Virginia District 10 Little League: My Site News: Obtaining Volunteers for Little League Admin and Operations

Obtaining Volunteers for Little League Admin and Operations
September 25, 2002

More emphasis is needed on "recruiting" of parents of players as volunteers in the administration and operation of the local, Little League programs. In many cases, parents do not know they are sorely needed as volunteers, to help with the administration and operation of Little League baseball and softball, for children and youth in the local community. Some people in the community think "volunteers" are paid, especially with respect to umpire in proper uniform.

SUGGESTIONS

1. Strongly, actively encourage leagues to have formal plan in place, at time of player registration, to "sign-up" volunteers for various positions the leagues will need to operate during the playing season.

    a. Have a station, with two or more persons, at "sign-up", to present to parents, convincingly, the need for volunteers.

    b. Hand out official, Little League literature on what parents should know and need to do for the local league programs to be safe, successful, and fun.

    c. Stress the serious need for parents to volunteer personally, not just pay a fee for the player(s) to participate.

    d. Hold meetings with mass assembly of parents or smaller groups of parents to provide orientation on the purpose, need, and general operation of Little League in the local community.

    e. Provide a list of specific duties for which adults may volunteer.

    f. Make general announcements to the public by local newspaper, radio, neighborhood "flyers", etc. on the need for volunteers in the local league.

    g. Have a local, league committee whose exclusive task is to recruit volunteers, especially parents, for the league.

    h. Have a plan to assure volunteers are legally and morally suitable to serve with children, youth, and other adults.

2. Little League Baseball, Inc. establish a national office, with paid or volunteer staff, to promote volunteerism in the local league.

3. Little League Baseball, Inc., at regional levels, sponsor an adhoc committee to suggest ways to minimize micro management of the local league by Little League Headquarters and, thereby, reduce seemingly unnecessary and time-consuming paper work and paper work "flow" at the league and district level. Such reduction would make administrative volunteering more acceptable and less a nuisance. For example:

    a. Establish more detailed, "standard" regulations for inter-league and combined-team play, without the time-consuming, special approvals from Little League Headquarters, for regular season play only. For inter-league and combined team play, allow the district administrator to give "final" approval and copy that approval, with brief explanation, to Little League Regional Headquarters.

    b. Eliminate consideration for some special waivers from leagues which do not accept current rules and, as example, asking for a courtesy runner for the catcher when "two are out" or change in the pitching-week sequence. This would reduce unnecessary paper work for volunteers.

    c. Give leagues more options under standard rules which would reduce paper work for volunteers, making their tasks easier.

4. Attempt to minimize a major problem of conflict (clashing) of attitudes or personalities among adult persons in the local league. Often there is either competition or no "takers" at all for a league leader. When a certain leader is finally elected or appointed, often other prospective volunteers, and even players, will with-draw from the league, or have nothing to do with it initially, if a certain person or group of persons is leader of the league. Clashing of attitudes or personalities sometimes causes difficulties in getting enough volunteers in the local league.

5. Emphasize more attendance at officially Little League training sessions by more local, league volunteers, wherever the training sessions are held, to foster better understanding of Little League. People who understand Little League better may more willingly volunteer in the local league.


Preston C. Pierce