LYSL Board Meeting - Meeting Notes

LYSL Board Meeting - Meeting Notes July 29, 2014 Attendees: Heather Adams, Nate Adams, Erin Beran, Anna Brooks, Deb Pickens, Rosanna Santaniello-Murphy, Mark Smith, Alena York NEXT MEETING: Thursday, August 21, 6:30pm @ Martin's in Stevensville (This is a "Board" meeting - but any/all coordinators are welcome and encouraged to come, since this is our final meeting before the season starts!)

REGISTRAR UPDATE (Erin) 1) Team Formation a) Still working to finalize team formation: we have approximately 325 players registered b) There are still a handful (less than 10) players who were registered within 24 hours or so after the July 20 cut-off and wait-listed. Erin is fitting them in where possible. c) Note that there were additional issues with a very few parents who tried to register via their smart phone. d) Specifically for U6 we will have to decline some of the wait-listed players due to existing teams at capacity and no additional coach volunteers. e) U14 i) Erin will/has advise(d) the 8 players who registered for U14 that we did not receive sufficient registrations to form a U14 team this season. ii) Anna will credit any payments that were processed for these players (either full credit or application to any other sibling account if balance) 2) Player Allergies & Medical Issues a) Erin researched the use of "Bio Sheets" to improve the process of communicating medical issues noted at registration on to coaches. Unfortunately, this tool creates far too detailed an output for our needs. b) For this season, Erin will generate a spreadsheet from the website and highlight those players with medical issues. She will then email the information directly to the assigned coaches. c) For subsequent seasons, the Head of Coaches will be responsible for downloading and disseminating the information. 3) U8 Division will be Co-Ed a) We did not have sufficient registration numbers in U8 to meet our agreed upon criteria of at least 4 teams per gender. Therefore, the division was merged to a co-ed division of 6 teams. b) Parents were made aware of this potential via the registration process. c) Erin has created a U8C division in the system with the pre-requisite that the player passed registration for U8B or U8G. d) Mark will create the U8C division so that it is available for upload of schedules.

HEAD OF COACHES UPDATE (Mark & Heather) 1) All teams have been assigned coaches. Mark left some "assistant" volunteers unassigned to a team. We agreed that it is better for Erin to make these assignments rather than the scheduler, since it results in players also being reassigned, and there is very minimal coach scheduling conflict this season. 2) Player Draft a) Mark will load the following draft dates to the website and will email affected coaches: i) Tuesday, August 12: U08 ii) Wednesday, August 13: U10 Day 1 iii) Thursday, August 14: U10 Day 2 b) It was noted that this is the week of Berrien County Youth Fair which may impact attendance. Also noted that with the draft relatively small this year, that we will stick with these dates. 3) Coach Orientation Meetings

of 4 a) Will be communicated as MANDATORY for U4 and U5 coaches - strongly encouraged for all. i) U4 mandatory to ensure they understand the "instructional" format of this division ii) U5 since - especially if they coached U4 the year before - they need to understand the game format/rules versus scrimmage. b) Dates as follows - Mark and Heather will conduct in tandem. Mark will email coaches to advise of dates: i) Saturday, August 16 9:30-11am @ the Concession Stand ii) Tuesday, August 19, 6:30-8:00pm @ the Concession Stand iii) Alena will also be there on both dates for Equipment bag distribution iv) Alena will also offer a third - FINAL - date for coaches to pick up Equipment at the Concession Stand if they do not attend either of these dates.

SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR UPDATE (Rosanna) 1) Rosanna has not had time to pursue sponsors for the proposed fund-raising discount cards. Rather than attempting to rush it through, we all agreed to defer the trial of fund-raising cards until Spring 2015. 2) Signs - Rosanna will order signs for: a) State Farm (contact Mike Gilbert) b) Arcadia c) Nicholson Home Builders d) Nature's Way (only wants sign, no shirt?) 3) Jersey Screening a) Not clear exactly which, if any sponsors, will want shirts. Rosanna will verify. b) Possibly Nicholson (no team dependency - can be random) and Natures Way (U7C?) c) Rosanna needs to advise Alena or advise Vicky at United directly if screened shirts are needed (Our jerseys have already been ordered, so this screening can be requested as little as 1 week prior to uniform distribution) 4) Expired Sponsors a) Quite a few sponsors are still scrolling on the website, although no payments have been processed in over 2 years. b) Need to pen a letter/email to go to these sponsors encouraging them to renew their sponsorship. c) Anna has sent some sample letters Arcadia received from other sports leagues. Deb will amend and provide to Rosanna for review/use. d) Rosanna will send letters to expired sponsors i) Add to sign and/or shirt orders as needed ii) Mailed payments should go to PO Box. iii) Note credit card payment for Anna to review. 5) New/Prospective Sponsors a) How to communicate: i) Rosanna would like assistance wordsmithing a letter for use in communicating the benefits and perks to prospective sponsors. ii) Rosanna will provide Deb with the general bullet-points ideas/facts she would like included in the letter iii) Deb will create the letter and provide to Rosanna.

GAME SCHEDULER UPDATE (Deb) 1) Deb has the information needed (number of teams per division and named coaches) to commence game scheduling. a) Erin: I presume I do not need to wait until you have placed the "floating" assistants on specific teams. 2) There are only 4 coaches with schedule constraints coaching 2 teams - very minimal scheduling constraints compared to previous seasons.

of 4 3) INTER-LEAGUE scheduling for U12 (optimally, I do not begin scheduling for lower divisions until inter- league games are set). a) This process should be fairly quick this season, as we only have 2 U12 teams to schedule games for; and their only games will be against other leagues. b) Per Erin's suggestion, ASAP Deb will send individual emails to the schedulers for Bridgman, St. Joe and Coloma requesting any U10B games they can give us (we have only 2 U10B teams). i) No intent to request U10G games - but if they offer, we will only play U10G against SJ or Coloma, because Bridgman plays U10 as co-ed. ii) This should not be made part of the "big Panera meeting" iii) Consensus that we will NOT schedule any games between our own LYSL U10G and U10B teams. c) Deb will also send a group email to ALL of the leagues' schedulers (add S. Haven to list above) who we potentially play against letting them know we are ready to schedule games for our U12B team and U12G team (1 team each gender). d) U4 Division i) There were 28 total players registered for this division - 5 teams ii) Because we have an odd number of teams and due to some anecdotal parent complaints from last season, Deb will schedule U4 with rotating team combinations for "games" iii) All 5 teams will play on the same weeknight and same Saturday time. (TBD) iv) Heather and Mark will stress extra-hard to the U4 coaches at the orientation meetings that this division is intended primarily for instruction, and that actual "games" are not to be expected.

CONCESSIONS UPDATE (Lori not in attendance) 1) Erin will provide Lori with the name of 2 individuals who volunteered for "Concessions Manager" via the registration process.

FIELD MAINTENANCE UPDATE (Nate) 1) All nets have been placed and corners sprayed. 2) A U14 net was tipped and has been put back in position. 3) Nate conducted inventory and organizing of the sheds. Mark gave him direction to dispose of the following a) 2 bags of trophies from 2009 b) Bundles of old league rules pamphlets c) A box of red shorts with white stripes 4) Per Mark, new nets have been ordered for U4, so Nate can save what is in good shape and dispose of the rest (we only need 3 sets max this season. 5) Mark will pursue replacement of the letter "F" banner missing from the U5-6 fields. 6) Erin will email Nate ([email protected]) the contact information (last name Callahan?) for the 2 high school boys who are interested in taking care of during season line painting maintenance (not initial line snapping, etc.). 7) Line Paint Supplies a) Per Mark, the Township supplies the paint free of charge, but we typically buy extra/reserve out of the LYSL budget). We should have more than sufficient paint for this season already at the field. b) Mark will provide Nate with Terri Smith's contact information - she is our Lincoln Township contact c) Mark will ensure that the string and drivers (?) are replaced that we think SWM forgot to return after they borrowed. 8) New Goals a) U4 goals already ordered and received from Epic - Mark has b) New U8 & U10 goals are being "delivered" by a company called "Keeper". There was not a clear understanding of where/when they are being delivered. c) Mark to give Nate further direction on "donating" the old nets coming down. 9) Field Days (8/16 & 8/17)

of 4 a) Lines not needed for Draft (use cones) b) Lines do not HAVE to be painted for practices; but it is nice. c) Practices will begin no earlier than 8/19 d) Field Day will be scheduled as follows i) Saturday, August 16, 11am-3pm. Tag on Coach Orientation hoping some might stay to help. ii) Sunday, August 17, 1-5pm iii) Mark will also provide Nate contact information for Jason Ackerman, the SWM volunteer coordinator, as they often help out as well. e) Note that Mark sometimes has to contact the Township (Terrie Smith) to hold back on watering the field, since they only mow weekly (?).

EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR UPDATE (Alena) 1) Alena will provide Mark a list of all items that need to be ordered for the season 2) Alena has placed the uniform order with United (Vicky). Vicky is insisting on hearing a "need by" date. Mark advised her to tell Vicky "next week" 3) The supplier was out of size Youth Small in Navy/White. Alena advised them to order as follows: a) U5: Yellow b) U6: Yellow 4) Alena has been working on organizing and inventorying the supplies. 5) Equipment Bags a) Mark says his records indicate that 12 coaches still have not returned equipment bags from last season. This may be that they returned them, but did not send Mark a confirming email. b) Mark will provide the list of coaches to all of us so we can validate/follow-up with any coaches we know of. 6) As noted above, Alena will tag equipment bag distribution on to the Coach Orientation meetings a) Alena will also set a final (third) date for Equipment Bag pick-up if coaches do not attend either Orientation meeting. 7) Uniform Distribution a) Alena will contact Trina Lawrence ([email protected], cell: 269-830-4688) to coordinate so Picture Packets can be included with Uniform distribution. b) Alena: Did we miss setting a date for when coaches will pick up the Uniform/Picture packets? Needs to occur as far as possible prior to Picture Day (9/6)

NOTE: Critical Topic for next meeting - audit process for concussion forms!