoing the infield. The fence backstops have been replaced on all 4 fields. The machine pitch field will get a new fence in the outfield, we purchased new netting for the batting cages last year, we purchased a new pitching machine a few months ago and we have a lot of things planned for 2010; which include remodeling of the restrooms, leveling of the North and South Field, new score boards, remodeling of the score booths, and additional equipment upgrades used for maintaining the fields.
The last stretch goal we have is to install new lighting for our 22 year old field lighting system. With a price tag of roughly $375,000.00 this is something that is going to be challenging, but within our grasp with a lot of work.
It is not always easy to see if decisions we make are the right ones, but the Board’s decision to allow 4 year olds to play teeball has turned out to be successful for NSLL. I am proud of another addition coming to NSLL. At our last Board Meeting, and after 52 years in existence, the Board approved adding a challenger division. The Little League Challenger Division will provide baseball to special needs kids at NSLL. We are at the beginning phase of initiating this program and we would be happy to have volunteers to assist with this specific endeavor. We hope to be ready for the Fall of 2010.
Internally we hope that you take advantage of mailing in your registration paperwork and payment to assist in the registration process and the evaluation process. For details, check out the new NSLL website in which we have added more information and hopefully provided better tools for our members. The boundary map is a nice addition that takes advantage of Google Maps to show our boundary lines. We have also started using Twitter. Sign up to get information for NSLL at www.twitter.com/sanorthside this will mainly be used for quick updates and for rain out information.
NSLL has a lot to offer, but in the end it comes down to volunteers, at various levels and at various degrees. Hopefully you will sign back up, spread the word that NSLL is a great place to play baseball and softball and make the commitment to another Spring Season and the kids of NSLL.
As I did in the first paragraph, I challenge you to be a volunteer. Look forward to seeing you at the fields.
Regards,
Rodney Herrera
NSLL President
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November 2010
My name is Rodney Herrera, I am the President of NSLL for the 2009 - 2010 Season. I have been a part of NSLL for 5 years, and on the Board of Directors for 2 years. I am honored to be a part of NSLL and the NSLL Board of Directors. I take my role here seriously, and plan on doing the best job possible as a volunteer who has a full time job and a family. I believe we have the best park in San Antonio to play ball, and I only want to see it get better.
Please remember that we all do this for all our kids at NSLL. I'm not one of those guys who believes I am working for you. I believe I am volunteering for all the kids. Decisions are made on behalf of the complete community, and we do a lot of good things at NSLL. I imagine there may be mistakes made, and some decisions may not be agreeable, but I do know that the decisions will be made with good intent, they will be well thought out, and they will be made with all the facts in hand.
NSLL has a rich tradition that the Board wants to continue. Over the last year through donations, fundraiser's and sponsorship, we have been working towards improving our facility. Besides the general upkeep, we have installed new batting cages, upgraded the bullpens, and purchased additional equipment to maintain the fields. Currently the Thrailkill field has had the backstop replaced and is being leveled in a 2 year agreement with NWLL in which our smaller fields will be leveled next fall. We are also working on other repairs and upgrades to the backstop of the smaller fields. We will continue to repair fencing, including to the machine pitch field. The restrooms need upgrades, the score booths and scoreboards need updating, we are going to continue keeping our fields in good shape, which takes everyone's cooperation, and I am making the promise that the donations, sponsorships, and fundraiser's will continue to be used for the betterment of NSLL and providing a great experience for all of our families.
One additional upgrade that is needed is to the lighting of our fields. The poles and lights are no longer up to the standards of current Little League requirements. We are still grand fathered in and in compliance, but the Board would like to see our facility have the metal poles and lighting that would do our Little League justice. This is a project that I would like to see implemented over the next year. With a price tag of over $350,000 this is not going to be an easy endeavor, but something that we need to do. If anyone can assist with this project, feel free to contact me.
The last item I would like to address is in regard to our League being run by Volunteers. I have met a lot of great people and families at NSLL. Over the past 5 years we have found a place that cannot be replaced. I have taken on this role for one reason, to provide a safe environment in which the kids in our district can learn about leadership and sportsmanship through competitive baseball and softball. I believe team sports are a microcosm of our adult lives. To run this league during the Spring, we traditionally have 20 volunteer Board Members, 35 Managers, 70 Coaches, 35 Team Parents, 5 adults a day for field duty, 1 scorekeeper per game, and 1 scoreboard per game. For the Spring alone, this equates to about 350 volunteers at some degree of commitment. What I want to make sure everyone understands is that we need your help, no matter at what level you choose, whether it is to keep score, take out trash, or manage a team, we need your help. I appreciate what you do at all levels, I truly do, and I encourage you to continue volunteering and being a part of NSLL, its a great place to raise your kids.
Whatever level you choose to volunteer, know that you are touching the lives of kids who will one day understand what you did with fondness and affection and will pay it forward. If it helps, I would like to share with you the phrase that keeps me going when the work is too much, the problems seem insurmountable, and I don't know if I can throw another 200 pitches in practice:
"Commitment is doing the things you said you would do, long after the mood you said it in has left you."
See you at the Fields.
Regards ~ Rodney
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president@sanorthside.org