Attendees
• Greg Meyer
• Erik Hokenson
• Mark Young
• Joel Abrahamson
• Brian McBride
• Kim Lanoux
• Emmy Lenzen
• Sarabeth dine
• Mike Bendickson
• Julie Yakes
• Jeb Myers (arrived at 8:05 p.m. after the vote on the new Board)
Financial Update (Mark)
Highlights from P&L Statement (September 2017)
• $56,000 revenue
• $16,000 from Slugfest
• Major Expenses
• Coaching/player evals $12,000
• League Fees $3,100
• Slugfest Expenses $5,200
• Tournament Bids $2,900
• Umpires $4,000
• Uniforms $9,300
• $11,000 net profit in 2017
• $26,000 balance on hand
• Matt Walsh completed financial audit and finished and filed 2016 taxes.
Board Elections: * Voting Members
Slate of candidates unanimously passed.
Joel will coordinate Trusted Coaches certificates in 2018.
Highlights of the Meyer Era
• Traveling / Little League / High School — cohesively working toward a common goal of supporting and feeding the high school program
• Increased Use of Non-parent head coaches
• Active Board
• Trusted Coaches implementation
• Financially Sound
• Player Development Plan
• Player Retention—finding ways for players to succeed while readying them for high school
Operations Update –
• Registration Update – (Gino)
• Update from Travel Directors Meeting on October 3rd (Greg and Erik)
Greg and Erik attended this meeting in Burnsville.
• MBL is going to the new USA bat standard in 2018. USA is to be more “wood-like” (unlike the traditional USSSA bats).
• Only USA bats may be used at MBT-qualifying tournaments.
• Erik will coordinate with Little League re: the bat rep to present to the Board some options.
• Question: Will continued use of the USSSA bats impact our insurance coverage? Joel will check with insurer.
• Concept of a team bat is something ($250-$300/team) to explore for 2018.
• As President, Erik will be listed as “Travel Director” for SLP Traveling Baseball on future communications.
• A subgroup of MBL Travel Directors is investigating whether to convert to a pitch count instead of an innings-pitched standard.
• Ejections: Should a specific penalty be added to the current SLP Code of Conduct? Contemplate.
• 15-year old season will be 14 games (instead of the 16-game schedule for other ages) in 2018 because of high school ball.
• Team Selection update (Erik and Greg)
• Sam Hauer to get registered for 13A (Erik spearheading).
• The Board will need to coordinate the 15AAA schedule with Junior Legion team.
• There are two 13-year old teams: 13AAA and 13A. There are 13 players on each team, all 7th graders and one 8th grader.
• There are two 14-year old teams: 14AAA and 14AA, all 8th graders and one 7th grader.
• 15AAA team and a 14/15A team: 3 sophomores and the rest 9th graders.
• Coach update - (Greg)
• Fred Hennen, Benilde math teacher and experienced coach, will be 13AAA head coach. The two assistant coaches will be Joel Abrahamson and Mike Bendickson.
• will be head coach of 15AAA with assistant coach Greg Hines.
• Saturday morning coaches meeting with past coaches Martin Schlegel, Taylor Gillig, Paul Shrewsbury and Jason Vogel.
• Volunteers (Kim, Julie)
• Clarify expectations on whether board members and coaches are regularly scheduled for shifts or are to used just to fill gaps.
• Explore Cub truck option only if there is a need for an avenue for families to get additional volunteer hours.
• Continue to utilize players to help at Slugfest.
• Equipment (Brian) – Need to go through Paul Frank Shed, Put L screens away at Car prior to snow
• Brian will inventory bats to determine what should be kept or perhaps sold off (e.g., on Ebay) in light of new USA bat standard for 2018.
• Portable batting cage concept for use at the intermediate fields to be considered.
• Explore the idea in the space north of Paul Frank.
• Erik will reach out to Jim Lombardi and Little League to brainstorm on cost-sharing/options/locations.
• Slugfest proposed dates June 1st – 3rd (13A, 14AA, 14/15A) June 8th – 10th (13AAA, 14AAA, 15AAA) – how do these dates look? Pros and cons? Could also look at May 18th – 20th as potential dates. June 15 – 17th is out due to legion tournament
• Need to coordinate with Jim Lombardi (City of SLP) and Coach Brian Kelly.
• Want to lock this in by next board meeting in order to get bids.
• Winter Clinics Gym Times – Will be creating calendar soon and gym times will be solidified before next board meeting
• Rethinking how/what is to happen in winter workouts—a Winter/Spring return to throwing program concept may be the way to go.
• Targeting mid-January.
• Jeb will secure gym dates.
Upcoming Dates –
• Next meeting Sunday 11/5 7:00pm
• 10/15 2nd payment due
• Mid January Winter clinics starting
Open Discussion/planning and next steps
Adjourn