Hingham Little League Board of Directors Meeting
Meeting Minutes-3/26/2006
Hingham Recreation Center
7:00 PM




Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm

Attendees: Bruce Corwin, Steve White, Ed Anderson, Elliot Sherman, Rob Blomberg, Rick Linehan, Bob Madden, Melissa Flanagan, Skip Jenkins, Rich Magner, Owen McConville, Tim Zyrkowski, Tim Driscoll, Joe Granatino


Secretary’s Report-Tim D.
• Approve 3/6/06 Meeting Minutes
o Approved, Tim to post to site

Treasurer’s Report-Rick
• Current Balance 77,711.73
o 7500 cleared, donation to Sports Partnership for Field House at Lynch; 3500 Dugouts at Haley; 1000 screen for benches at Kress
• Outstanding Expenses –
o Bill from Beacon from last year carried over. Elliot will follow up on previous bills with them which is not itemized.
• Audit of 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 HLL Financial Results
o Status of Audits
 No update, RL to check with Gladstone

Business Related Issues

• National Little League Business Filings
o Charter Application & Charter Fees
• Charter received
• Revised Charter Application needs to be filed after teams are selected
• Rob to file after teams at all Divisions are drafted

New Business

• Player Registration-Membership Committee Report & Team Schedules (Elliot)
o Registration results
• Updated registrations by age group
o 846 registered. Issue with Tedeschi player, late addition. Melissa will follow thru with contact to get him on board (minors)
o 78 12’s
o 96 11’s
 18 10’s eligible for Majors, have to draft 18
o 220 Minors (+1)
o 221 Farm
o 197 Tball

Discussed late registrations and our need to cut off the list somewhere. We have advertised and had registrations open since December.

Motion made (with 3 exceptions in progress), that Registration is now closed, and we will take no more players. All players are on WAIT LIST from this point forward. Motion passed unanimously.

Excellent job Elliot on streamlining the registration process, over 75% signed up online


o Update on schedules (Rob and Rick)
• Majors/Minors
• Major’s schedule is approved
o Additional game Sundays (6:00pm) this year
o No other issues
• Update on Minors, Farm and TBall schedule
o Minors is all set. Ends in first week of June, then playoffs. Minors play during the week. Still need fields to fill this in. Have not heard on High School and Plymouth River as yet, Bob Madden will follow up with School Dept. South and Foster are good. Have Lynch thru May before construction is due to begin which will be helpful

• Sponsorships and Donations-Committee Report-Bruce and Melissa
o Major’s Sponsors-Complete
o Status of Minors, Farm and T Ball sponsors
• Checks are coming in
• Have 1 too many sponsors in Minors, Melissa will correct for Jacobs, move from Minors to Farm (player in Farm)
• 17 sponsors for 20 teams, need 3 more. Joe Granatino will check with Eventco contact. Still have 2 Tballs open and 3 Farm.
• Outstanding job by Melissa pulling this all together
o Outstanding Issues
• Verizon sponsorship (2004-2006) remains outstanding
• Paperwork is in process

League Rules and Local By-Law Issues

• Player Agent Report-Skip
o Update on Tryouts (3/12 and 3/19)
• Thank You Notes To Hingham High Baseball Players, HHS Principal and Dan McHugh
• Thank you notes to the kids as a follow up. Rich has the names of the kids, Skip will follow up, they did a good job. Note also sent to Hingham Journal
• 430 kids tried out.
• Lists sent out to Managers
• Makeup tryout date-3/22 at 5:30 pm at the Rec completed
• Nice job by Skip and all who assisted, the process went very smoothly


o Schedule of Draft Dates by Division (all at PRS)
• Draft lists in advance of meeting forwarded to managers
• Issues of Eight Year Olds With Birthdates From 8/1/97 “Playing Up” in Minors
• Issue has been brought up from a few parents who had their 8 year old (birthday post 8/97) try out for Minors
• Policy had been set allowing the ‘bubble’ 8 year olds having played 2 years already in Farm and born in the period 5/97 – 8/1/97 to have the option to play up in Minors. After 8/1/97 to play in Farm
• We have already fielded questions from some parents of 8 year olds born after 8/1/97 to play up, and the answer has been a consistent no, following our established policy based on birth date.
• Issue not brought up before tryouts. In hindsight, we could have offered option to move up to all 8 year olds tryout for minors. If we allow a few to play up, could look contrary. Rob outlined his ideas.
• Question on number (221, so 12 or 13. Farm has 11 per team).
• Mike Letorney and Kevin Donius both spoke on behalf of the 8 yr olds born after 8/1/97 having the option to move up. Key point is that based on talent, several of these kids would not be out of place in Minors, and likely would be out of place in Farm
• This point was supported also by potential safety issues for some of the less experienced teammates, as some of these kids hit and throw hard.
• Question again debated, how do we allow for only 4-5 kids, and not the rest of the 8 year olds to move u?. It would appear that the Board would be allowing favoritism to a few individuals if were to allow a few kids born after 8/1/97 to move up to Minors
• Rob has received multiple callas and emails in which he said no following the policy established.
• In the past a few players have been allowed to move up.
• Persuasive points were made on both sides of issue.
• Motion was made to change previous vote of the Board that established the birth date cutoff for Minors at 8/1/97. That any player born after 8/1/97 and has played 2 years in Farm or equivalent experience be eligible for Minors
o Vote taken and Motion did not pass by a close vote

• Further discussion ensued on this issue, turning to consider if any alternatives were available at this point, noting that fairness and consistency is our guiding goal
• It was noted that there is some room in Minors to fill out the number of players per team (some teams will have 12 players, some 13).
• Would we be able to do a tryout and postpone the draft for Minors to sort this issue out? Further discussion supported seeking alternative that is equitable to all 8 year olds seeking to move up, and not just a select few.
• A motion was made following discussion: That HLL will contact all players whose birthdates are 8/1/97 and 4 /30/98 or later to offer the opportunity to tryout and be eligible for the remaining Minor league roster spots. Vote passed unanimously.
• Logistics – Skip will email all the group and post notice to the website. Date is Sunday at Lynch 4:00pm. Minor managers need to be contacted as well
• Details of draft format by Division
• Majors-3/27, Minors-3/28 and Farm/TBall-3/30-6:30 pm each night
• As above, Minors and Farm T-Ball to be rescheduled
• Logistics for Draft Nights-laptop, projector, etc.
o Other issues?
o Rules reviewed from last year
• Numbers by age for Majors– Suggestiong made to have Minimum 12’s – 4 Maximum of 6
• Minimum 10’s – 0 and Maximum is 2
• Motion was made as above, 12’s 4 minimum, 6 maximum, Maximum 2 10 year olds
• Vote taken and passed
• Brother/Sister rules apply, Manager
• 12 – 3rd round , 11 4th round 10 5th round
• Use double blind draft. Serpentine order 1-16, 17-32
• Equipment will not be distributed tomorrow night.
• Decided not to distribute, not quite ready. Pick up date to be scheduled

• Major League Committee Report
o Review of Major’s Rules
• Update on rule changes
• Pitching rules
o No report at this time
• All Star selection process
• HLL version of Pitch Count Program
• Manager Committee recommendation on whether HLL will use our own version of the Pitch Count Program in 2006
• For the rules, need to update for the DATES (Tim will update). Done

• Minor League Committee Report
o Review of Minor’s Rules
• Update on rule changes
• HLL version of Pitch Count Program
o Other issues?

• Farm League Committee Report
o Review of Farm Rules
• Are any rule changes needed?
• Players who have already played two years in TBall but whose birthdates fall within 5/1/97-7/31/98 can move up to Farm
o Other issues?


• TBall Committee report
o Review of T Ball Rules
• Are any rule changes needed?
o Age issue for TBall players
• Little League advice to allow TBall players to register for Tball in 2006 if their birthdays are between 5/1/01-7/31/01
o Other issues?

• Manager’s Committee Report-Steve
o Outstanding Issues Involving Selection of Managers and Coaches?
o Training for Managers, Coaches and players
• Feedback on 3/2 and 3/9 training
• Over 60 attended, was well received - nice job Steve
• Additional training programs in the spring-likely pitchers and catchers
o Practice manual for HLL
o CORI Process
• Steve will work with Rich on these
o Boys of Baseball Training-5/06 and 9/06

• Equipment Committee Report-Ed
o Status/Inventory of Outstanding Equipment
• Orders are in. Split between Rockland and Beacon
• Fill in order forVerizon shirts
• Ed will get pricing for Pants, for distribution to Majors
• Found bathing helmet cages in the storage bin, will distribute
• Need to follow up on Umpire Equipment. Need 6 full sets of equipment
• New bases have come in (with posts)
• Team signs – only 4 have been located, will have to follow up
• Port-A-Potties are ordered for the fields
• Uniforms-missing sponsor names and patches
• Order two sets of shirts for Williamsport teams should be ordered at this time so we don’t have to worry about later
o Use of bag tags to identify equipment by Division and team
o Use of Lapel’s – got the uniform back, with patches!
o Assessment of equipment Needs
o Selection of vendors to supply equipment
o Other Equipment
• Status of batting cage at Haley/Cronin
• Potential Order of Outstanding Equipment
• Temporary Pitching Mound at South School and other fields
• Storage issues at the fields
• Second dry roller
• Port-a-Potties
o On order. Confirm that we can have one at Kress Field, probably not at Powers Field
• Batters box templates
o Rich Magner will follow up on having made in shop
• Fixed bases -- as above

• Umpire Committee Report-Rich
o Review umpire requirements, rules and expectations for 2006
o Equipment inventory
o Update on Umpire Meeting and Training Sessions-3/23 & 4/5
• 52 kids showed up, good crew anticipated this year as well. Lot of 13’s who will primarily get Minors games. Rich expects to have weekly sessions for review of assignments etc. This year will schedule options alphabetically
• Next session scheduled for April 13 6:30 at Rec Center. Tim will put on the site
•
o Review of assignment process and payment process for games
• Rule on third base overthrow to be discussed at subsequent board meeting..

• Safety Committee Report-Owen
o Goals for 2006
o Renewal of ASAP Program (A Safety Awareness Program)
• Update of training plan
• First aid training date
• Field survey for all fields we use
• First aid kits required for each team bags
• Outstanding issues
• No report

• Buildings, Property and Grounds Committee Report
o Status of Rec Fields-Haley, Hersey, PAL, Kress and Powers/Central Fields
• Status of Haley Dugouts
• Slabs in, posts in, Fence coming in, S. Jacobs will have done this week
• Status of Use of PAL Fields in 2006
• Into May scheduled. We obviously need to monitor this closely for activity; developer will give us 10 day notice before starting so we can reschedule as needed
• Determine what Divisions will use these fields
• Lime needed to line field for Hersey
• Also would like a tarp for Hersey
• Tim Z will follow up on new tarps for both fields
• Kress-status of fencing to protect players
• Fencing installed
• Other fields-depending on the LL Divisions that will use these fields
o Status of Additional Fields Through Hingham School Department
• Hingham High School and South School were used in 2005
• Other alternatives include Plymouth River, South, High School etc. or other alternative venues
• Determine what Divisions will use these fields
o Application from Hingham Rec for fields for 2006 was forwarded
• By 5/1 need to forward rosters, schedules, CORI forms, etc.

• Social Committee Report
o Goals for 2006 season
o Meeting at Melissa’s
o Identify potential fundraisers
• Status of “Kids in Hingham”

• Publicity Committee/Opening Day
o Goals for 2006 Season
o Early Planning
• Getting Started for Opening Day festivities (April 23rd).
• First Pitch
• Need to get some traction on these logistics. Hot Dogs, Soda’s (CocaCola), balloon lady
• Melissa and Bruce to follow up, with Paul LeBlanc for sodas, trip to BJ’s for provisions. They could use some help

• Cross-Hingham Baseball Liasion Committee-Joe C.
o Update from this committee

• Summer Travel Baseball Committee-Elliot
o Goals for 2006
o Status of Elliot’s outline of the goals and operating guidelines for this committee (proposed number of members, rules, regulations, evaluation and tryout process, appointment of managers, schedules, etc.) for discussion and vote by the HLL BOD
o Summer teams will purchase own shirts to minimize confusion with HLL uniforms
o A question was raised for the Board, in that there are requirements for the Suburban League and Williamsport team that players must pariciapte in 75% of league games to be eligible for roster spot on these teams. Does this should this apply to South River?
o Motion made that no limitation should apply to South River league, ie player does not even need to need to participate in HLL in spring for eligibility. Vote taken and Passed

• Concession Committee-Joe G. & Elliot
o Status of logistics of van use

• Other Additional New Business

• Schedule for Upcoming Meetings
o 4/10/06 7:00 pm Rec Center
o 4/24/06
o 5/8/06
o 5/22/06
o 6/5/06
o 6/26/06
o 7/10/06
o 8/7/06
o 9/11/06
o 10/2/06
o 10/23/06 (Annual Meeting)