Dear Emerald City Softball Players, Fans and Sponsors,
My name is Christopher Larson and I am respectfully announcing my candidacy for the position of Commissioner of the Emerald City Softball Association. I have been a member of this league for 13 years. I feel it is now time for me to step up to the next level and do my part to make this organization an even more amazing community.
HISTORY / SKILLS I feel I have several qualities and skills that will help me in the role of Emerald City Softball Association Commissioner. I am currently serving as the ECSA A/B Commissioner and have an in depth knowledge of how the league operates and what it will take to continue this leagues legacy. My knowledge and compassion for this league runs the entire gambit. As a player, I have participated in the A and B division (both locally and at national tournaments) and understand that developing these divisions is of critical importance to the continuation and growth of our league. Not only are those players valuable to our community as skilled athletes, they have also been an incredible resource to our C and D divisions in the way of mentors and coaches.
In addition to my experience in the A & B divisions I am proud to have been a part of growth for C division players with mentoring and individual coaching throughout the years. Over the past 4 years, I have helped coach a number of D teams. I am currently coaching in D and could not be more proud of the players and teams in this division. I think that it is imperative that your commissioner has a breadth of understanding of the entire membership, not just a certain division or two.
In addition to softball, I have been involved with other athletic organizations. I have served as the regional commissioner for NAGVA (North America Gay Volleyball Association) a national At-Large Voting Board member, as well as spending 10 years as a director for a non-profit Seattle Parks Youth Recreation program. I feel being able to draw upon other experiences and organizations is valuable as you work to make your own organization even stronger. It allows you to recognize what has worked and what has not worked in other associations, and how that can be applied to the Emerald City Softball Association. Also, as a private business owner, I carry with me the professional and interpersonal skills to keep an organization current and be able to forecast for future endeavors. With that business, I have been able to experience the sponsor side of the Emerald City Softball Association, by not only sponsoring a team but also being able to provide financial support and products for fundraisers.
The Future of ECSA I'd like to say there is monumental change' that needs to happen in the ECSA and I am your guy to do that, but the reality is, with the foundation that was put under this league 10 years ago, the ECSA is a rock solid organization. Most of what needs to be done is take what we have learned in the past and make a better and more secure future for us as a community and a league. However, with that said, I will tell you I do have some ideas to move us further as a community.
D Division: I think when you have a division that has a 100 point spread in the ratings system and 16 teams, you need to continually look at whether you are helping or hurting a division by making all of those teams play one another. I would propose looking at our D division teams and possibly considering putting together more balanced play in the D division. I think there should be a place in this league for those players that have maxed out their skill level at a 10 and those that are just starting this sport, without having to be beat by 20 or 30 runs each game.
A / B Division Growth I can personally tell you this league is currently not doing enough to maintain or grow our A and B divisions. It is great to see one of the best A division teams Seattle has produced in a long time currently in our league, however we are losing our B division rapidly. I think part of the solution to that is more interaction between the B and C division. We must come up with viable solutions to take the fear out of moving up to the B division. All three current B division teams are comprised of people who have come out of our C division, and they are nationally competitive teams. As a league, we have to realize our upper divisions are also a very viable part of our community and it is our job to make sure they maintain their numbers and grow along with the rest of the league.
Coaching / Mentoring Personally, I think the fact that we have so many upper division players coaching and mentoring teams is amazing. I think it is a true testament to our organization. However, I think that our new focus should be on empowering those players within a division to step up and coach and manage their teams. There are a lot of people who have the leadership skills to coach a team… we simply have to empower them. I would propose, in addition to a skills clinic in the spring that we also hold 'practice clinics' - this would be a clinic that would allow team members/coaches/managers to come out and learn different drills and strategies they could take back to their own teams. That way each team would have the tools to run a solid practice without the need for an upper division coach or mentor.
As the league grows, so will the ideas of how we can become the best possible community we can be. I know my experience both on and off the field will be valuable as we continue to enrich the lives of every player and team in our league. As your commissioner, this would NOT be MY league, it would NOT be MY Executive Board… they would be YOURS. We will be here to serve you and maintain the ideas and philosophies on which this league was created. I appreciate your attention and look forward to serving you as the Emerald City Softball Association Commissioner.
Best Regards, Christopher Larson
For the past six seasons, I've had the pleasure of serving in a variety of roles within the league -- and I'm asking for your support to become ECSA Commissioner. In making your selection for a person to lead our league, I'm hoping you'll consider my track record on three important attributes: hard work, leadership, and fairness.
Hard Work First and foremost, I hope I've demonstrated in my four years as a board member that you can count on me to be actively involved in all aspects of running our league.
I've served on the Board for the past four years as Membership Director (2006- 2007) and C Division Assistant Commissioner (2008-2009). But my involvement has been much more than just having the officer titles. For the past four years, I've worked hard at the day-to-day activities to ensure our league runs as smoothly as possible. As your Commissioner, I'll continue to do the same.
Leadership My proudest initiative as a Board member has been encouraging growth by working to create an environment where new teams can form and feel well supported in getting organized and recruiting players. Meanwhile, I've also provided leadership with improving our planning for our "everyday" activities. These efforts have allowed the Board to be proactive about finding creative solutions to new challenges as they emerge.
Fairness Perhaps the single most important attribute for a Commissioner is a reputation for fairness. It's especially important in a competitive organization like ours -- and you can count on me to administer our league fairly. My leadership style seeks consensus by listening and identifying common ground - and I'll work tirelessly to ensure that all sides are heard.
It's tempting to list out the initiatives I'll take on - but that would take pages, and taking initiative is what you should expect from every Board member. Instead, I'll simply commit to continue seeking your input on priorities and working with the Board and other league leaders to develop fair solutions.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my statement. If you're not familiar with me personally, I welcome you to ask your coach, manager, or other players for their thoughts.
I welcome the opportunity to lead our league as Commissioner - and I hope I'll have your support.
Jeff Card
Dear ECSA Players, Coaches, Sponsors and Fans,
My name is Dan Haugen and I am announcing my candidacy for the position of Emerald City Softball Association (ECSA) C Division Assistant Commissioner. In addition to my passion for the sport and this organization, I have an abundance of skill and experience that will help me fulfill the required duties.
25 Years in NAGAAA Softball I am currently playing in my 25th season of organized gay softball under the umbrella of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Association (NAGAAA). I spent the first 14 years playing in the Twin Cities League (TCGSL) in Minnesota where I was an active player and manager. I have spent the last 11 years playing in the ECSA where I have also served as a player and a team manager.
Throughout these 25 years I have volunteered and chaired committees for the Gay Softball World Series (1996 in Minneapolis and the most recent 2008 Series in Seattle), volunteered for tournament committees and been an active participant in local and national tournaments.
Experience Throughout my years in softball, I think that the thing that I have learned the most is that this game is more than who makes the GSWS or who wins the division. It is a group of individuals that come together with all sorts of different goals they would like to achieve. Although we share the field each week, we do not all put on our cleats for the same exact reason. Some do it to quell the competitive beast that lives inside them, some do it because they want to become more active and maybe lose a few pounds, some do it to discover new friends and be a part of a larger community… (the list of reasons goes on and on). Once you understand that we are all here to accomplish different goals, you can begin to understand that this league is not all about wins and losses, rather, it is about creating an environment where everyone can play fairly and feel comfortable no matter what their ambition for playing might be.
When I started playing in NAGAAA, there was no rating system, nor were there any divisions. There were much smaller leagues that had one or two competitive teams. I have watched the rating and division system grow and afford more and more people the opportunity to play softball. Hence, I am very knowledgeable about the rating system and how it has evolved over the years to create a more fair and equitable environment for all. One of the very important experiences that I have had is making the transition from a D division team to a C division team. Making that leap of faith to a new division of skill and wondering if you will 'survive there', or if you will find that 'perfect team' again - it is not easy nor is it a seamless transition.
As your C Division Commissioner, I can take that experience and help assist players as they make that amazing step forward in their softball careers. However, while I am always ready to help people make that transition from one division to an upper division, I am also very empathetic to the fact that there are people who also need to have their rating checked to play in lower divisions. Each player should be rated as an individual based on the rating questions, not on personal opinion or 'potential'.
Respect I think that the biggest thing that I can offer this league and its players is my respect. I promise to respect each player as a person. Yes, we have rules in place, however, every situation is different and every person is different - we should be able to treat people as individuals, not as a big herd of cattle. I promise you that every decision I help to make for this league will be done from a sense of fairness and objectivity - not based on my history with an individual player or for the benefit of a team. I also believe that simply because you throw your hat in the ring to run for an executive office in an organization like this, it does not make me an expert. There are 400 +/- people in this league. That means you have a lot of talent, education and experience to draw upon. I am willing to listen and respect any and all ideas that people have to make this community even better. I would be proud to be your representative, but simply because I am in office, it does not become 'my' league or division, it is still OURS and should be treated as such. Thank You
In conclusion, I would like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be your friend, teammate and competitor in the ECSA. This organization has helped shape the man I have become and helps me continue to grow into the person I strive to be. I hope that by becoming your C Division Assistant Commissioner, I can give back to this group that has given so much to me.
Also, I would like to thank you for reading this document and taking the time to learn more about my experience and passion for the ECSA. I look forward to your support in this election. Should you have any questions that I have not answered, would like to learn more about my experience and ideas or would like to offer your ideas, please feel free to contact me at danielh65@comcast.net
Respectfully, Dan Haugen
Dear ECSA Open Division,
It is with great excitement that I write this letter to you, the ECSA board, as my letter of intent to run for the C-Division Assistant Commissioner position.
I have been a member of the ECSA for two seasons, both of which have been played within the C Division with the Swank Sin. During the 2007-08 season, this first season for my team, I was selected by my teammates as one of three All-Stars. It is always a great feeling to be acknowledged by your team as a "leader" in any way. During this, the 2008-09 season, I was asked by Brian Craft to drive participation from our league for the 2009 Pride Parade as the Pride Director for the ECSA. While in this role, I not only have had the chance to learn all that there is to know and do to organize this large event, but I have been given the privilege of sitting in as a non-voting executive board member. This has provided me with a season of learning the day-to-day operations of the league, exposure to some of the issues that arise and how they are best resolved and being allowed to participate in detailed conversations that continue to shape this league.
Many people know this story... but at the end of last season I found myself at the end of an 8 1/2 year relationship. My participation in the ECSA was because I needed and wanted to find something that I knew I had not had in a long time. I had removed myself from competitive sports, I removed myself from being an active member of the gay community, I lost that sense of belonging to something bigger than just me and my partner. In the past two years, the ECSA and all of its members have given back to me so many things that I thought I had lost... I have made some of the best friends I have ever had, I feel like I am part of something that I can be proud of…and softball to me, in a city where I have no family - is my family! This is what I want to make sure is provided to EVERY person that steps on the fields to play softball with our league.
My reasons for running to fill this C-Division Assistant Commissioner role are two-fold. First, I would like to give back to the league what I have been given in such a short period of time. I want to be someone that can be there for every player in the C-Division, and the league, when there are questions or concerns or ideas, as it is important to have them addressed quickly and properly. I want to be part of the growth and improvement of this league so that we, in Seattle, have the best Open Division Softball League in the country. Second, I also believe strongly that there is a place on the executive board for someone who is enthusiastic, dedicated and eager... but who is also still relatively new. I would like to bring to the board new ideas, a fresh perspective and someone that is truly committed to the league and more importantly the C-Division in helping drive fun in a safe and positive forum. I believe that by playing for two years in the C-Division it has allowed me to build the relationships and the foundation necessary to be the resource for those in the division that need leadership and support.
This all being said, I look forward to the possibility of representing the C Division as its Assistant Commissioner for the next two years. It would be a great honor and a true privilege.
Kindest Regards, Todd Bullock C-Division Player Swank Sin
Players of the ECSA,
One of THE MOST memorable moments of my career in the ECSA was when I first got introduced to the League. My partner and I were looking for that social outlet that allowed us to meet people in places other than the bar and to have some sort of community; softball was that. I want to be the Membership Director of the ECSA because I truly feel that the relationships that are built in softball are everlasting and they start with reaching out to the community and helping other find that social outlet. The most important part of recruiting people into an organization like this is really feeling like if you had to do it over again, you would and I have to say that I would still join this league.
I bring to this league a friendly and familiar face that loves to be involved. I support this league to the fullest, even when I don't agree; I support it in every way possible. Whenever I meet someone, I can't help but explain how much being a member of the ECSA has changed my life and I want to help others find that.
Even now, I make myself available to new people and speak highly of the ECSA and try to recruit new players. I have a passion about playing in this league because some of my best friends have been made on that softball field.
I will make myself available to everyone that wants to play and I will assist them in finding a place in our league. There IS a place for everyone in this league and I will work tirelessly to find that fit. Because of my outgoing nature and spirit I love meeting and talking to people with makes me the perfect ambassador for the ECSA. I will be available to address any difficulties that may come up when players are looking for a team.
In the end, it is all about continuing to build and develop the relationship that the league has with the community and take it to the next level. It about building friendships and playful rivalries that will last a lifetime. It is about each and every player in this league.
I have been playing in this league for 4 years and I have built some lasting memories with quite a few players. I would not trade this experience for the world. I want to continue that by bringing new people in and help take this league to the next level. I want to be your Membership Director.
Please vote for Cookie! Holla!!, Cookie Fields Thrusters, 2009
Past Experiences: I have always advocated for new people to join the ECSA. Many have and continue to play to this day. I have acted as the unofficial liaison for many who have expressed an interest in playing and have asked me personally to be on my team or to help them become a participant. I have made it a point to follow through with them and find out what their experience with joining (or not) had been. Last season for some reason I had an unusually high number of people contacting me to join up. I surveyed all D Division managers to see who needed players and I sent the new guys' contact information to all D division managers that needed players. I followed up with the players to see if they were able to get an invitation, if they were not I sent it to those managers that seemed to need players. I felt comfortable with doing this and it seems natural to make it official with the position.
Moving Forward: If elected I would like to continue the Skills Clinic as the teams form. I would, however, begin earlier with some social events. I have learned that there are a lot of potential players who are too shy or afraid to participate because they get the jitters and don't go to the skills clinic or team practices. What I would do is start early in the season (say January) and invite potential new players to a non-skills social so that they can bring their questions and meet people in real life and feel more at ease when they hit the fields. I think this is a great way to stir interest and make contact and encourage new players.
Additionally it gives existing players a chance to share their amazing experiences with the new people. Also, for experienced players, I would have a scrimmage so that 1) they can show their skill to recruiting teams and 2) get an idea of their rating (for those players on the borderlines of divisions). For inexperienced players I would have position specific Skills Practices to help guide them into suitable positions that will help them fill gaps on team rosters rather than making their status vague. 'Doesn't matter where I play' or 'I can play 1B or OF or 3B or Catcher…' or 'anything but catcher' doesn't help us managers fill spots. I would have a few more Skills clinics for the newbies with position specific drills especially pitching.
League Growth: I hope to increase the number of teams in the league. The trend seems to be increasing the team count about 3 or 4 per year. I will implement recruiting but also try to check up on former players to see if they would return.
Closing: Seattle gay softball is truly a special organization. I have absolutely enjoyed the last 11 seasons and would like to see it continue to grow and maintain the standards of fairness and competition that we collectively have created. I would like to be a part of the growth as the Membership Director.
Rich Anaya AtlasRich@Hotmail.com 206.322.6629
My name is Philip Doles and I am excited to be running for the position of Membership Director for the Emerald City Softball Association, Open Division. I am currently playing on a fantastic team in the D division called the Empire.
I moved to Seattle in 2001 with my partner of 10 years from San Diego. Since the late 1980's, I served on numerous committees and volunteered my experience to help some of San Diego's organizations improve their outreach to the community. My most well known position was being elected by the community to serve on the Board of Directors for the Greater San Diego Business Association as their Membership Director. Serving in this role I increased membership and gained experience that will be valuable should you elect me as the Emerald City Softball Association's Membership Director.
My involvement in the Emerald City Softball Association started last year. After meeting your current Membership Director, Dan Cross, at a local GLBT event held at the convention center, I was handed a postcard to volunteer to work for the World Series that was going to be held in Seattle. I was familiar with the Gay Softball World Series when San Diego had hosted it in 2005 and decided I wanted to get involved in Seattle's World Series. Soon after signing up to be a volunteer I was contacted by the Executive Director, Frank Pichinini. He asked me to be the Field Director for Russell Road. I had previous experience working on large events so I agreed to take on that role. Performing in this role ended up being a great and rewarding experience. After the World Series I got several phone calls and emails congratulating me on a job well done and the most rewarding reviews came from Series 2008 Executive Board and the NAGAAA Vice Commissioner who was the World Series Tournament Director. This experience exposed me to the ECSA and NAGAAA, resulted in the beginning of many friendships and was the single most rewarding experience I had since moving to Seattle. Because of this I wanted to get involved in ECSA so I could help others find rewarding experiences with softball. I decided to get back to playing softball again as I hadn't played since my days in San Diego and wanted to do more then just play softball. Based on my past experiences I feel the Membership Director is the best way for me to give back to this organization.
What I can bring to the Executive Board as Membership Director is combining what has been established by its current Director and my experience as the Membership Director for the Greater San Diego Business Association to reach to a higher level of building the ECSA to a league that will be the envy of those across the United States and beyond. I feel that my newness to the Emerald City Softball Association combined with my relevant outside experiences will bring valuable diversity to the ECSA Executive Board which will only make it stronger.
My goal as Membership Director will be to leave no ball player behind - find a team for anyone that wants to play and to do so we might have to create new teams so I'll find coaches to accommodate new teams as well. The ECSA Membership Director is usually in a lot cases the first person to have contact with potential new players. My professionalism and experience being a Membership Director in another organization will help me in providing a very positive experience for those first contacting ECSA. Even though I'm a newby to ECSA my experience being an Executive Board Member of Series 2008 and a Field Director on Series 2008 has allowed me to establish a large of pool of ECSA veterans I now call as friends and whom I can call on for assistance in finding teams for players. I'm excited at the opportunity to possibly becoming your next Membership Director and being part of further building ECSA. I ask for your vote to become your next Membership Director.
Thank You. Phillip Doles
I have been a member of the Open Division league since 1999. I currently play for the Seattle Knights in the A Division and also act as Assistant Coach to the Rockets in the D division. I have been on six World Series qualifying teams in both the A and B division and I have helped win a National Title for this great city of Seattle with the Monarchs -B Division in 2003.
This past March I graduated from UW with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting. I work full time as a tax accountant for Millaman Inc and I have recently completed coursework in Accounting for Nonprofit organizations as part of my CPA studies. I have experience with QuickBooks, Timberline, Oracle and I am proficient with Excel.
I have held a similar position in the past with Wells Fargo. As treasurer of the Pride Washington Team Member Resource Group, I managed the organizations funds using QuickBooks and promoted diversity within the WA region by putting on socials and community outreach events that strengthened the Wells Fargo LGBTQ community.
Having completed my studies, I believe I have the time to devote to this important role for at least one year. I also feel after playing in the league for 10 years, that it is time I also contribute at a different level.
I have a number of ideas on making the Open Division a fun, safe and positive experience for everyone. My main ideas focus on:
In conclusion, I believe I am appropriately qualified and experienced to handle this role in an efficient manner. I am prepared to work closely with the rest of the Executive Board to take the League forward in the years to come in an organized and constructive way. Should you require any additional information, or wish to discuss any aspects of this Letter of Intent, please do not hesitate to contact me at (206) 251-7015 or by email (jasonkee@u.washington.edu).
Yours faithfully, Jason Kee