NEWSLINE STORY

published July-August 2015

Looking at the Job of the 3^rd Vice President

by Jerry Smith, 3rd Vice President and Sanction League Director, Junior Scholarships

Last year when I was approved to fill the remaining term of David Sidles as 3^rd Vice President, I, of course, wondered what the job entailed. I have since come to learn that the job is quite a bit more complicated than one would think. So, what does the Sanction League Director do anyway?

You might think that the World Tournament (WT) is the big item on the plates of all NHPA officers, and I think it is fair to say that statement is mostly correct. I am looking forward to the WT and feel that it is my (our) job to make the WT the showcase of NHPA yearly activities. But, as it turns out, the WT may be a time for me to slow down. This year I have had to learn the processes of league play and the many ins and outs of how this is accomplished.

I started the year studying the Redbook and found it to be outdated and/or missing items that we currently do. The software to handle league stats and such was complicated and not overly user friendly. I also received a large box of plaques and certificates for 2014’s Top Ten Awards Program which needed to be sorted out and shipped. With deadlines approaching for WT program ads, I had to plan for and produce an ad for October’s Sanctioned League Tournament. And of course, I must meet the deadline to write something meaningful for this publication.

To meet these needs, I produced a rough draft of a revised Redbook. As league data started rolling in and with the immense help of Kevin and Pat Snelgrove, we made changes to the software so that my simple mind could grasp its use. I have entered about 50 leagues, and the program works just great. I decided how I want to run the Sanctioned League Tournament, got a flyer ready for publication, and I am trying to meet Newsline deadlines. So far, I have kept my head above water, but drowning has occurred to me as a distinct possibility.

I attended the winter meeting in Topeka and got my first look at the inner workings of the NHPA council. It was very enlightening to say the least. Since that time, as the pitching season has gotten rolling in most places, the council has an almost daily exchange of emails dealing with a wide and diverse range of topics. Few people know how busy an NHPA officer is and particularly the Sanctioned League Director. It may sound like I’m complaining, but I’m not. It is busy but fun, and it keeps me mostly safe from my wife’s “honey-do” list.

I now seem to receive summer league membership reports daily and seem to go to the post office every day to ship league materials and patches. I am working hard getting the “longevity” plaques ordered and soon will need to ship them all out. Most of the 42 clubs that are eligible for the longevity awards – given for each five consecutive years of league activities – have responded positively.

As some people say, “never a dull moment.” This certainly describes my life. I hope to see many league directors at the WT so we can chitchat. I am looking forward to seeing many old and true friends at the World and hope to make many new ones. Topeka, here I come.