Year End Coaches Meeting of November 9, 2014
Board Members/Public present: (Underlined – voting members)
Andrew Rost Kim Fickett Wendy Mitchell Mike Eugley (2)
Jennie Franceschi Jeff Guerette Justin Sherburne John Young
Jerrod White Alex Stone Nick Buckley Brian Harvie
Damian Dow Erik Dobkowski Aaron Davis
Members excused: Amanda Mclaskey, Danica Rancourt, Janice Jensen
Members Absent: Penny Kerwin,
Andrew Rost, President called the Annual Coaches Wrap up meeting to order at 5:00 pm at Fajita Grill. Items discussed not necessarily in order of meeting:
1) Equipment return
a. Status from Coaches & Kim – Kim following up on outstanding items
b. Remaining people/deposits being held?
2) 2014 Banquet – any awards left to give out?
3) 2014 Coaches wrap-up meeting
a. Provided forum for coaches to give their feedback on the 2014 season and what we can improve upon for 2015.
Damien: Good year, great coaches, did not like SMYFL - if the season ended at York it would have been a bad representation - inconsistent reffing - too many rules
Mike: SMYFL will make us a better league due to competition – most of the teams have been together for a long time and have relationships where we were new and don’t- refs would hang out with the other teams - coaches coach to their interpretation of rules and debate at games - likes that it is the same league as the HS, consistency - BAD reffing
Damien: At the Aug 15th SMYFL meeting re coaches knowing rules and refs would enforce their rules but there was lots of differences at the games
Mike - teams were talking "scouting" but no one talked to us
Andrew - issues with communication and professionalism, is self policing however he felt is was better in this league
Mike: This league will make us tougher with more consistency of strong teams
Alex: During b games, lots of A game players played down on line - big concern – rules not seemingly followed
Damien: agreed - very few teams had true B teams - with dwindling numbers thru the year became tough to have a separate team
Andrew: end of season petition to SMYFL? Look somewhere else?
Damien - don't like tournaments in football but liked this year beginning of season Jamboree, but kids seemed to miss the end of year tournament
Mike: Having no Fall Classic for the mites group was good, Mites kids were just done at the end of season
Damien: Bad issue with 3 kids lost for weight issue, should be addressed too. One kid that was told he couldn’t play because of his size took it so hard he checked into counseling. Would like to see an additional rule be included to allow Big kids should play only interior offensive line but no defense- the rules don’t help the small kids as there is no lower limit to prevent a kid from playing and if they are too small they will get hurt.
John Young and Mike agreed
Jennie asked Jeff about his thoughts
Mike: Would like to see an increase in the minimum for ball carriers - insurance excuse not holding water
Nick: Feedback from parents - didn't like travel, players stopped going
Damien: 9 of the pee wee group players needed rides
Alex: most other teams start their season well ahead of official start time - not enough time to get kids ready. Would like to see us in full pads right off to start teaching the kids.
Kim: How was the Head Coach/Assistant Coach structure this year?
Alex: Good structure but having to sit thru two games was a long day for kids, hard to control with all kids at field for both games
Andrew: Let’s move to the flag group - how was it working with Portland this year?
Aaron: It would have been better if more towns were involved but was great
Justin: some confusion with age/grade split - hard to match up with differences in other community’s team makeups
Aaron/Justin: next year we should send an offer to Scarborough and Falmouth
Aaron: liked 2 practices per week - needed to try to split teams more evenly
Justin: question about price difference between ours and NFL - parents questioned why not with the NFL this year - some kids left and went to Portland for the shirt and NFL experience
Aaron: better belts for the smaller kids are needed
Andrew: I couldn’t find the NFL flags - mentioned 2 new Director positions
Justin: Issue/confusion of Rules between communities – We ran 4 vs 3 plays for first down
John to Jeff: Can HS players come down to the field/games to build rapport?
Jeff: yes something can be done
John: We should push for a night game at HS
Andrew: what happened with Mites playing at halftime
John: it was a safety issue for a few reasons – we didn’t feel we could split up the kids evenly without putting kids at risk.
Discussion on nights under the lights - kids love it, loss of revenue if at HS, town requirements on shack.
Andrew: what can we do to better prepare
Mike: Coaches clinics would help
John: Boston clinic end of Feb/Mar - get to see how other programs run - fee @ beginning of year then ton of stuff and seminar free - approx. $400
Andrew: I was at the local seminar. Found it difficult picking up what was relevant to us
John: Boston conference big enough to go to what fits what you run for a program
Eric: Having the Raging Bulls attend a practice was excellent but needs to be earlier in the season
Alex: the kids listened better to them
Mike: HS kids should be more involved with our kids
General Stuff: Need more pads for both groups
Damien: would like to have a lineman shoot
John: We need a meeting with parents without kids to stress that they need to be at practice – safety concerns that kids aren’t prepared for games
Andrew: League kick off meeting- parents separate
John: To execute Jeff's program, not enough people know how to run his plays
General Discussion: on running Jeff's program and PeeWee practice set up
Alex: concern that at the SMYFL meeting league could make teams buy helmets for safety
Discussion on post concussion protocol for helmet testing / base lining
Kim: Saco Bay Physical Therapy offers $10 to parents for base line testing
4) Future Board Positions (Previous meeting discussion)
a. There has been much discussion about expanding the board due to the increase in work load as well as the interest of parents who would like to participate.
b. Kim suggested we look at elimination of the VP and add in two VP positions to be VP of Flag and VP of Tackle.
c. Most of the members felt there was value in bringing on additional members especially with the Flag program being also a Winter activity.
d. Jennie suggested that John Young has expressed an interest in being involved especially in areas that related to league activities and field organization.
e. Andrew mentioned that he did like the idea of the VPs he would suggest we organize things differently. He still sees the value in keeping the current VP position as the “stand in” for the president and as the person in succession. He would like to see the point people for tackle and flag be new “Director of Flag” and “Director of Tackle”. This way parents have a point of contact to deal with issues related to that specific group and if needed things can be brought to the level of the president.
f. Andrew thought that some of the current positions may need to be renamed to more reflect their role – ie. League Coordinator could be titled “Registrar” as that is the bulk of the by-law roles for this member.
g. Kim will review the old by-laws and the new ones and give out the by-law roles to each member for that member to edit with the actual roles that we are doing.
h. Prior to the December meeting, the new positions that will be up for election will have appropriate roles assigned and parents can apply for these positions.
i. Additionally, the by-laws will need to be updated to be consistent with the new SMYFL division lingo (Pee Wee, Mites) and to include Winter flag in the language.
5) Financial:
a. Kim to provide an update of 2014
6) Parent volunteers:
a. Scholarship wrap up – did all make their goal? If not, need list for next season.
7) Cornelia Warren Grant-Field improvements
a. Bathroom addition – minor painting touch up left to be done
8) Fundraising – Amanda
a. Amanda is working on the “Crop for a Touchdown event”
b. Amanda has coordinated with Papa John’s for 2 fundraising nights where they will donate 20% of all proceeds to WYF if you use the code. Amanda will pick weekends that will work.
c. MAF – Amanda
1. Prize money has been handed out.
2. Amanda to continue to coordinate the collection and return funds & unused books to Andrew at MAF
3. 3 pictures are being held for amato’s books – Griffen Hawkes, Aiden Taylor & Brice Lyons. Kim to send out email to these folks. (DONE?)
d. Banners –
1. WEBSITE LOGOS – need to coordinate with Andrew on getting logos on site. Take photos of each banner to get up on the site ASAP.
e. Wendy -Fan apparel
1. Suggestion: Can Xtreme post the items to our website for folks to purchase year round? Could be a slightly higher charge as they would be special orders but could be available at any time to our members. See Thornton Academy site.
9) Miscellaneous items
a. Kim to coordinate with Port city Photo- fix photo for plaque
b. Kim to follow up with Damian on Jason Delassandro’s pictures
c. Equipment needs-
1. Mike call Xtreme to get placards for back of new jerseys. Tell kids to bring jerseys into practice and Jennie & Wendy to adhere the placards on the shirts during practice.
d. Weight limit Pee Wee Group – item for discussion during Winter meeting
e. Rental Space -Mike has been working on getting rental space for our equipment with a business on 302. They have both heated and non-heated spaced. Mike has offered that if they can provide us discounted space that we would advertise their business on our field. Andrew advocated for heated space. Mike to follow up with more details.
10) Adjournment Motion at 7:00 pm by Kim/2nd Wendy– Vote: Unanimous all in favor
Next Regular Board meeting: December 14, 2014 4:30-6:30 pm – Location: Westbrook Public Safety Building Conference Room
Meetings will be held generally on the Second Sunday night of each month however the board reserves the right to schedule mid-month meeting as necessary.
(Minutes stated are in summary form and not verbatim)
Action Items from 11/09/2014 meeting or before:
ð Andrew – SPONSOR LOGOS on website - need to get uploaded ASAP
ð Andrew - Field items to be looking into – flag pole, PA speakers
ð Andrew – Flag Football
ð Andrew - Contact WCC about leak in storage shed
ð Andrew - Send out equipment video to the parents group
ð Kim – Set up Winter Flag Football registrations
ð Kim – Port City Photo – Sponsor Plaques – fix plaque
ð Kim - Equipment Deposit
ð Kim – follow up with Damian about Jason (Jonathan) Delassandro’s pictures – did they go to the Mom?
ð Kim – Provide by-law roles to members for review and editing
ð Kim – put together list of board members up for vote – provide to Jennie for emailing to parents
ð Mike– Get placards from Xtreme to place on jerseys – email team to bring in jerseys to Tues or Thurs practice for Jennie & Wendy to adhere to the jerseys
ð Mike - Coordinate the move of all equipment from the storage shed to the portable.
ð Mike – Equipment storage:
o Current storage building lock is questionable – might it make since to install a better lock? Additional Keys need to be made up for members needing access. (Mike looking at storage unit businesses – Uncle Bobs seems promising – Mike will follow up)
ð Damian – Coordinate on equipment collection – follow up with your kids
ð Damian –
ð Aaron –
ð Janice – Website/Facebook (WYF page, Westbrook Parents Page & WCC page) Update
o Post email Jennie will send out to the parents
o Crop for a Touchdown event
o Next meeting Dec 14 4:30-6:30 Westbrook Public Safety building Conf Room (Please park in gravel lot across the street)
ð Janice – Coordinate article with Jennie on the completion of the field projects for AJ
ð Danica - Set up Winter Flag Football Registration
ð Danica - scholarship individuals – list for next year that didn’t comply
ð Danica – Follow up with medical incident forms
ð Wendy – Coordinate clear out of shack to portable
ð Wendy - First aid/CPR training for coaches – how could we put together a coaches course?
ð Jeff – Coaching High School team
ð Amanda - Banners – continue to pursue sponsors who have banners with us.