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Part of the Little League Opening Ceremony Parade.
The African proverb suggests it takes a village to raise a child, but what is required to run a little league program full of children?
Volunteers.
Lots of them.
“The more volunteers we have, the better this program runs,” Superior Little League President Theresa Sestiaga recently told the Superior Sun. “Each year it becomes more and more difficult to fill board member positions.”
It isn’t just board positions that need to be filled, it’s any position, according to Sestiaga, who says, “The more volunteers, the easier the work.”
The league is, in fact, needing to fill vice president, secretary and other board positions. Preferably, two at each position for baseball and softball.
“Having two vice presidents will allow the (league) to function better,” Sestiaga said.
The vice president is responsible for scheduling, pictures and more.
“It makes the work a lot easier because they can bounce ideas off each other and focus on just one division instead of both (baseball and softball),” Sestiaga said.
Coaches, umpires and any volunteers in general will help.
“We are seeing currently the same parents who are coaching baseball and softball,” Sestiaga said. “Sometimes the coaches are (faced with conflict as a result). There aren’t a lot of volunteers who are saying, ‘Hey, I’m here to help.’”
Perhaps potential volunteers are concerned they don’t possess enough knowledge to serve as a coach.
Don’t let that be a deterrent, Sestiaga says. No experience is needed.
The league has tools to assist inexperienced coaches, as well as other experienced coaches who also are a source of advisement.
Superior Little League is not about wins and losses.
“Our values are based respect, loyalty and courage,” Sestiaga said. “We’re emphasizing a lot of life skills more than anything, in addition to the fundamentals of the game, just not (the score).”
The T-Ball season starts first and is followed by the upper leagues later, which is partially necessitated by too few coaches.
The upper division teams have the opportunities to reach the little league regionals and world series on both baseball and softball, which requires even more attention.
“It requires a lot of time, communication and teamwork,” Sestiaga said. “When it’s well-working machine that’s (loses or is missing) one part, the machine can malfunction.”
High school-aged individuals and older are needed to volunteer as umpires. According to Sestiaga, time spent in this capacity can count for community hours.
Additionally, Sestiaga encouraged anyone interested in supporting the league to simply offer to do what they do best. If a person like to make coasters, wants to be a DJ or even help with print design for pamphlets or brochures, there is a need for those volunteers too.
“It’s not just about what we need,” she said. “It’s also about what you do best that could benefit our league.”
Anyone interested in volunteering, learning more about the league, or those who have questions should attend a league meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13, at the senior center in Superior. The meeting is schedule for 6:30 p.m., but Sestiaga and other league representatives will be there as early as 6 p.m.
Among the topics on the agenda to be discussed are future plans, finances, goals for next year, general information, and an opportunity for Q&A.
Sestiaga is appreciative of those who’ve continued to help each year. She wants that to continue as the league strives to reach higher levels each year.
For more information on the Superior LL, please visit: www.superiorlittleleagueaz.weebly.com, or visit the league’s Facebook page.
Alternately, individuals can reach Theresa Sestiaga by phone at 480-433-4251 or email her at tsestiaga@hotmail.com.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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