Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Present: Steve O’Shea (Chairman), Peter Beaupre, Michael Arbour
Also Present: Tim Pascale, Director/Program Coordinator, Jeannie Guertin, Secretary/Clerk
Steve O’Shea called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
Mike made a motion to accept the October 15 minutes and Peter seconded. All in favor and the motion passed.
Peter Beaupre wanted to discuss the evaluation process and he doesn’t want to have any more evaluations for any sport. He would like to go back to the way it was with coaches sitting in a room and dividing up teams. He feels the present evaluation process is too much time and energy spent from staff and volunteers, and parents don’t understand the process.
Mike feels you need evaluations for travel teams with different divisions to play competitively. Everyone develops if they’re playing competitively, and the general public doesn’t understand that.
The commissioners shouldn’t be ambushed; the parents should come to Parks and Rec if they have questions or complaints. Peter asked if there was a way to get away from it, and Steve commented that parents will take their kids away to have their kids play competitively. Kids have left Parks and Rec to play for leagues, like baseball’s JLS league, if we don’t offer a competitive team.
Tim said soccer has Pioneer Valley and baseball has JLS, but basketball doesn’t have anywhere else to go. Peter thought we need to educate parents more about the evaluation process. He wants to do something to explain the evaluation process when registrations go out. Mike said if everyone shows up for tryouts then they can be placed appropriately and play competitively.
Peter suggested that the numbering/grading system be simplified, and have Grades 1, 2, or 3, so there is less discrepancy in the numbering system. Baseball evaluations are totally different since there are no scores written down. The Commission will relook at simplifying the evaluation system when next year’s season gets closer. We will also educate the parents in some way as to how evaluations are done at the time of registration.
There was some money left over from the tornado grant and the money has to be spent by the end of November. Tim met with Dan LaRoche, Town Planner, and the Water Department and there is enough money for a drinking fountain at Veterans Park. Tim has purchased a drinking fountain like the one that will go at Constantino Field, and it will be located near the playground. The Water Department will help pay for some of materials. The fountain will be installed in the spring.
Joe Lavoie is contacting towns to see if there is an interest for them to enter a team in a 6-8 Tri Town division for baseball. Peter talked to Craig Szado, Varsity baseball coach, and he was concerned about the pitching aspects of the league. Steve doesn’t think that age is too young for Tri Town, but feels baseball should be more instructional at that level. Third and fourth grade baseball in Monson is now rec, and second graders can play in that group. The other towns that have been asked are split; some are joining and some are not. Tri Town feels they’re losing kids to other leagues and want to get them early. Steve felt you can scare kids out of the sport early if they are facing a pitcher at too young an age.
The Commission agreed not to have Monson enter this age division. Tim will contact Joe Lavoie and let him know that Monson is not going to participate in the 6-8 Tri Town division.
Peter was contacted by Jake Hill, the director of a basketball league called TRYBL (Tantasqua Regional Youth Basketball League) that includes the towns of Brimfield, Brookfield, Holland, Sturbridge and Wales. Peter suggested we get a couple games on the schedule with this organization. Tim will contact Jake Hill compare what they do versus what we do. Maybe we could schedule some games in February.
Peter said the soccer Jamboree went well for 1st and 2nd grade soccer. Friendly’s donated ice cream for all the kids. One team received trophies from their coach. Peter would like to have a jamboree again next year, and suggested we have a basketball jamboree and include a swim time, too. We could charge a nominal fee for the kids to swim. Tim will talk to Liz about how many kids can safely be in the pool, and may have the kids in the pool on a rotating basis.
Steve Gordon will be on medical leave beginning December 4, and is expected to be out for four to six weeks. Tim met with the Finance Director for permission to hire gym monitors to cover for Steve. Tim can use money for seasonal help and will get repaid in the spring when he needs it. Jeannie may help out and there should be some college kids available at that time. Martine Turgeon can cover weekends and CYO games. Paul Demaio has been helping Tim in Steve’s absence. Tim will contact all coaches and let them know to just contact him for scheduling practices since Steve will be out.
Jeannie suggested that First Start for lacrosse be for kids turning 4 not 3 years old at the beginning of the program. She felt that it was unsafe for kids that young to have sticks.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 18 at 6:30 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie Guertin
Secretary/Clerk
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