2023 Annual General Meeting

Westman Softball Association

Annual General Meeting

Sunday September 24, 2023 7:00pm

North End Community Centre

Attendees: Marc Lyver, Mike Kulchyski, Brett Turner, Jill Twordik, Brad Twordik, Bev Neufeld, Mark Ryback, Stewart McMillan, Brent Cuvelier, Heidi Figol, Kari Ellis, Evan Keller, Bruce Luebke, Brad DeGraeve, Adam Hartman, Darcy Paton, Michael Peters, Bonnie Mills, Amanda Pomehichuk, Becky Simard, Kim Pottle, Amy Grift, Darcy Bell, Joel Whiteside, Kelly Stinson, Joel Charles, Jamie Hodson, Faron Asham, Lisa Solomon, Dyson Solomon, Robin Rampton, Curtis Campbell, Christy Shearer, Gina Rank, Don Wilson, Chris Masson, Mike Baranyk

1. Welcome and Introductions - Marc welcomed everyone and introduced the board

2. Approval of agenda - motion by Brad DeGraeve, seconded by Adam Hartman - CARRIED.

3. Approval of October 17, 2022 AGM Minutes - motion to accept by Don Wilson, Seconded by Real Whiteside - CARRIED

4. Approval of April 25, 2023 AGM minutes - motion to accept by Darcy Bell, seconded by Don Wilson - CARRIED

5. Financial Report - Brett Turner - current band balances at $85,000 plus $20,000 in reserves. VIP Rental bill still outstanding.

6. Reports:
   1. President - Marc Lyver gave a rundown of the season and thanked everyone for their contributions.

1. A Program - Greg Beckwith & Mark Ryback - Greg reviewed season achievements. Membership slightly down due to loss of boy’s teams. Joel commented that organization should make an effort to ensure everyone who wants can attend Provincials. Question about why house league rules are different than Provincial rules and the reason is that WSA has made changes based on parent and coach feedback. Further changes can be made. Question about why older teams play in the Sout West League. It is because teams need varied competition. North teams played each other so they had a league. Kelly Stinson indicated that Minnedosa & Neepawa would like to join Brandon teams in a league.

1. AA Program - Jill Twordik - report attached.

1. AAA - Brad Twordik - report attached. AAA tournament will be held in early June. Hope to attract teams from the west.

1. Development - Bev Neufeld - report attached

1. Equipment/Uniforms - Stewart McMillan - It was a hectic in spring getting everyone what they need. More whiffle balls required. It was noted that more for smaller catching equipment required. It was asked if each team could be provided a hitting net. There are some available that could be provided. An outside batting cage (without machine) could be provided.  Infield mask mandatory and players will have to provide their own.

98. UIC - Brad DeGraeve - 100 games in Brandon. Filled 98. Numbers of umpires in Brandon down. No official abuse complaints. Local umpires worked plate at bronze and gold games at U15 Canadians.  Clinics in the fall. Did clinics partly online and part in person.

Motion by Joel Whiteside to accept all reports. Seconded by Curtis Campbell. CARRIED

7. Motion s
   1. Motion by the Westman Softball Association Board - that Westman Magic AAA Program separate from the Westman Softball Association effective immediately after the election of a Westman Magic board.  An organizational meeting will be held on October 16^th to discuss the process. At that time a call for nominations will start and close on November 1^st. The election will be facilitated by the Westman Regional Director for Softball Manitoba. Seconded by Darcy Bell. CARRIED.
8. New Business
   1. Canadian Championships - Bruce Luebke - event exceeded sponsorship goals. Two grants from City. Room numbers for grants were exceeded. Potentially national team doubleheader next year. And potential plan to apply for 2026 U17 Girls Canadian Championship.
9. Elections
   1. President - nomination Marc Lyver - acclaimed
   2. VP Recreation U5-U11 - nomination Mark Ryback - acclaimed
   3. Treasurer - no nominations
   4. Development - nomination Bev Neufeld - acclaimed
   5. At-Large - nominations for Mike Kulchyski, Brent Cuvelier, Kari Ellis - all acclaimed

10. Round Table
    1. Kelly Stinson - organization needs to let Neepawa and Minnedosa if they can play in house league as soon as possible.
    2. Amanda Pomehichuk - asked why AA teams in black and yellow. It was due to SM wanting AAA and AA groups aligned.
    3. Faron Asham - indicated that TCS indoor facility is open and available for bookings.

11. Adjournment - motion by Darcy Bell to adjourn. CARRIED. Meeting ended at 9:37 PM

Submitted by Brett Turner     Approved by Marc Lyver

Office / Facility Report

Duties included

• Responding to emails, telephone calls and texts on the WSA Phone and email and responding and referring accordingly.
• Communicating with parents, coaches, Softball Manitoba and the board about events and issues.
• Setting up teams on RAMP.
• Updating RAMP as requested
• Gathering bills and paying as required
• Depositing revenue
• Communicating with Bookkeeper
• Taking minutes of meetings and distributing same.
• Drafting and sending out sponsorship letters. We had 14 total sponsors and received more than $6000 in revenue.
• Setting diamond allocation for scheduler
• Receiving diamond bookings and scheduling accordingly.
• Planning maintenance of the facility.
• Purchasing supplies and services required for facilities and office.
• Billing for diamond bookings.
• In addition to WSA league scheduling, there were 8 tournaments, 22 Magic Double Headers and a slo-pitch and orthodox leagues played WSA diamonds.
• Walking paths and extra irrigation capacity was added to ANSC.
• River 2, 3 and Steve Clark were edged around the infield circle irradicate weeds.
• We have started the process of prioritizing upgrades to the facility.
• In the next couple of weeks the facility should be fully winterized and all machines serviced and stored for winter.

Submitted by:

Brett Turner

2023 Westman AA Softball Committee Review

For clarification purposes, the Westman AA Softball Committee does not fall under the Westman Softball Association.  The program was started by Softball Manitoba Minor Directors for the 2021 season, but due to COVID cancelling that first season, we just finished our second full season of the new program. 

Each region within Softball Manitoba was tasked to form a committee that falls under the AA program umbrella at a Softball Manitoba level.  Our Westman Committee is made up of 8 representatives from around our Westman Region.  Current committee members are from Hamiota, Virden, Brandon, Boissevain, Killarney, Wawanesa and Glenboro. In the year before this we also had a member from Roblin. The AA Regional Committee Chairs meet regularly over Zoom throughout the year to discuss the program.  Our Westman Regional AA Committee meets around 10-12 times a year.

As per Softball Manitoba AA rules, each region can have a maximum of three teams per division, and the committee reserves the right to decide how they divide their region and teams. In 2023, our regions voted to add the U11 Division, and this was passed by Softball Manitoba.

In 2023, our region entered 10 teams into Provincial Championships;

• 3 at U11 - 2 from Brandon, 1 from rural (total of 7 teams at Provincials)
• 3 at U13 - Brandon, North, South (10 teams at Provincials - 2 from Central)
• 3 at U15 - Brandon, North, South (8 teams at Provincials)         
• 1 at U17 - Westman region (5 teams at Provincials)

The boundaries are looked at each year by the committee, and based on numbers of registrants, we decide how to divide our teams.  In the past, we have tried to keep boundaries as North of highway 1, South of highway 1 and within the city of Brandon (girls that play softball on house league teams in Brandon).

We had just under 187 registrants for all divisions this year.

U11 - 43         U13 - 55         U15 - 52         U17 - 27

Coach applications were accepted in April, and the committee met and appointed coaches.

Brandon hosted the U13 Showcase and the U13 and U15 Provincial Championship.

Results:

U11 rural - lost in Final                                             U11 Brandon - Yellow made playoffs, White did not          

U13 - Brandon 1^st       U13 North - 2^nd                      U13 South - finished 2 and 2, did not advance

U15 South - 1^st                       U15- Brandon 3^rd        U15 North - 4^th

U17 - 4^th

Magic 2023 Year in Review

U13

• 2023 12 players, placed second at Provincials, lost in extra innings
• Coach for 2024
  • Siena and Stewart McMillan
  • 32 players at tryouts

U15

• 13 players, placed fourth at provincials
• Hosted Nationals (great event)
• Coach for 2024
  • Jill Twordik
  • 28 players at tryouts

U17

• 11 players, placed fifth at provincials
• Gold at Western Canadians in Winkler
• Coach for 2024
  • Charles MacKay
  • 13 players at tryouts, all were kept for the team

U19

• Had 11 players, didn’t compete at provincials
• Coach for 2024
  • TBA
  • 7 players registered so far, anticipating this will increase

Organization:

Hosting Wheat City Invitational June 7 - 9, 2024 (replacing International Tournament)

New Board to be formed following Brandon Softball AGM

Hoping to Host Provincials as well

2023 Develpoment Report

Development in the Westman region was strong this year once again.  There were many opportunities for the athletes to attend skills clinics  offered in theirr own regions or communities.  The opportunity to book lessons at the new indoor facility and batting cages operated by TC360 is another option for skill development in this region.

Softball Brandon hosted a new skills academy which was well attended.

Fall general skills 44 athletes

Fall pitching clinic 17 athletes

Winter general skills clinic 61 athletes

Winter pitching clinic 18 athletes

Spring general skills 26 athletes

Grass roots general skills clinic 22 athletes

  ( 5 - 7  year old athletes )

Coaching certifications were held in 2 locations

(Community)

Brandon 7 coaches

Killarney 13 coaches

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