The first pre-season baseball meeting for Islands Baseball and Softball League is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. at the library. This is one of the league’s annual meetings that is open to the public. Anyone with an interest in coaching, umpiring, board positions, or helping in various ways during the regular season is encouraged to attend.

We couldn’t run the program without the generosity of time from our volunteers and sponsorships from local businesses and individuals.

Board members include Becky Flint, Cindy Ballanger, Sarah Shaefer, Kathy Kantrud, Ian Lister, Kim Toombs, Marlace Hughes, Ian Harlow, Rita Bailey and Michele Keyes.

Coaches who volunteered their time are: Andrew Stephens for T-Ball, Rick Hughes and Derek Shaefer for Rookies, Jim Keyes, Paul Groeninger, and Taylor Robinson for Minors, Troy O’Neil and Norman Flint for Majors, and Danny McAndrew, Zak Everly, James Segault for the Babe Ruth team, Justin Paulson, Kim Toombs, Ian Lister, Mike Lawson, Scott Otto, and Cindy Carter.  In addition to those volunteers many other parents helped with their player’s team.

A huge thank you to Island Excavating for equipment and labor donations and Sea Island Sand & Gravel for material donations that helped improve our Majors field immensely.

Other sponsors from this past season include: Vanderyacht Propane Inc,. Jim Passer, The Kitchen, Certification Services, Orcas Auto Tech, Village Stop, Smuggler’s Villa,  Ron Schuler, Island Market, Orcas Landing Hotel, Stephen Bailey, DMD, Islanders Bank, Stoltz Kau Architects, Terra Firma, Office Cupboard, San Juan Propane and Micky Nichols.

The last two seasons our program has been very short on available umpires. Mary Wilson, a high school senior, has a senior project subject to develop an umpire program for our program. This is a terrific community building opportunity that will include youth through adults.  Anyone interested in umpiring for our program should contact Mary Wilson at mwilson@orcas.k12.wa.us. Interested individuals will attend a training session. Each team will have umpire gear. Our teams schedule games with Lopez and Friday Harbor. Umpires for our program will be scheduled for games on Orcas.

For any questions about the program please plan to attend the above meeting or email michele.keyes@gmail.com.

Michele Keyes

Orcas Island