Albany Berkeley Girls Softball League (ABGSL)
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Spring Season is about to begin ....Click Here to View/Print the ABGSL 2012 Spring Calendar (PDF)
Thanks for Another Great ABGSL Season!ABGSL Families:
I hope everyone enjoyed this past season and is already looking forward to joining us again next year. We have the Summer Development League taking shape and we will have free skills clinics planned in the Fall, so please mark your calendars for more softball in the coming months.
I want to thank all of you for the hard work you put into making the League such an extraordinary success this year. It's pretty amazing that an all volunteer parent group can orchestrate something as fun and sophisticated as ABGSL. Collectively, we provided an exciting and rewarding softball experience to close to 300 girls and their families in the past 12 months. ABGSL is a very well respective organization and we have some pretty high standards to live up to. I received numerous compliments throughout the year about how well organized we were and the great job we did in communicating with our families and players.
It has been an honor for me to have served as ABGSL President the past two years. It is an extraordinary experience to have led such a great group of dedicated families and to support an organization that has meant so much to my family and my daughter. I want to especially thank immediate past President Sandi Hunt and incoming President Michael Saaf for their guidance and collaboration in the many discussions we have had the past two years regarding the League’s philosophy, policies and events. All of us come together as parent volunteers to support ABGSL, but special thanks are due to a number of individuals for their extra effort in helping to produce such a memorable 2010/2011 ABSGL season, starting with....
OUR COACHES
Being a coach is a very gratifying and time consuming job. Without our coaches, we simply could not field teams. Our coaches led the way this season with their positive reinforcement of our daughters and their focus on skill development and sportsmanship. Without our coaches, we simply could not field teams, so we greatly appreciate their extraordinary dedication to their teams and the League.
OUR TEAM MANAGERS
Our 23 team managers worked to support our players and families to ensure they were well informed and well organized. The managers were led by Lori Simpson, our tremendous Manager Coordinator, who agreed to act in this role after coordinating the Bat-A-Que for 3 years. Thanks Lori and all of our team managers!
OUR COMMISIONERS
We could not do any of this without our incredible commissioners who acted as the focal point for our coaches and parent. Many of them acted as head coaches this season as well. Michael Saaf was an extraordinary visionary and ABGSL leader as our League Commissioner, A huge amount of thanks go to John Cain in the Older Division, Drew Steckler in Middle, Jim Thomsen in the Younger Division, and Jane Hammond in our Micro Division. Michael Lewis is now our Sting Commissioner and he brought a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to our Sting teams. Tom Hoynes and Paul Cerami should also to be congratulated for bring a 14U Sting to life.
FIELD COORDINATORS DAVID WAMPLER AND MATT RASBAND
David and Matt played an important role in ensuring that we had fields available for our teams, and that they are well maintained and available during the season. Matt also performed the amazing task of scheduling 23 teams for practices, scrimmages and games over a 3 month time period. Matt is at math teacher at Albany High so I think that gave him some help in figuring out this complicated task. David and Matt also spent many hours this past year working with others to develop next fields for use by ABGSL. A special thank you is due to ABGSL alumni parents David Arkin, Greg Lyman, Daniel Presser and Gary Nordahl for their efforts in partnering with us to develop the Cougar Fields in Albany.
REGISTRAR LUCY KUNTZ
We wouldn't have a League and all the information that is required without our Registrar – Lucy Kuntz. Lucy managed our transition to on-line registration, which save us a huge amount of time and administrative costs. Thanks Lucy for all of your hard work as our Registrar.
TREASURER ED MURRAY
Ed assumed this important job, and carried it out in his usual competent and unassuming manner. Ed was also a head coach in the Older Division this season. It is reassuring to that we have Ed watching over our financials. He is a tremendous leader who quietly does a great amount in support of ABGSL
COACHING CONSULTANT KAREN BONINI (COACH BO)
Our new Coaching Consultant Coach Bo contributed in so many different ways, helping to organize many aspects of the season, running clinics, and helping coaches improve their practices and encouraging our players' love of the game. Bo’s enthusiasm toward softball and our daughters will be remembered for many years and will be a challenge to replace.
APPAREL COORDINATORSSEAN GALLAGHER AND MAUREEN SULLIVAN
Sean and Maureen made sure we had fashionable promotional wear available both to raise funds for the league and to let people in the community know about our great league. They put in a lot of time and enthusiasm in ordering and selling our wonderful apparel at many events, and their efforts are greatly appreciated.
OUR GREAT TEAM OF EQUIPMENT COORDINATORS
We had superb quality equipment to play with due to the extraordinary efforts of Lisa Romo, John Broshious and Zack Pitt-Smith. They spent many hours at Fielding Field keeping track of our inventory, making sure every team had the equipment they need, and updating the inventory throughout the year. Special thanks to Lisa, who volunteered to support ABGSL even though her daughter Maria has graduated from the League. After many years as a team manager, Lisa’s did not want to leave ABGSL without one final expression of her affinity for the League. Jon spent many hours sorting and organizing old and new equipment at Fielding, and Zack will be the star of our soon to be released Field Liner training video.
BAT-A-QUE COORDINATOR LORI KLUMB AND HER COMMITTEE
Our Bat-a-Que committee was led by Lori Klumb, who has undertaken this very important role with a lot of enthusiasm for the past three years. We owe a huge amount of gratitude to Lori for organizing and executing this critical event for ABGSL. She was assisted by Paul Cerami as Food Coordinator, Deb Rollfs in managing the Bat-A-Thon, Negar Souza in counting the money, Justin Thewlis in coordinating Parent Volunteers, Linda Maron with the Raffle, Rachel Jimenez with Prizes and games and finally Mike Pond in transporting the Dunk Tanks. They were joined by nearly 75 parent staff pulled off an amazing fund-raiser that sunny Saturday raised nearly one-third of the League's budget for the year, Through our Bat-a-Que fundraising efforts we have the opportunity to keep our registration fees far below those of other youth leagues, and to continue our field development efforts, among other league needs. Special thanks are due to Lori Simpson for the blazing design of the spectacular 2011 Bat-A-Que logo.
BOOKKEEPER STEVEN TIFFIN
Steven volunteered to serve as our Bookkeeper for another year, even though his daughter Sara is no longer in the League. He did a great job of working with Ed Murray to keep track of our money and making sure the bills were paid on time. Thanks Steve.
HOTLINE COORDINATOR STACEY OWENS
Stacey was the voice of ABGSL and she dutifully recorded messages on our hotline each day. She worked very hard this year to ensure we were well informed about field status, which was a particular challenge with all of the rain this season.
PHOTO COORDINATOR MIYA YOSHITANI
Miya did a great job as Photo Coordinator by herding all the teams at the Bat-A-Que and making sure the photos were in good order and ready for the girls at the team parties.
SPONSOR COORDINATOR DEBORAH BADHIAS
Deborah took over for longtime Sponsor Coordinator Jen Villeneuve, and did a wonderful job coordinating our Sponsor and ensuring they know how much we appreciated their support. Thank you Deborah.
WEBMASTER DARA POND
Dara worked hard to ensure that the website designed by Sam Arriola wax as engaging and informative as Sam’s original design. She regularly updated it to make sure everyone had the information they needed to be on the field or at events. Lots of great photos of the season were posted as well.
REPORTER COORDINATOR DARA POND
I addition to acting as Webmaster, Dara made sure got to hear about the great exploits of our teams through the efforts of our team reporters.
COACH/ MANAGER BBQ COORDINATOR COLLEEN BALLANTINE
Colleen Ballantine put on a great picnic and thank you event for our coaches and managers at the end of the season at Fielding Field.
YAHOO GROUPS COORDINATOR GWYNETH GALBRAITH
Gwyneth didn't write the numerous emails you receive this year, so please don't blame her for your full mailboxes. She did do a great job of ensuring that we received emails full of lots of information and reminders in a timely manner.
COACH/MANAGER BINDERS WERE PRODUCED BY TEAL MAJOR
Thanks to Teal for her effort in xeroxing and assembling the binders for the coaches and managers for our 23 teams.
PARADE COORDINATOR LEE KEMPF
Lee helped kick off our season last year by coordinating our parade contingent in the Solano Stroll way back in September of last year. The 2011 parade is coming up soon to kick off our new season, so please keep an eye out for an invitation to join us as we march down Solano Avenue and pass out candy to future softball players.
OUR TEAM SPONSORS
Thanks to these individuals and business owners, our girls had colorful uniforms and equally colorful teams names. Our team sponsors are a huge part of the ABGSL heritage and part of our extended community. There are : Jane Hammond Events (Jane Hammond), Autumn Press (Theresa Thornton), Andronicos(Diane Krebs for Bill Andronico), Hot Studio (Rajan Dev), Doomsday Machine(Michael Lewis), Albany Physical Therapy (Sherry Jackson/ Ava Ng), Balls of Fury (Michael Lewis), Dr. Brehnan (Kenneth Brehnan, DMD), On the Beam Remodeling (Steve & Lisa Schliff), 5 Little Monkeys (Stephanie Sala), Berkeley Children's Dentistry (Dr. Vivian Lopez), Alliance Graphics (Howard Levine), Arkin Tilt Architects (David Arkin), Marvin Gardens- Amy Kuzer Broker (Amy Kurzer), Prins Chiropractic (Dr. Charlie Prins), North Berkeley Investment (Kate Campbell), Red Oak Realty (Kevin Hamilton), Strategic Economics (Dena Belzer), F Brueggemeyer Design-Build (Amy Brueggemeyer) , Title Nine (Missy Park/ Ann Graber), Adobe Systems, Inc. (Dan Brotsky), Zonta Club of Berkeley/North Bay (Kristin Johnson), Albany Rotary Club (Christiane Kahn). OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORSLastly, our Board of Directors met each month in my dining room to make sure that ABGSL lived up to its proud tradition of bringing the community together to develop young girls as athletes and as people, while having fun and making friends in the process. They include, John Cain, Pat Cousens, Jane Hammond, Hilary Hoynes, Sandi Hunt, Jason Kaneko, Bruce Keilin, Lucy Kuntz, Michael Lewis, Ed Murray, Matt Rasband, Michael Saaf, Jeanne Schuman, Drew Steckler, Jim Thomsen, and David Wampler.
It's been fun this season where all of us came together to spend time with our daughters and continue the great traditions of the Albany Berkeley Girls Softball League. Michael will be looking for parents to fill these and other volunteer roles for next season, so please look for a way to get or stay involved. Thanks again to all of you for producing such a memorable 2010/2011 season. Enjoy your summer!
Walt Gill
Former ABGSL President
Thank You, Walt Gill!ABGSL Families:
I wanted to take a moment and recognize the tremendous contributions of our out-going President, Walton "Walt" Gill.
At our board meeting on Monday, many board members spoke about Walt's herculean efforts and unceasing dedication to the league.
In addition to providing first-class leadership and direction to the ABGSL for two years, Walt was instrumental in helping bring to life the following league improvements during his tenure:
> Three new softball fields - Gilman, Cougar East and Cougar West
> Storage facilities at Cougar Field
> Online registration
> ABGSL Web Site Redesign
> Instructional Videos on our web site
> Annual Coaches Survey
> Summer Development League
> Breakfast after the ABGSL Parade
> Two Dunk Tanks at the Bat-A-Que
> Cal Straw Hat Band at the Bat-A-Que ("Cal Band Great!")
...and don't forget the Port-A-Potty at Fielding!
Most of all, Walt excelled at nurturing our ABGSL community. From finding more ways for families to bond to creating opportunities for our girls to meet Cal players, Walt brought people together and inspired them to do great things.
On behalf of the ABGSL, the families and the players, thank you Walt for all your contributions!
Michael Saaf
ABGSL President