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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-02-10 - Parks and Rec Advisory Council Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL 938 KING STREET, RYE BROOK,NEW YORK 10573 February 10, 2009 Convene Meeting: Chairman Steve Schoen called the meeting to order at 8:25pm. The following members of the Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Steve Schoen, Richard Gutner, Marc Zimmerman, Debra Tempesta Jeff Kornblum, Sari Jablon, Glenn Brettschneider, Steve Epstein Absent Members: Ken Frankel Recreation Department Members Present: Robert Bertolacci, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Carmella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant I. Minutes: Chairman Schoen asked for a motion to accept the Minutes of January 6, 2009. Committee Member Gutner made a motion to accept the January 6, 2009 Minutes and Committee Member Brettschneider seconded the motion and all approved. II. Public View Points: Committee Member Zimmerman stated that there was a view point raised by 7 and 8 year old boys that the Rye Brook Rec basketball hoops at the Ridge Street School are too low. There is also a 3rd grade boy who has related to me that that the hoops are too low. They may need to be 9ft. Superintendent stated the hoops are marked at different heights. Chairman Schoen said that with some kids it's their first introduction to basketball and they can't reach the rim. There is a greater disparity in athletic skills in those two grades than any other two grades combined. If you have a team with 8 or 9 boys, you may have 3 boys who can hit the rim or make a shot. When kids are smaller they should be concentrating on proper form and technique and with the lower basket it will enable them to focus on that more. If those kids happen to being playing on different leagues where there is 10 ft. baskets and then come back and play on the Rec league, it messes them up. Committee Member Epstein said that his biggest issue would be the boys vs. the girls in terms of upper body strength. Superintendent stated that at the beginning of the season it should be 8 foot for the younger kids and there wouldn't be an issue if you want to raise them half way through the season. Chairman Schoen suggested that the response to those youngsters would be that the basketball committee will take it under advisement for next year's basketball season. Committee Member Brettschneider said that he had only 6 kids and 2 of the best players were not there. We had one good kid who played most of the game and the game was close. The other coach went over to referee Arthur and said that this kid hasn't been out and I got upset. My team starting pressing and he really embarrassed our kids in the last quarter to win this game. 1 I will never forget the feeling of where it was a good game and I didn't have this kid in and I just wanted to win the game. Most of the coaches are pretty good and they were clearly good this game. Committee Member Epstein said that the coaching has been better. We have seen incidents in past years where we have seen coaches doing things for the wrong reason. I had a similar situation in a girl's game last week where there was a team a little bit loaded compared to the girls I had that particular day and they started to pull ahead and the coach took several of the regulars out of the game for the last 3 or 4 minutes to make sure the score didn't get out of hand. I was very pleased to see that happen. Committee Member Brettschneider's son wrote that although we haven't won a game this year, it doesn't matter because the point is to have a good time. The kids are not happy not wining at first but when you press on what is really important they really do understand. Chairman Schoen said that his boys had a good Rec experience this year. For one it helped supplement the CYP experience which wasn't as good and the other was they learned a lot about team work. Committee Member Zimmerman said that the ones that are athletes will rise to the top and the ones that are marginal should have the best experience possible with 8 ft. rims or whatever. Kids that are better can play on 8, 9 or 10 ft. rims. Kids that are marginal and go to CYP where its 10 ft. rims and having just played on 8 ft. rims for 8 weeks doesn't do them any good. It's a daunting experience of seeing the rim so much higher. Two feet in height is a big disparity. Chairman Schoen said it is fairly rare where a 2nd grader would play on a 3rd grade team. It starts in 3rd grade and the kids are more physically developed with more knowledge play and strength. III.Basketball Chairman Schoen would like to bring up zone and man to man plays. The older grades play zone the first half and man to man the second half. Man to man for two consecutive quarters especially for kids who don't play a lot or as athletic,becomes a little ragtag two consecutive quarters. Instead of doing first half, second half, you maybe do alternating quarters Is`and 3rd 2nd and 4t}'. If a team shows up with a short team, and wants to go all zones, the coaches should talk and decide on that. Committee Member Epstein said that as you get to the second half of the year you start missing practices because of snow days, we almost didn't have practice in the second half and it was very hard to teach man to man. A suggestion is maybe man to man should be optional. Chairman Schoen said one issue would be alternating quarters and as much as we tried with the ratings, it felt like there were more uneven teams than last year. Committee Member Kornblum stated that on the 2nd and 3rd grade boys, there was one team that we played them the first week and when it was over I went over to the coach and said that I was at all the ratings and there is a kid on your team who is the second best kid in the league. How did he get on this team? He signed up after the ratings and Janice put him on the team. Chairman Schoen said that is what contributes to making the teams uneven. You have the ratings, the kids don't show and then Janice doesn't know they are signing up. They only didn't make the ratings but didn't even sign up. Committee Member Epstein said that this is becoming a strategy. 2 Committee Member Gutner said one kid signs up later on and 2 or 3 of his friends sign up together and Janice isn't sure where to put him. That kid might ask to be put on a team with his friends and now you have three kids that are star players on one team. As the kid gets older, you know how the kid plays and you find the weakest team and you put him there. Chairman Schoen suggested you wait before making the teams and have a last call for anyone who still wants to sign up. Committee Member Epstein said instead of putting that player on the weakest team usually you look for the team with the fewest kids and that is how the late registrations are placed on a team. Chairman Schoen suggested that it would help if Janice can address that issue. Maybe we can hold off making the teams until later and send an e-mail for whatever that dates is as the last call and if I don't hear from you within a certain time, that is the cut-off and we won't put somebody on a team after the teams are made. Superintendent Bertolacci stated that we are a public recreation department and we can't say no. Committee Member Epstein said the ratings are a fair process and we have a draft where everyone shows up and they have the right to speak. I don't want to be critical of Janice. Committee Member Gutner said Janice does a great job with the basketball program. Committee Member Zimmerman said the concept can be if there is a group of boys or girls that sign up late, Janice can e-mail them to the coaches and if anyone has feedback of their athletic skills, then they can be placed on a team where needed. An altercation was reported to the Recreation Department through Janice, and an e-mail sent to Superintendent Bertolacci regarding two coaches. The two coaches were in the same gym with their team for basketball practice. There were inappropriate words exchanged while children were present. Superintendent Bertolacci stated that he would speak to each individual coach involved and document the incident. IV.Old Business a. Sponsorship The following contacts have been made by the Parks and Advisory Committee for the 2009 Little League Sponsorship: Little Scoops: Store is closing Starbucks: Left messages by telephone, no return call Post Net: Doesn't have a child playing in the program Club Sandwich: Have to go when the manager is in Walden Books: No Blockbuster: Send letter to corporate headquarters Last Licks: Being worked on Memorable Moments: Sponsor Dr. Valenti: Sponsor Lenny's Bagels: Sponsor DeRosa Tennis: Waiting for an answer 3 Doral Arrowwood: Waiting for return call Finch's Drug: Yes PM Amusements: Waiting for return call Prudential: Waiting for return call Miller Cleaners: Debra is working on it Ridge Squire: Debra is working on it Pizza & Brew: Debra is working on it Villa Rustica: Debra is working on it Rye Wine & Spirits: Debra is working on it Ridge Tailors: Debra is working on it Central Tree: Yes WinRidge Yes Sportech: e-mail letter to Mel Ridge Deli: Have to talk to Harry Martin Valero Gas Station: Glenn is working on it Mobil Gas Station: Glenn is working on it Applebees: Glenn is working on it Dr. Jerry Statman: Glenn is working on it V. Adjournment: A motion was made by Committee Member Richard Gutner to adjourn the meeting at 10:00pm. Committee Member Debra Tempesta seconded the motion and all approved. The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Council meeting will be on March 3, 2009. 4