Download - March 2014 newsletter
MAR 2014
I ’m a WWII baby boomer, born in 1952. So, I
grew up in the 50’s and 60’s and graduated high
school in 1970. The 50’s were pretty tame compared
to the 60’s. I grew up In the middle of atomic war
scares, the Cuban Missile crisis, the JFK, RFK and MLK
assassinations, the Civil Rights movements and
Vietnam War protests. So, the world was in some
major “cold war” turmoil but one thing that I DON’T
remember hearing or seeing was the daily reports of
youth sport coaches sexually or physically molesting
kids.
ALL of my grade school and high school coaches were
wonderful, well intended, hardworking individuals
that could be trusted with any kid in town. That
doesn’t seem to be the case since the turn of this
century. It sickens me to read or hear about some of
the disgusting behavior that has been uncovered. It
was just a little over 2 years ago when the national
news reports surfaced regarding the alleged sexual
misconduct of Jerry Sandusky (Penn State Asst.
Football Coach), Bernie Fine (Syracuse Asst. Basketball
Coach) and Bobby Dodd (AAU President and Executive
Director). And unfortunately, those high profile cases
appear to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Since I graduated from college in 1976, my first
priority had always been the safety of the kids that
participate in our events but I fully admit that being
on the lookout for pedophiles was NOT on my radar. I
was always more concerned with unsportsmanlike
conduct and potential physical abuse of the athletes
by some knucklehead coach that thought slapping,
pushing or kicking his/her players was the way to
“teach a kid” how to play. However, since the early
2000’s, EVERYBODY’S focus should include the
prevention and detection of sexual and physical abuse
situations. To that end, we were one of the first
statewide youth sports organizations to preach the
need for Background Checks for Coaches and Officials.
We followed that up by implementing Codes of
Conduct for all the players, coaches, officials,
administrators and volunteers. Once we had all of
that in place, we started recommending that youth
coaches get themselves better educated. Playing a
little high school or college ball and owning a whistle
and a clip board, doesn’t make you a qualified youth
sport coach.
So, when the Sandusky, Fine and Dodd stories became
daily headlines in the Sports page, I started to focus
on what else should we be doing? The simple answer
came to me on the long drive home from Grandma’s
house during Christmas break………………………we
needed “Trusted Coaches!!!”
Realizing that most coaches are volunteers and have
limited time available, we came up with four basic
needs for every coach: 1) Background Checks, 2)
Coaches Education, 3) Concussion Training and 4)
Basic First Aid Training.
Coaches Education: Volunteer coaches need to “get
their minds right” before they ever take on the
responsibility of coaching kids. The Positive Coaches
Alliance’s Double Goal Coaches education program
does that. The PCA does have some additional X’s and
O’s videos but the Double Goal Coaches program is
designed to teach coaches the basics of coaching kids.
There are some good coaches’ education tools out
there but we researched them all and are convinced
that the PCA’s program is the BEST! FYI, Mark
Murphy, the Green Bay Packers President, is one of
the national spokespersons for the PCA and we hope
to help Mark spread the word in Wisconsin.
BADGER TRACKS- NOTES FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DAN KLINKHAMMER
TRUSTED COACHES VERIFICATION CARD
First Aid Training: If you play sports, you are going to
get some “owwweeees,” but when that happens will
your kid’s coach know how to diagnose or treat that
injury? You can’t always rely on the Trainer to treat
your kid’s injuries. A large share of injuries happen in
practice and the coach may be the only adult on the
field or in the building. For your child’s safety, the
coach needs to know the basics and should be
properly equipped to administer proper first aid. And
sometimes, the key to first aid knowledge is to know
what NOT TO DO!!!!
Background Checks: Passing a national background
check should be the first step in the process used for
selecting a coach. In my opinion, a county or
statewide background check is worthless! You need to
know if that prospective coach has any record of
misconduct ANYWHERE in the nation. The bad guys
move around a lot and they aren’t willing to tattle on
themselves.
We researched the four components of the Trusted
Coaches program and quickly realized that the rack
rate cost of these four services was in the vicinity of
$95.00 per coach AND the time commitment was
much longer than most volunteer coaches are willing
to invest. So, we focused on cutting the cost and
lessening the time to complete the basic four
components of the Trusted Coaches Card. In order to
do that, we had to shoot our own concussion video
and our own First Aid Video. Then we followed up by
striking an agreement with the PCA to get a significant
discount on their on-line Double Goal Coaches videos.
The last piece of the puzzle fell into place when we
were recently approved to conduct background checks
through a nationally accredited screening service.
When the dust settled, we were able to get the price
down to $35.00 per coach, which includes a National
Background Check, the PCA Coaches education
program and the first aid and concussion videos. All
delivered on-line!!! Each participating coach will also
have to download a photo, which will be transferred
to their “Trusted Coaches Card” that will be mailed
directly to those coaches that successfully pass all four
components of the program. Note: We are suggesting
that these Trusted Coaches cards would be valid for 3
years, however, if your association needs to do a
background check every year, we can do those annual
background checks for $15.00 per coach, with volume
discounts available.
All of the above will be delivered through a new
website that we are building, specifically for the
Trusted Coaches Card. We are in the final stages of
completion and we expect to have this service
available to the public on or before June, 2014. Note:
The Trusted Coaches website will also feature a
“national registry” component to it, so parents can
check to see if their child’s coach has participated and
passed the basic elements of the Trusted Coaches
program.
Here at the WSS and at our sister organization in
Minnesota the MYAS, we like options and we think
you do too! Nobody is telling you that you have to run
your coaches thru this program. We created this
service to foster better coaches, lessen the burden for
those volunteer administrators and to help insure the
safety of your kids. Only you can determine how
much that is worth, but we’ve done everything we can
to make this service user friendly and affordable. We
will keep you posted on the arrival of the finished
product.
Lastly, we believe that this sort of concept and service
sets us apart from all of the other “event operators”
out there. This is proof of our commitment to youth
sports in Minnesota and Wisconsin. And now you
know how we spend some of those entry fee dollars
that you send us!!
Marketing Update By: Brian Meeter, WSS Marketing Director
W ith a growing organization such as the Wisconsin Sports Services, little victories have a way of motivating our team. Within just a few short weeks before our first Badgerland State Championship basketball tournament, we began the
search for a sponsor for this tournament. Why so late? We wanted to make sure we had a solid product to offer any potential sponsor. First-year tournaments can be hard to attract sponsors, especially if you don’t know what your numbers are going to be. Well, we landed our sponsor, Gerhards Kitchen and Bath Stores, www.GerhardsStore.com. They have 13 locations across the Upper Midwest and are in all the markets where we hold the state tournaments, which was a big help. This was definitely a victory for our team, and we celebrate every victory.
A few key things made this event worth sponsoring and gave me the confidence to go out there and actively seek a sponsor. First, the number of teams participating in our tournament saw a steady stream of growth. From 60 one week, to 90 the following, all the way up to 150 teams, our staff was getting the word out about our tournament. With 150 teams, the sponsorship package became a lot more attractive. Secondly, our web traffic was increasing quite drastically as we were signing up more teams, sending out more registration materials, and doing a terrific job of digital marketing. With a vibrant tournament developing and a website that was growing daily, the tournament was viable; now it was just up to me to find the right sponsor.
The key to our success in finding a sponsor was that we now had something concrete to offer. Sponsorship budgets have tightened in the past 6+ years. Businesses seem to be interested in sponsoring again, but they seem more likely to sponsor a product with legs rather than just an idea. Once our tournament had legs, it was easier to promote to potential sponsors.
Below is a list of sponsorship opportunities. Contact Brian Meeter for more information at [email protected] or 608-780-2054.
Badgerland State Basketball Championships (NOT AVAILABLE)
Badgerland Nationals Wrestling Tournament (Partially Available)
Badgerland Baseball Ring Sponsor (Available)
Fall Fast Pitch (Partially Available)
Tournament Central (Some Spots Available)
Tournament Index for each sport (Some Spots Available)
Badgerland Baseball Championships (Partially Available)
Badgerland Super Saver Basketball Tournaments (Partially Available)
Thank you for considering our sponsorship opportunities. For more information and to get a first-hand view of our work, visit www.wisportsservices.org.
By: Jake Wenzel, WSS Staff Badgerland Baseball Championships Update
W isconsin Sports Services is proud to announce that the Madison Mallards,
Green Bay Bullfrogs, and La Crosse Loggers have agreed to provide a night at
the ballpark for all teams
participating in the Badgerland Baseball
Championships. On the nights of July 25 and 26
after teams get done competing on the field for
the BBC, they will get the opportunity to sit
back and watch some of college baseball’s
finest players. The night will also include each
team getting introduced in front of the crowd
before the game, throwing out the first pitch,
and having a meet and greet with the college players and coaches after the game. We hope
that the opportunity for these young athletes to see what it takes to play at the highest level
is something that they will cherish for a lifetime.
We would like to thank the Madison Mallards, Green Bay Bullfrogs, and La Crosse Loggers for
providing the opportunity for players, coaches, and parents of the BBC to enjoy America’s
pastime. The WSS is looking forward to having all of your teams compete in the BBC this
summer and would like to wish everybody good luck as their seasons get underway.
To stay current with information regarding the 2014 BBC and other
baseball events, please check our website at www.wisportsservices.org.
2014 BBC Locations
July 25-27, 2014
10u - Kaukauna, WI
11u - Waukesha, WI
12u - Holmen, WI
13u - Marshall, WI
14u - Kaukauna, WI
BADGERLAND Basketball By: Lance Klinkhammer, WSS Staff
W ow, that was a lot of fun. I still can’t believe it’s over! There was some great basketball played
over the past two weekends in the state of Wisconsin at the WSS Boys’ & Girls’ Badgerland
State Basketball Championships. Our WSS staff put a lot of time and effort into organizing this
tournament over the past few months and I’m very proud to say that our inaugural event turned out to be an
absolutely wonderful success in 2014! We’re already planning for more teams and more playing locations,
and we can’t wait for March of 2015 to get here so we can do it all over again.
On a personal note, I enjoyed meeting many of the participating coaches and players at the event for the first
time these past few weekends and so did the rest of our WSS staff. I was very impressed by the classy
behavior exhibited by everyone throughout the duration of the tournament. It is my belief that
demonstrating good sportsmanship is more important than winning or losing at competitive events as it is
vital in creating a positive experience for all. There were some very intense games played; credit the players
and coaches for leaving their very best on the court this weekend and their graciousness for the game,
regardless of the outcome. Thank you to all teams for playing this year in the Badgerland State Basketball
Championships!
Without further ado, here are your 2014 WSS Badgerland State Champions!
GIRLS
4th GRADE – WAUKESHA SOUTH
5th GRADE – MONONA GROVE
6th GRADE – OCONOMOWOC
7th GRADE – APPLETON NORTH
8th GRADE — MILTON
BOYS
4th GRADE – PEWAUKEE BLACK
5th GRADE TIER I – KIMBERLY WHITE
5th GRADE TIER II – GREEN BAY NOTRE DAME
6th GRADE TIER I – NICOLET
6th GRADE TIER II – WAUKESHA NORTH
7th GRADE TIER I – MADISON EAST
7th GRADE TIER II – FREEDOM
8th GRADE TIER I – JANESVILLE
I’d like to thank all those that partnered with us to create a wonderful event in 2014. Although it’s not possible to recognize every individual who assisted with the event, I’d like to extend a special thank you to:
Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse
Jake Erickson, Nick Bernhardt & AJ Halverson
Brookfield Central High School/Booster Club
Dave Carnell & Staff
Blacktop Sports
Rich Mosley & Family
Fox Valley Lutheran High School
Shawn Hill & Staff
Higher Level Camps
Cheryl Mohr & Family
Pius XI High School & Grizz Sports
Bruce & Nate Janczak
Ripon Backboard Club/Ripon High School
TJ Rogers, Danelle Phillips & Traci Merrill
SEA’s of Stoughton & Verona
Amy Slaby, Doug Slaby & Larry Anderson
South Milwaukee High School
Ante Udovicic, Jeff Ness & Pete Narrai
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Mike Wilson
We would also like to thank all the families and friends for coming out this weekend to support their coaches
and players who participated in the first-ever WSS Badgerland State Basketball Championships. We hope you
all had a wonderful experience at our event!
W atch for our upcoming USSSA Spring Basketball 5-on-5 tournament
opportunities the weekend of May 31st-June 1st and June 14th! We’ll also be
coordinating a 3-on-3 event on Saturday, June 15th. Information will be
available shortly on our website about these event on June 15th. and we’ll be
sending information out to all teams that participated in our Badgerland State Basketball
Championships once it is available.
Congratulations
4th Grade Girls!!
Congratulations
5th Grade Girls!!
Congratulations
6th Grade Girls!!
Congratulations
7th Grade Girls!!
Congratulations
8th Grade Girls!!
Congratulations
4th Grade Boys!!
Congratulations
5th Grade Tier 1 Boys!!
Congratulations
5th Grade Tier II Boys!!
Congratulations
6th Grade Tier I Boys!!
Congratulations
6th Grade Tier II Boys!!
Congratulations
7th Grade Tier I Boys!!
Congratulations
7th Grade Tier II Boys!!
Congratulations
8th Grade Tier I Boys!!
Congratulations
8th Grade Tier II Boys!!
WSS ADULT SLOW PITCH By: Adam Klinkhammer, WSS Staff
H ere in the Midwest we’ve
“enjoyed” some slightly
warmer weather recently,
indicating that the grip of the polar vortex
might be loosening its chokehold that has
made hibernating bears of us all. As the
ground thaws and the snow melts, our
thoughts eventually turn to summertime
activities and slow pitch softball tops the
list. Teams and leagues are already forming
and most tournament schedules are almost
complete. Be sure to include on that list the
USSSA State Tournament being held in
Janesville the weekend of August 9-10 at
the beautiful Dawson Fields Complex. All of
the information for the State Tournament is
published on the WSS website.
We are formulating a new program in Wisconsin in an attempt to network all of the tournaments being held around the state. The Tournament Index is already built, which allows tournament operators to post their events to be advertised to the softball community. In addition, we are reaching out to local tournaments to gauge interest about being included in the Wisconsin Tournament Series which is a collection of tournaments that offers paid berths to the USSSA State Tournament. So far we’ve received really good feedback and have added a couple of tournaments to this series. The local events are not
required to be USSSA sanctioned and can continue to use their own playing rules. Being included in the tournament series gives additional value to the local event, including featured advertising on the WSS website. If you are interested in learning more about the Wisconsin Tournament Series, please contact Adam Klinkhammer at [email protected] or call the WSS office at 608-210-1710.
Through our robust NGIN web site, we are able to offer vast capabilities to league administrators and their teams. While USSSA-sanctioned leagues will be able to use a custom league web site for free, we also offer the League Management System to all adult slow pitch leagues for a small per-team fee. Features included in the League Management System include but are not limited to posting of registration forms/deadlines, rules, umpire information, creation of league-wide schedules, easy game score updating, league standings, league announcements, and more. Every team will be provided a custom web page with a full suite of features that includes an online roster, player stats, team-specific game schedules, message boards and photo galleries, all controlled entirely by the team through the permission-based system. Every league will also be offered the use of RainOut Line, which is the latest and greatest weather communication tool on the market today that helps keep the entire league in-the-know regarding inclement weather. More information regarding the League Management System is published on the WSS web site.
Wisconsin Tournament Series
League Management System
I n January, we were contacted by a group from Sheboygan called Mid Lake
Softball about the possibility of sanctioning their new start-up league with
the USSSA. There have been some rumblings in the press lately about the
future of slow pitch softball in the Sheboygan area due to some issues between
the city and the existing softball association. The city has decided to terminate
their contract with the old softball group and have agreed to let Mid Lake run the
Wildwood Softball Complex in 2014. Mid Lake and the WSS have agreed to
partner this year with Mid Lake becoming the first USSSA-sanctioned league in
Wisconsin! By sanctioning their league with USSSA, the Mid Lake Softball
organization will be covered by a $2 million liability insurance policy through
USSSA as well as enjoying all the bells and whistles of the WSS NGIN-powered
website. We encourage any and all leagues to discover the benefits they can
receive by sanctioning with the USSSA.
WSS Welcomes:
For more about Adult Slow Pitch Softball in Wisconsin– Contact Adam at
[email protected], or 608-210-1710
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
VERONA SEA
MATHY CENTER
MILWAUKEE PIUS
STOUGHTON SEA
VALLEY TROPHY
5th AVE AWARDS
WSN- WISSPORTS.NET
RIPON HIGH SCHOOL
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF
GREATER LA CROSSE
SOUTH MILWAUKEE HIGH SCHOOL
WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE
FOX VALLEY LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL
BROOKFIELD CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
QUALITY INN & SUITES-STOUGHTON
SHERATON– MADISON
HAMPTON INN– ONALASKA
DAYS INN- LA CROSSE
CANDLEWOOD SUITES, LA CROSSE
SHERATON-MILWAUKEE BROOKFIELD
CAMBRIA SUITES– APPLETON
HAMPTON INN– APPLETON
HOLIDAY INN-APPLETON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS– VERONA
RETLAW PLAZA HOTEL– FON DU LAC
MICROTEL INN & SUITES– FON DU LAC
COUNTRY INN & SUITES– FON DU LAC
DAYS INN– FON DU LAC
HOLIDAY INN– FON DU LAC
COMFORT INN– FON DU LAC
EXECUTIVE LODGE– FON DU LAC
SUPER 8– FON DU LAC
GRIZZ SPORTS
BLACKTOP SPORTS
HIGHER LEVEL CAMPS
RIPON BACKBOARD CLUB
Current partners:
JOSTENS
USJT SPORTS
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
HOLMEN PARK AND RECREATION
ONALASKA PARK AND RECREATION
UW-LA CROSSE VARSITY WRESTLING
HOLMEN YOUTH BASEBALL
PARENT’S ASSOCIATION
ELK MOUND GIRLS BASKETBALL
HOLMEN VIKINGS WRESTLING CLUB
CHIPPEWA-FALLS MCDONELL
HIGH SCHOOL
past partners: