Managers, Coaches, Parents and Players, 

As this 2009 Mill Creek Little League season comes to a close there are a few thoughts that I would like to share. First of all, I would like to thank all of the volunteers who have committed countless hours towards making this season a great success. I have tried to get out to as many fields and games as my schedule would allow. I have seen kids playing baseball and softball and having fun. I have seen our community of parents and grandparents excited as they watch their kids grow into another stage of their lives. Whether it has been the baseball games at Freedom Field or the softball games at Heatherwood Middle School, the kids of this community have been provided a safe and positive environment to play ball. These are truly memorable moments that will be treasured for years to come. So as we move forward I would like share with everyone a perspective of where MCLL stands as a league and where we are headed. 

The strength of Mill Creek Little League has been the long standing successful and competitive nature of the organization. Over the years MCLL has established itself as the premier league in the State of Washington and in the US. Many dedicated coaches, parents and community volunteers have worked hard to create a league that is so successful. This year alone we had over 950 kids participating in softball and baseball on 76 different teams in the 10 different divisions. We will be representing our community in a variety of local tournaments and all star games. All of this will come to a close with MCLL hosting the 2009 District 1 11 year old baseball tournament at the end of June at Freedom Field. Through the long hours, rainy (and snowy) days and nights we come to realize that all of our efforts have proven to be a success. Please take the time to thank your coaches, the team parents, and the board members for their commitment. 

As with any organization, we also have some challenges. The rising costs of supplies and maintaining safe equipment will require us to be creative in our purchasing. Securing fields in our own community is proving to be a difficult concern that must be worked on immediately. Other programs are competing with us for field space. The umpire situation is area that we need to address for next season. We are very fortunate to have a tremendous Umpire in Chief in Al Gringas and Robin Sjolund who coordinates the schedule. However, as a league we need to encourage more participation (especially at the juniors and seniors division). 

In light of these challenges MCLL made great strides this season. The MCLL Board reorganized itself and adopting an updated Vision and Mission Statement for the league. I believe these changes help us to clearly articulate how we operate as a league on a day to day basis. Board members, managers, coaches and parents should have a clear understanding of how this league operates and what the expectations are.  

MCLL also started a new Challenger team this season. We were able to include a group of athletes from our community that previously did not had the opportunity to play Little League baseball. We are thankful to the coaches, parents and other teams who came out to support the Mill Creek Royals.  

Safety was a main emphasis this season for all our players and coaches. New safety first aid backpacks and coaches manuals helped to stress the need of awareness and preventative measures. Thanks to Lorene Wiggins and Hal Sullivan for their leadership in this area. Our softball program experienced tremendous growth this year due to the hard work of Kori Robison (Softball VP) and her staff. This is another area where we want to continue to grow. This will be the inaugural year for the first Minors Invitational Softball tournament coordinated by Steve Stoddard. Therefore, our goal for next season is to have even more girls from our community playing softball and perhaps adding a new Farm division.  

The Snack Shack at Freedom Field proved to be a big hit this year. This was a significant centralized place for coaches to pick up information and supplies. Also, the coordination and operation was very well so well this year during the regular season that we must extend our appreciation to Nancy Stoll, Diana Pavek, Gloria Gonzales, Kristina Burgan and all of the volunteers who helped keep the Snack Shack open most every game.  

I am sure you can appreciate that I could go on about all of the key people who helped make MCLL a national recognized Little League program. There are so many people who have put a lot of time into this league. Please understand that MCLL is a 100% volunteer organization. We do not have any paid staff members to do all the work that is needed. All that is accomplished is done so on personal time. If our league strives to be the best in providing a safe and quality program for the kids of this community we will continue to need your support and volunteer help. As the next few months approach, I will be sending out informational emails describing what our volunteer needs will be for the 2010 season. Please consider being a part of an organization that provides a great softball and baseball experience for the kids of the greater Mill Creek area. 

If you would like to complete our league survey please click on the survey link located on the left sidebar. You can either email your response back to me or mail it to our PO Box 12445. Mill Creek, Wa 98082.

http://www.eteamz.com/millcreek/news/index.cfm?cat=260524 

Thanks again to all of you for a great season. 

Sincerely,

Ed Lundberg

President

Mill Creek Little League