Season 13
If you asked me back in 2004 if we would play more than one season, I might not have been too optimistic. If you asked me if we would play 13 seasons, I would have laughed. Here we are, though, on the cusp of our Lucky 13 Season of the BWBL. We are in the midst of a change in leadership, as well as in the midst of looking to the future with hope. In May, we will host our 12th Annual BWBL Charity Classic, followed by our Opening Day of Season 13.
At the conclusion of the 2015 season, it was decided that a vote would be held for all BWBL Council positions, with it also decided that my position as Commissioner would continue. The vote determined that we would not only change three Council positions (two of which were long-standing, highly influential members), but also add one additional member to give us six voting members, with the Commissioner vote counting as two votes. The Winter Meeting ensued and has brought about some changes, but for the most part, the core concepts of the BWBL remain the same. For more on that, you can check the homepage (www.bwbl.net) for notes from the 2016 BWBL Winter Meeting.
Numbers are a concern, but also allow for new blood to come into the league. As of press time, there are eight teams registered for Season 13 of BWBL action. For some, this is cause for alarm after having had 11 teams last season (essentially 10, considering the Ball Busters dropped due to a lack of players). Throughout league history, we have had as many as 12 and as few as six. With still over two months until the season gets underway, there is plenty of chances to spread the word and add some more teams. As far as I am concerned, it is less about the number of teams, but more about the quality of play and the fun factor. Those will be determined as the season plays out, but if history is any indication, this should be another good year.
The 12th Annual BWBL Charity Classic will be to benefit little Nathan, a local two-year-old recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. His family and friends have already been very active in helping to recruit teams for the Wiffle® ball tournament and for the Friday night bean bag tournament the night before. Our core has always been about having fun and helping in the community, and this event will do just that. Additionally, this event will help us complete a cycle of giving. Following the $10,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant that we received in 2012, it has been a goal of the league leadership to give all of that back to the community as soon as possible. Being able to complete that in just over three seasons of charity events is an awesome testament to the players in our league, our families, and friends.
The BWBL was founded on fun - and although we all sometimes lose track of that from time to time, it really does continue to be about fun - and charity. The contributions made by our players, family, and friends to the community members we serve are tremendous. Keeping this in mind, I look forward to sitting at a computer 13 years from now and reminiscing about the previous 26 seasons and looking forward to 13 more.
At the conclusion of the 2015 season, it was decided that a vote would be held for all BWBL Council positions, with it also decided that my position as Commissioner would continue. The vote determined that we would not only change three Council positions (two of which were long-standing, highly influential members), but also add one additional member to give us six voting members, with the Commissioner vote counting as two votes. The Winter Meeting ensued and has brought about some changes, but for the most part, the core concepts of the BWBL remain the same. For more on that, you can check the homepage (www.bwbl.net) for notes from the 2016 BWBL Winter Meeting.
Numbers are a concern, but also allow for new blood to come into the league. As of press time, there are eight teams registered for Season 13 of BWBL action. For some, this is cause for alarm after having had 11 teams last season (essentially 10, considering the Ball Busters dropped due to a lack of players). Throughout league history, we have had as many as 12 and as few as six. With still over two months until the season gets underway, there is plenty of chances to spread the word and add some more teams. As far as I am concerned, it is less about the number of teams, but more about the quality of play and the fun factor. Those will be determined as the season plays out, but if history is any indication, this should be another good year.
The 12th Annual BWBL Charity Classic will be to benefit little Nathan, a local two-year-old recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. His family and friends have already been very active in helping to recruit teams for the Wiffle® ball tournament and for the Friday night bean bag tournament the night before. Our core has always been about having fun and helping in the community, and this event will do just that. Additionally, this event will help us complete a cycle of giving. Following the $10,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant that we received in 2012, it has been a goal of the league leadership to give all of that back to the community as soon as possible. Being able to complete that in just over three seasons of charity events is an awesome testament to the players in our league, our families, and friends.
The BWBL was founded on fun - and although we all sometimes lose track of that from time to time, it really does continue to be about fun - and charity. The contributions made by our players, family, and friends to the community members we serve are tremendous. Keeping this in mind, I look forward to sitting at a computer 13 years from now and reminiscing about the previous 26 seasons and looking forward to 13 more.