Summer 2017 Friday Night Coed Softball Season closing night

Summer Season · Trophy Season · Forfeits

There were twenty-five Coed teams during the 2017 Spring season for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights combined. We lost eight of those teams for Summer: Mountain Bounty Mellon Ballers, Super Rain, WD Painting, Inglorious Batters, Gary's place, Crush, Grass Valley Printers, and Balls Deep. Three new teams joined: Public Enemas, The Spirit Animals, and Briar Patch giving us twenty teams. Ten teams on Friday, four teams on Thursday, and six on Wednesday.

There were 55 total slow-pitch softball teams for Men's, Women's, and Coed for the 2017 Spring Season and 47 (46 now) for the Summer. Okay, only nine teams difference; however, we have had more forfeits due to teams not able to field a team because of summer activities — in fact, there were no forfeits during the spring season that were not weather related.

My question, or proposal, is why do we have the Trophy round in the summer and not the spring?

Positives for doing the Trophy in the Spring and not Summer

· There will be more teams in the mix — It is always the same teams that vai for the trophy.
· Much cooler to play — I hear all the time that it is way too hot to play, and it is quite dangerous to be out in the heat.
· There are no summer activities: holidays, trips, and such that cause teams to forfeit.
· The schedule can be expanded Spring to 14 games with a two-week playoff structure — 6 teams instead of 4. Top two teams get a first week bye.
    - (normally there are 12 games for Spring and Summer and 6 games for Fall totaling 30 games and a one week, four team playoff. This means you would only play 28 games instead of 30, but )
· Expand Summer to 14 games and no need for a fall season, and if a team has to forfeit a game, it means nothing; therefore, people do not need to worry about planning summer activities as it will not affect the trophy race since it is in the Spring.

Please take your time to absorb this idea before making a quick judgement. I have been thinking about this for many seasons. If you want your 30 games then extend each season to 15 games. I am not a fan of fall ball as an umpire, a player, or a board member.

Not sure why we have a specific end time for Spring to start summer. It is softball, we play it when the weather is good. We do not have to be done with Spring by July and start summer.

Even Competition · Better Team Placement · D1 Level Friday Coed Fun League

A few people brought up that if you extend the games in a season some teams may not last if they are losing. That issue has to do with the placement of teams, and therefore the responsibility of the President of that league placing teams where they should not be — an issue that has plagued me for many, many years, and now being the Coed President, I have been working on making team placement better for Coed.

I have been talking to some managers and players about my issues with coed leagues that have a team or two that cannot compete, or no one can compete against them and how I want to make them more even play. The problem is teams on Wednesday that I want to move to Friday, cannot make Friday nights due to many reasons. And the same goes for teams that should play on Thursday could not field a team.

Another issue is, when teams sign up and hand them in, I do not see them until scheduling time which is usually a week or more after they hand it in, and therefore they have already assumed they are getting the night they chose and the players workout their schedules. This will be changed as I will be notified when teams hand in their roster and the night they want to play, as well as, a constant campaign to the managers to choose a night that fits your teams play, not your schedule.

· If they are a lower team wanting to play in a higher division, it is their choice as much as I insist they move to be more completive and have more fun. Tripps Auto Body has had a team since the league began in 1996. But from 2013 to 2016, they won no more than 2 games a season, and most of the players were tired of losing and playing in a division they could not compete, but it was their choice to play in that division, no matter how much I insisted that they move to Friday's they said no one would be around to play. 2017 is the first year, since 1996 that Darrel Tripp did not have a team in the league.

· If they are a higher team playing in a lower division, that is not their choice, they will have to move; however, we may lose the team because they cannot play on the new night. Do we allow them to be in a division they should not be in making it unfair and not fun for them or the other teams? That is the dilemma the Coed President (me) and the Commissioner Steve Loomis, have to resolve.

KEEP: I had the honor to have witnessed some great defensive plays by some players and teams, as well as, some not-so-great, along with some great hits. All with respect and sportsmanship from all ten teams, minus a few players that were a little overzealous with their intensity about a play or a call, but were quickly softened.

In time players will find a team or rearrange their schedule to play on that night — no one is going to miss playing. It is just a matter of time. Nothing is going to be perfect. It is a journey. And I am willing to take the time to travel this journey to make this a better league, more fun, even play, and less ego's and attitudes.

Thank You for allowing me to have a front row seat to watch you have fun, play ball, and see some exciting plays and watch you grow as a player, a team, and a softball community! - gerald martin davenport - WNCSSA Coed President

Remember: Lights on for safety.