The Fat Lady Has Sung

Well, its not been a few good weeks for the sporty MacNaughtons or our beloved MMWLL.
Cara's All Star Team was eliminated in 3 games. The last one was soooo close against the team that eventually won the tournament and is moving on to Sectional. They only lost by 1 run.

Colin's All Star team was eliminated tonight after 3 games by the Peninsula bully cheater team. They had this giant kid pitching. He had to be at least 6 feet and 250 pounds. Colin was playing catcher and he was getting a throw from center field. The kid slid into him and totally took him out. I'm slightly worried about a concussion. Colin did manage to hold onto the ball and he was called out at the plate!

Since post season play started the Peninsula teams (in all divisions), coaches and fans have been horrible. They have been caught using illegal players and illegal bats. They have had players ejected for poor sportsmanship. Unless they are being penalized in some way that I don't know about, I'm not sure why they are allowed to play.

Since I am still the prez for 93 more days, I have to go to the Seniors game tomorrow to make sure our fans behave. The Peninsula fans have started a cuss fest in almost every game. And its seems the peeps from the Mesa are not backing down.

Our minors (9/10 year olds) were out in 2 games. That leaves the Seniors (15/16 year olds) to bring home a flag for MMWLL. Otherwise, the fat lady will be singin'

It is what it is...
Namaste

Back On The Horse

Hello all!!!

I know I have been neglecting my blog lately and you all miss me - or at least I hope you do...

You know how it is when you have a goal to do something and then you hit that goal? You think you are all good and it will keep itself going without too much effort. But then you skip a day every now and then and nothing bad seems to happen. So a few more days go by and then more days. Pretty soon the goal is gone and now you feel bad that you didn't keep it up. It gets harder every day to just start again. Maybe you even start beating yourself up about it. Or you just forget about it and pretend it doesn't matter.

Friends, I have gotten to that point with this blog. Even now I got up to get more coffee, fold some laundry, let the dog out and get the newspaper, all with this semi-blank screen staring at me. (At least I didn't get off on that Vegas Slots game Phyllis hooked me on for our trip to Vegas at the end of the month.)

But no more! I'm back on the horse and back on the daily blog.

Yea Me!!!! Welcome back!

It is what it is
Namaste

Looky, Looky

Well look who is on the front and back covers of the 2014 MMWLL Yearbook! Both of my boys! And I didn't even make the yearbook this year. I guess some of that good karma is comin' back around.

And here is my Presidential Message:

"To everything there is a time, a season and a purpose."

It has been my purpose the last three year to guide MMWLL and hopefully leave it a little better, a little more organized and well on its way for future generations of Mira Mesa Little Leaugers. 

The seasons have been many. The MacNaughtons started with MMWLL in the spring of 2006 when my son, Colin joined the farm division Marlins. A year later, my daughter Cara started in t-ball on the Twins. I remember looking longingly at the next field thinking how much bigger those kids looked and how advanced they were compared to where we were.

Now my  time  at MMWLL is coming to its end.  Here it is 2014 and Colin has been playing on the "Big Field" for 2 years. Cara will probably finish in the 2015 season at age 13. It is my sincere hope that some new dedicated and committed people will realize it is their time for Little League and see MMWLL through the planned field renovations and well into the future. 

Many thanks go out to the people that helped me "Run the Fun". I especially thank my husband, Scott, and children, Colin and Cara for always supporting me and understanding when I have to go to meetings, am on the computer for hours at a time or  just have to "run over to the field to check something out." They all pitch in where needed, doing things like cutting the grass every week and jumping in to help when the snack bar line is out the door. 

From driving around in mini earth movers to removing dead animals from the trash cans to eliminating hobo dens, Eric Christian and his crew have kept the fields looking awesome all season. 

Synthia Chang has stepped up and done an AMAZING job of running the Snack Shack. She and her sidekick, Taylor have kept our kids full of red vines and slushies all season. Thanks as well to the parents who worked their Snack Shack shifts and to our teens who worked when the parents couldn't. 

Special thanks to Tony and Sue Pugliese for spending 2 weekends rebuilding the Juniors scorebooth and replacing the faucet in the Snack bar. 

The board, the managers, the team parents and all the other volunteers have been a pleasure to work with. Their "let's get it done" attitude and spirit of cooperation has made these 3 years relatively drama free.  

To immortalize the Junior's team battle cry in the history of Mira Mesa West Little League:

 "I want my Christmas Donuts!"

"WHAAAAAAAAT!!!!"

Play Ball!

FYI, I got one taker on the yesterday's email. Dennis from the minors division decided he would give it a shot and....you will never guess who else. That's right. That bad penny, Isaac. His girlfriend called me out on the email because she nominated him before he resigned. And of course he accepted. OMG!!! When I questioned him as why he would even accept given his very public feeling on LL, he gave me a bs answer and apology. Blah, Blah. If its close which I doubt, there could be some election fixing going on...

It is what it is...
Namaste

What Do You Think?

What do you think?

Is "There is no way I can do what you do", a compliment or an excuse for not even trying? Of course no one can do what I do. I do what I do. You can do what you do, which could be to do something or do nothing.

It is what is is...
Namaste

Catholic Girl Tries Jewish Guilt

Well, its been another hectic week with games and practices. Cara's Intermediate team, the Blue Jays got killed in their first (and only) TOC game on Saturday. Colin's first (hopefully of many) is tonight.

I have spent the last 2 days trying to get firm up nominations for the new board, making sure we have All Star jerseys, since Isaac was supposedly in charge of that (HaHa - back to square 1) and confirming the trophies and yearbooks will be delivered.  Elections are this Sunday at the picnic. Oh and coordinating the awards for Volunteer/Good Sport and Mom of the Year.

Apathy is running wild here at MMWLL. I got a total of 7 nominations for the awards. Yup 7- out of a league of 200 kids. For the 1st year, I did not nominate anyone because I just feel like I don't need to do 1 more thing.

Board nominations - same thing. I'm sure you all remember, I made it very clear when the last elected president quit after 1 week, I would take the job for 1 more year. Times up. Look what went out today.

MMWLL Family,

It is with great concern that I am writing this. While there were very few nominations for any board position, there were none for the office of president. 

As your president for 3 years and a board member for a total of 6 years, I understand the uncertainty or unwillingness to commit to such a position. When I was nominated, I was in your shoes. I knew virtually nothing about baseball and and still consider myself a baseball novice. 

Little League is set up for these situations. Situations in which volunteers serve for a period of time and then roles are passed on to others who have children of playing age. There is training and guidance available from the MMWLL bylaws as well as District 32. Little League International has a wealth of information that is constantly being refined and updated.  

You will not be alone. Several current board members have accepted their nominations. I sincerely hope that someone who is reading this right now says to them self, "I can do this!" 

To quote  First Century Jewish Scholar Hillel the Elder: 

If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am for myself, what am 'I'? And if not now, then when?

Sincerely,

Marybeth MacNaughton

Soon to be former MMWLL President

It is what it is...
Namaste

Give Em Enough Rope

Sorry its been soooo long but I have been so busy. I know, not a good excuse when I managed to crank something out everyday for a year.

So The MMWLL First Ever Movie Night/BBQ/ Basket Auction was a HUGE success! We made about $2700. That's about $1200 more than last year when we had it at restaurant instead of at the fields. We learned a few things that the next people can do better but overall, I got nothing but compliments. FYI, the movies were Sandlot and Frozen showing at the same time on different parts of the minors field. Biggest suggestions were get more GlowSticks and have camp lanterns in the Porta Potties. (Sadly we lack permanent bathrooms which will be remedied when the fields are remodeled - again, someone else's headache.)

The post season tournament schedules have been released with both kids on TOC and All Star Team and all their practices, Colin's soccer schedule and Andrew auditioning for HS band drum line (2x per week for 3 weeks) and working... computer time is maxing out but not for blogging.

Dirt Alert!!!

I had to fire the vice president, hence the title Give Them Enough Rope.

My vice president is not the brightest bulb on the Christmas Tree. In fact, he pisses people off almost daily. He is a horrible manager and a worse umpire, however there really hasn't been a tangible reason to get rid of him. He volunteers for everything from Snack Shack to umpire to All Star manager in every division to director of Western Regional. He got us great deals on our regular season and post season jerseys. Stupid is not a real reason

UNTIL....
 I get emails from the other 2 managers in his division. A parent took a screen shot of his Facebook posts.

"Closed our another year at Little Boring League..."
"All Stars in LL is really a joke..."
"For those of you looking for real baseball, go to youth or pony league..."
" So tired of this non competitive level, such a waste of time..."

The Sting:

I had the manager of the Little Star team (7-8 year olds) who is also the manager rep, call a coaches meeting 1/2 hour before the practice so the kids and parents wouldn't be there and only told him, none of the other coaches.

The manager rep and I are sitting at the picnic table when he walks up.

Me: Can I talk to you?
Him: Am I in trouble?
Me: Have a seat.
Him: What's up? Am I in trouble?
Me: Yea
Him: Do I owe money?
Me: Yea. (He didn't turn in his candy money yet from December of 2013)
Him: What else? Did I do something?
Me: Yea - handing him the FB posts
Him: Ummm, I was hoping you didn't see those.
Me: Welll, obviously I did. Not smart...
Him: So you want me gone???
Me: Yea...I'm removing you as coach of the Little Star team.
Him: Really... ok
Me: And it would be in your best interest to email the board and submit your resignation. Quietly with some thing like "personal reasons"
Him: Ok... see ya
Me: and I'll need your keys and any equipment that is the leagues. Your son is welcome to stay on the Little Star team and you may sit in the stands as a parent but you are not allowed on the field.

Got the keys and the equipment. I saw him sitting in his car.

Moral of the story - be careful what you post, you never know who may see it and when...

It is what it is...
Namaste