345 SE 5th, Madras, OR 97741 | 541.475.2275
Bad call
To the Editor,
I worked with Jefferson County Little League (JCLL) for 15 years; 11 years as a coach. I managed five all-star teams with two district championships and one state championship. Additionally, I played Little League in Jefferson County and was on three all-star teams. Twenty-three years later, one of my all-star coaches, Lyle Rhoan, Sr. even coached my oldest son in all-stars. I wanted you to know my background with JCLL before saying more...
My first three to five years as a coach I did not like playing in Warm Springs. The teams were not always ready to play on time. The umpires did not always make the right calls, and when all-star tryouts began, Warm Springs parents wanted all their kids on the team.
After 10 years of coaching JCLL, I became president of the league. As league president, I had to look at the league and its directors as being three townships under one league: Madras, Warm Springs and Culver. I realized Warm Springs was no different than Madras and Culver. Their parents, too, (Madras and Culver) wanted all of their kids on the all-star team, as my phone message machine would fill up every day during all-star tryouts.
I know the directors of the league have to deal with a lot of personal and political problems and that it is a volunteer job; that's why no-one works as a director very long. As president of JCLL for four years, I was pressured every year to dissolve the league and rewrite the boundaries, keeping Warm Springs out. I told directors that it would not happen as long as I was in charge.
My kids and all the kids in Little League learn some of life's most valuable lessons interacting with their teammates, coaches, and parents from the Warm Springs community. As it took me a few years to realize this, I would not trade my Little League years for anything!
I want the new directors of JCLL to know this league goes back over 50 years, and any problems you've had with Warm Springs have been dealt with before. It is my opinion that your decision to rewrite the boundaries is the wrong one.
Brent Moschetti
Madras