Athens Little League: How To Volunteer
A Volunteer Organization powered by the strength of it's Volunteers!
Athens little League is a non profit organization and as such relies entirely on the skills and strengths of it’s volunteer base. The league itself is governed by a volunteer board of directors that oversees the operations of the league as well as implementing programs that bring the most fun to the kids in the league. There are NO paid positions on the board and no board member is compensated for their service. All board members give freely of their time and spend countless hours planning for current and future events. (How the board is chosen will be discussed at a later date). The biggest challenge the league faces is volunteerism. The board takes this personally and seriously and places the blame of the lack of volunteers on itself. The board feels it has failed the parents of the league by lack of information about volunteering and has set in motion numerous programs to remedy that fault. In the future the board plans to be more readily accessible and have the ability to provide the “how-to’s” on volunteering within the league. So that brings us to a couple of questions. The first is, “I want to volunteer but don’t know how. How do I get involved?”. The next one is, “I don’t know how or what to do. Can you help?”. There are many ways one can become involved within the league. Below is a list of some of the most “popular” ways to become involved.
- Concessions - This is one of if not THE most vital need in the league. Concessions is a huge contributor in helping to keep registration costs down. Without the strength of the stand, costs would surely rise. We staff the stand with volunteers from the league. Without the volunteers, there would be no concessions. Without concessions, fewer kids would be able to play. Believe it or not, working in the stand is a very sociable atmosphere and not as “dirty” a job as one may think. It’s actually quite fun and rewarding in itself.
- Managers - Many people aspire to become managers in Little League programs. Contrary to popular belief the selection process of managers is not “political”. Managers are chosen by the League president and approved by the board after discussions. It is desired that managers possess baseball skills, the ability to teach, the ability to lead and the ability to coordinate. Managers must rally a team. The keyword is team and is not all inclusive of the players alone. A team includes all involved, including parents. A good manager will realize this and be able to delegate duties to help with the operations of the team.
- Coaches - If you can throw a ball, swing a bat, catch a ball, teach, learn and help, you can be a coach. A coach is an assistant to the manager and helps facilitate practices as well as be actively involved in operations of a team. Even if you have limited baseball skills, a coach can grow and learn in many ways. Two great places to start are here and here.
- Team Parent - This role should NEVER go overlooked. A well organized team is usually found with a strong organizer in a team parent. The team parent serves as a liaison to the manager and other parents on the team. (Are we noticing a trend here? Every volunteer has a support system).
- Scorekeeper - This job is awesome! You have the best seat in the house high and behind home plate. You keep the scorebook and get a better perspective of the game. The scorekeeper has an assistant operating the scoreboard.
- Pitch Counter - You are vital to the safety of these kids! Little League has implemented pitch count rules and you are responsible for making sure they stay within their limits. You can use a clicker or an abacus, it’s up to you, but every pitch counts!
- Board Member - This is totally up to you. Serving on the board is an honor but also requires dedication and a strong willingness to volunteer your time to help make the league a better place. If you would like more information about this, contact David Fairbairn for more information. There are numerous areas and positions to be helpful in.
- Auxiliary Member - If you can’t commit as much time to being a board member, volunteer for an auxiliary position! These positions facilitate decisions and directions made by the board and help get things accomplished.
There are many other areas as well. We always need opening day help, signup help, tryout help and much more! These are just a few. If you have specific skills that you feel would benefit the league, do not hesitate to contact someone. In the coming weeks we will be posting more information on these topics and positions so check back for more!
Remember, you signed not only your child up to play ball, you also committed yourself to supporting him/her. What better way than to be that positive role model as a volunteer!
The strength of a volunteer organization lies within the strengths and willingness of it’s volunteers! Thank you so much for deciding to get involved with Little league. It is now possible because of Y-O-U!
