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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-03-06 - Parks and Rec Advisory Council Meeting Minutes REVISED MINUTES MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL 938 KING STREET, RYE BROOK, NEW YORK 10573 March 6, 2007 CONVENE MEETING: Chairman Steve Schoen called the meeting to order at 8:1Opm. The following members of the Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Steve Schoen, Cliff Shaw, Richard Gutner, Kenneth Finder, Steve Epstein and Jeffrey Kornblum Absent Members: Debra Tempesta Recreation Department Members Present: Robert Bertolacci, Parks and Recreation Superintendent I. Minutes A motion was made to accept the February 7, 2007 Minutes by Committee Member Cliff Shaw and seconded by Committee Member Jeffery Kornblum. The Minutes were accepted and all approved. II. Public View Points There were no Public View Points. III. Little League Coaches 2/3 Superintendent stated that in the past, certain board members felt that having 3 coaches teamed up kind of messes up the draft. It was discussed after last baseball season that they wanted to keep it to two coaches max for drafting purposes. If you get 3 of the top pitchers together, it is almost impossible to balance the teams off. Committee Member Kornblum asked after the draft, could the team have 3 coaches. Superintendent stated that after the teams are made, you can recruit other people to be coaches and they have to be certified. Superintendent stated that having 3 coaches in baseball doesn't make a big difference but in basketball it is impossible. You can't do a draft because you have to make the whole team in order to make the balance of the teams even. In baseball one or two kids isn't going to make a difference unless they are pitchers. Superintendent wants to put a caveat in place that there can't be 3 top pitchers together. Kids are rated 1 to 5 with 5 being the best. If a team gets a 5 or 2 fives the next two have to be picked from the bottom of the barrel to even off those teams. Committee Member Finder suggested we put the teams together with 2 coaches and then ask one parent to help out. Chairman Schoen stated that ideally we should stick with 3 coaches. Committee Member Finder said if we go with 3 coaches, the Recreation Department has to make sure there is no stacking. If 3 coaches come in with the 3 best pitchers or the 3 best hitters you have a stacked team. Superintendent stated that the coaches and Recreation staff does the ratings. The last rating session is tonight for boy's baseball and the draft is next Tuesday and Thursday. If we are going 1 to move to 3 coaches, John needs to get the word out so he can get the pairings back so he can work on the draft. Committee Member Shaw suggested that we have 2 coaches and after the teams are formed have a parent volunteer as a 3rd coach. Chairman Schoen said that Committee Member Gutner has some input to this issue and will be at the meeting later on. IV. Advisory Council Tasks Chairman Schoen stated that at the last meeting different activities were grouped into categories and voted on by the committee as to the importance of that category. The top tasks are: Extend the basketball season to mid-March. The basketball program ends around the second week in February. Committee Member Finder asked why we couldn't expand the basketball program to mid-March. Superintendent stated that there is County Center basketball teams and before the tournament starts there are scrimmage games in the new gym and the younger boys are in the old gym. This year we ended the basketball program sooner because we got the extra weekend in before the xmas vacation and we had no cancellations due to bad weather. Superintendent said that last Saturday, March 4th was a baseball-rating weekend for boys and the next weekend are ratings for softball and both gyms are used. There is only time for 2 or 3 baseball/softball practices before the games start. Chairman Schoen asked if there is anything from a scheduling standpoint, i.e., working around tryouts, or having the tryouts on Sundays and have basketball games on Saturday. Superintendent stated that with his given staff, once the ratings start it is impossible to do basketball and time wise it would get too tight to push the ratings any later. Committee Member Finder asked if there is a demand for a longer basketball program. Chairman Schoen stated that parents would like a longer season so why not give them more time if possible. Superintendent said to keep in mind that every weekend it cost $1100 for basketball refs but he would consider it. Committee Member Epstein said that the last couple of weeks he fords kids are not showing up as much for practices. Superintendent stated that he ran the basketball program for 8 years and found that it was impossible to get the kids to practice the last couple of weeks. Superintendent suggested that we do games during the week instead of holding practices at the end of the season. Committee Member Epstein said one kid on his team told him he was going to play hockey and showed up for 3 games the entire season. He suggested that any player playing another sport be put in a special pool so the more committed kids could be put on a team first. Committee member Epstein volunteered to write a letter to the parents explaining that to make the fairest teams possible, it is necessary for us to know if their children have other commitments during the basketball or baseball season. Committee Member Shaw reiterated that to keep the kids interested, we should make the league competitive by keeping stats and standings for all sports. Frozen Roves Alternative Committee Member Gutner asked if anyone knows about Big Apple Baseball in Port Chester opening up. Superintendent stated that Big Apple Baseball is opening in June on Broad Street in Port Chester. They are also sponsoring one of the baseball teams. Superintendent said that he hopes they will get involved with our programs. Committee Member Finder asked if we use Frozen Ropes for anything other then the ratings. Superintendent stated that they do the coach's clinic at the beginning of the season. Chairman Schoen stated that since we changed the way we do the ratings, we don't rely on Frozen Ropes. Committee Member Gutner stated that the best thing about the ratings last year was the key people who were rating the kids didn't have any kids trying out. Committee Member Shaw stated that everything was done properly and orderly and he had enough parents to do the ratings. Committee Member Epstein asked if there is an advantage having local parents do ratings on the theory that they know the kids and would know if they are having a bad day or a good day on the day of the ratings and would be able to balance the teams equally. 2 Committee Member Finder said there is a formula when doing the soccer ratings. There is input from U.K. Elite, skilled trainers who have been with the kids from day one to the tryouts and the coaches have a 40% input. Teen Program: Superintendent stated that the Recreation Department planned three trips for teen night this year. The first trip was Motor Cross one weekend and the Globetrotters the following weekend. The third trip was MAAC Women's Championship Basketball Game which we cancelled due to non-participation. Coming up is a 3 on 3-basketball tournament that would take place at the Belle Fair gym and a barbeque to end the season. Committee Member Epstein asked if there is any activity the teens could participate in and at the same time perform community service. Superintendent stated that he could do an open gym each week and have Janice work one weekend and John work the next teen weekend. We could have a different age group each weekend and do a different activity each week. Superintendent would consider alternatives and report back to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. Little League Coaches Discussion Continued: Chairman Schoen stated after the pairings of the coaches is done, then if it is feasible put the 3rd coach on based upon how the draft goes. Superintendent stated that he would go into the draft with even coaching pairings, then separate the remaining volunteer kids on separate teams on the board, then even off the teams that are coaches kids on separate teams that are away from the coaching pairings. Randomly, the coach is going to pick that remaining even team out of a hat so you won't know who that last coach is going to be. Committee Member Schoen asked if you are not having a staffing situation, why wouldn't you accommodate 3 people who want to coach together if the team is not being stacked. Superintendent said it takes the perception away that we are stacking the team. If we are stacking the coaches, we are stacking the coach's kids. It takes a lot of heat away from the Recreation Department if we do it the way presented and we are guaranteeing 2 coaches per team. Superintendent presented two options: 1. Either go with 3 coaches and give the Superintendent the opportunity to deny a coaching pairing if he sees it is going to be difficult if you have 3 top pitchers on a team or 2. Go with 2 coaches and place all remaining coaches on the board on separate teams do a blind draft. A motion was made by Committee Member Shaw to allow Superintendent Bertolacci and the Recreation Department to have total control over the coaching pairings and if the Recreation Department thinks the pairing of 3 coaches is too strong, they will make the coaches split, and the Recreation Department has the right to reduce the coaches from 3 to 2 if necessary because of lack of coaches. Committee Member Gutner seconded the motion and all were in favor and the motion was approved. V. Little League Rules Superintendent listed the Little League rule changes: L Instead of using Rif# 10 which is a harder ball, we will use Rif# 5. 2. Pitchers can only pitch 2 consecutive innings in a game with a max of 4 innings per week. 3. It is mandatory for a catcher to wear a cup and mandatory for all catchers to wear protective gear during warm-up. 4. In field fly rule: it is not an automatic out. Some of the kids in the younger age group can't catch a fly ball. In field fly rule is to prevent players from dropping the ball on purpose. 5. Pitch 2 innings per game max so it will give more players an opportunity to pitch. 3 Superintendent stated that the games move quicker with the pitching machine. We get at least 5 complete innings in April. Committee Member Shaw said the game would move quicker with a coach pitch rather than the machine because the ball is not aimed properly with the machine. Also, kids tend to be intimidated by the machine. The Little League Committee suggested starting out the season using the machine for half of the game and gradually do away with the machine entirely by June. Committee Member Shaw stated that he would like to go on record that the use of wooden bats is safer. There are counties and towns in Westchester that are using wood bats. Committee Member Shaw stated the Advisory Council voted to bring in wooden bats. Superintendent stated that most of the kids already have metal bats and it is going to be a difficult sell to the parents. Committee Member Epstein stated that if a pitcher gets hit with a line drive off a wooden bat, he would get hurt also. Committee Member Shaw said that a ball is hit harder off a metal bat than a wooden bat. John said that the problem with the switch is with parents spending $220 on a metal bat and not being able to use it. Superintendent said that wooden bats break easier thus having the expense of replacing them. Chairman Schoen suggested not making the wooden bats mandatory but make sure each team has a wooden bat and give the kids a chance to try it out. Also, he suggested that we go back and check the Minutes and review what was decided. Committee Member Gutner stated at the November 8, 2006 Parks and Recreation Advisory meeting that Committee Member Shaw made a motion to change to wooden bats for Recreation baseball and travel baseball pending approval of Council, Village Administration and John Nesi. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Gutner and all approved. Chairman Schoen stated even though a motion was made and approved, it doesn't mean you can't discuss the issue again. Committee Member Finder said that for safety there are arguments both ways. Studies show that the exit velocity of a ball hit off the bat is faster off aluminum than a wooden bat. Committee Member Gutner suggested starting the younger kids with the wood bats and after a couple of years everybody would use wood bats. Committee Member Finder stated that if it is a safety issue, it is something that should be taken care of right away. Committee Member Shaw said it you ask anyone why they buy a metal bat, they will tell you the ball goes further when hit. Chairman Schoen stated that the metal bat is lighter and longer which makes it easier to swing for the kids. Committee Member Epstein stated that his experience with the 9 and 10 year olds is that the majority of kids are not hitting the ball very hard. My concern is with the older kids who are hitting the ball and if we are going to change the bats do it at the older level. Superintendent stated that by changing to wood bats might deter some kids from playing baseball. Committee Member Finder stated that the state of New Jersey is writing legislation to outlaw metal bats used at the youth level. Committee Member Epstein stated that there has to be a level of informed risk based on what the statistics are and I would like to be able to understand and deal with it in a responsible way, not an emotional way. Committee Member Epstein suggested going on the Internet to research any study that may be there on the use of wooden bats vs. metal. Chairman Schoen stated that we shouldn't make any decisions without that information. Committee Member Epstein stated that he is not clear what happened at the Little League meeting on this issue, was there a view coming out of that meeting that we were switching to wood. Chairman Schoen asked if there was an acknowledgement of what went on at the November meeting that this discussion took place. Chairman Schoen stated that we are not at a point where we are able to come to terms with this issue even though in November there was a motion and a vote on it. Superintendent asked how do we proceed from here. Chairman Schoen stated that we follow up on the suggestion of getting more information regarding the use of wood vs. metal bats, and ask the parents about their view on the issue. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Council made a motion at the November meeting and seconded it, but obviously we didn't follow through to implement it. Committee Member Finder asked what we 4 actually voted on. Committee Member Gutner stated the Minutes say to change to wooden bats for recreational baseball and travel baseball pending approval of Council, Village Administration, and John Nesi. Committee Member Finder asked Superintendent if he would be able to provide wood bats. Superintendent stated that if we chose to go with wood bats, we would have wood bats. Chairman Schoen reiterated some background notes; Committee Member Shaw stated that there are numerous articles in the news about wooden bats. For the safety of the children we should check with John Nesi and take the lead on this in Westchester and use wooden bats. Any team playing on our field would have to use wooden bats supplied by US. Chairman Kulik said it was a good idea for Little League recreation programs. Superintendent stated that we couldn't enforce the use of wooden bats for the travel league. Chairman Schoen stated that he would like the Little League committee to thoroughly discuss the issue of the wooden bats vs. metal bats. The Little League committee will meet next week. Committee Member Epstein said there was a unanimous vote by the Council and he has reservations about repealing the vote. Superintendent asked who is the deciding factor; Little League or the Advisory Council? Chairman Schoen stated that it is the Rec Council's decision and it was voted on in November, although prematurely. The thought process is that Little League could have done the research and provided a recommendation on that research. Superintendent said the Little League Committee discussed it, but it was never formally presented to them that metal bats were banned. Committee Member Epstein stated that the Little League Committee should have debated it. Chairman Schoen said if the Little League committee is in support of using wooden bats, we have already voted on it so we don't have to do anything but if the Little League Committee is not in favor we will know why and be able to make a decision. Superintendent asked if Little League wants to stay with metal bats, do we reconvene as a group to discuss it or do we want to work it out by e-mail or a conference call. The Little League committee will meet on March 14th at 7:30pm. Adjournment Chairman Schoen asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Committee Member Shaw and seconded by Committee Member Epstein and all approved. The meeting adjourned at 11:00pm. The next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 8:00pm and subsequently changed to April I Ith at 8:00pm. Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick 5