Rec league structure - how many VPs are needed?

[Momo'sDad]

Our rec league had just over 300 players this past year and will again be somewhere between 300-350 girls. Less than 5 years ago, we only had 180 players, so we are growing pretty quickly.

For league's that size, what are some of the successful formulas you've seen for organizational structure? I know it all ultimately comes down to having volunteers put in countless hours of work, but we're currently looking at ways to increase our ability to recruit new Board members. Right now, for example, we've got 3 VP slots - all vacant - and I think we only need 1.

Thanks for any pointers you can provide.

 

[starsnuffer]

We have about twice that many girls, but have 2 VP positions. What is important is what tasks you assign to the VP positions. Our first VP is responsible for answering the league phone and message system, and that's about it. The 2nd VP is responsible for mailers and trophies. There's a division director for each age group, a parliamentarian, secretary, treasurer, umpire director, facilities director, equipment director, and a web/facebook administrator. Usually there are about 10 board members some of which have multiple positions.

So, my pointer would be to ask what those vacant VP positions are assigned to do in your rules and who is doing those jobs in their absence?

-W

 

[Coachmom]

Our league ranges between 300-350 each year. These are our BoD positions. There have been years that we have had co-presidents when we could not get a volunteer to commit to it fully.

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer/Insurance Commish
Registration Director
14U Division Director
12U Division Director
10U Division Director
8U Division Director
6U Division Director
Scheduler
Director of Development
Special Activities Director
Snack Shack Director
Community Relations Director
All Star Director
Co-Purchasing Agent--Equipment
Co-Purchasing Agent--Uniforms
Field Maintenance Director
ASA Registration/Background
Fundraising
Umpire-in-Chief
Webmaster

 

[KevinC]

Our league has about the same players and similar board positions to what Coachmom has above. Some people hold more than one position. Some positions have two people assigned so they can tag team it.

The VP title means nothing, the question is what they do. Our VP handles registration and insurance with ASA and background checks.

 

[David Carter]

Yeah, VP title does not really matter what matters is organization, get as many people involved as you can handle, and give them each roles and responsibilities, make sure they all work together.

 

[Momo'sDad]

President
1st VP
2nd VP/Registrar (though as a matter of practice, Registrar has been a standalone position and has also been done by 1st VP in recent years)
3rd VP
Secretary
Treasurer
Umpire-in-Chief
6u Player Agent
8u PA
10u PA
12u PA
14/16u PA
Snack Bar Coordinator
Field/Equipment Mgr
NorCal Rep
Winterball/All-Stars Commissioner

Last year, 4-5 of us pretty much kept the league going as people handled multiple jobs while many items were simply left unchecked, but we're going to need a lot more involvement this coming year, since most of our daughters have left or are moving out of the league. I don't want the league to lose its momentum, but that may just be wishful thinking on my part.

 

[YOCOACH]

I think it all depends on your rec league charter and the way it's worded. Our old rec league, based on their charter, had the heads of each division for both the boys and the girls as VPs. It was a non-issue as far as that league went. It was set up like this.

Board of Directors
President
Secretary
Treasurer
6-8 boys VP
9-10 boys VP
11-12 boys VP
Pony boys VP
B boys VP
6-9 girls SP VP
10-12 girls SP VP
13-18 girls SP Vp
10u girls FP VP
12u girls Fp VP
14u girls FP VP
16u/18u FP girls VP
Concession Stand Coordinator
Equipment Manager
Head Umpire

The President and the Board of Directors mantain the fields since they are all retired. The league pays high shool kids to line the fields and the surrounding area is mantained by Saturday work crews comprised of parents from the teams. Each Saturday, several teams were assigned to "volunteer" a day and the team Managers are responsible for getting their parents to show up. Each team is assigned a date for their parents to work the concession stand as well.

In this league, the VP's role is to address player/parent issues pertaining to their division and, if there is a need for disciplinary action for some reason, a disciplinary board consisting of all the VPs able to attend the meeting and the President vote on the action to be taken. As far as the direction that the league takes, it is up to the President and the Board of Directors.

 

[left turn]

We have roughly 700 players total, boys and girls). Below is our organizational structure. Rec ball (Girls and Boys) is organized by grade for social reasons. Town travel teams are by age.

President
Vice President (Fundraising)
Treasurer
Recording Secretary (Meeting minutes)
Corresponding Secretary (Communications to parents)

Kindergarten Tee Ball (Boys & Girls)
First Grade Tee Ball (Boys & Girls)

Boy's President (Grades 2-6)
VP Boy's Baseball (Grades 2-6)
Boys Grades 7, 8 & 9 President
Boys Grades 7, 8 & 9 Vice-President

Girl's President (Grades 2-9)
VP Girl's Softball (Grades 2-9)

Boy's Player Development
Girl's Player Development
Snack Shed
Equipment Manager
Safety Officer

 

[playball4]

I just took over as President this year for our rec association. We had just over 730 girls in FP 8U through 16/18U last spring, and it took a large Board to organize it all (I was the VP and had defined tasks like coach background checks, game schedules, and coach orientation).
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Player Rep
8U coordinator
10U coordinator
12U coordinator
14U coordinator
16/18U coordinator
Concessions manager
Equipment manager
Trophies coordinator
Database/registration
Uniforms coordinator
Sponsor coordinator
Training coordinator
Pictures coordinator

Sounds like a lot, but yet even with all these volunteers, the bulk of the headaches fell on a handful of us. It is really hard to find volunteers that are willing to put up with the various issues of running a large rec league!

 

[chinamigarden]

Sometimes it amazes me the sheer number of players some areas have. Granted its based on population and where I live is not heavily populated, but its not the middle of no-where either. Our LL program probably has 40-50 girls in it, the local travel organization has another 50. Girls who will go to our HS who play elsewhere, maybe another 20 (half of who just left this fall for another team)

Of course our entire school system from 3rd grade to 12th grade probably has less then 900 girls.