2019 LONDON METS AGM L M London Mets

2019 LONDON METS AGM

L M

London Mets Baseball & Softball Club Annual General Meeting November 2, 2019

2019 AGM WELCOME

2019 AGM Agenda 1. ) Chair’s Introduction and Report 2. ) Treasurer’s Report, Legal Report 3. ) Formal meeting a. ) Nomination of Directors b. ) Vote on Directors 4. ) Q&A, Small Group Discussions

Thanks • None of this happens without our members • Coaches, Players, Parents, Volunteers • Taking care of our fields/clubhouse – lots of hours • Next Saturday, 9 Nov – Fall Clean Up Day at Finsbury

2019 Board of Directors • Ann Marie Aguilar – Club Secretary • Jason Pearce – Special Projects, Grant Apps • Brendan Power – Social Media Director • Josh Mills-Knutsen – Youth Baseball Director • Brian Lainoff – Website Mgr, Comms • Louis Wampler – Special Projects • Chris Martin – Facilities Manager • Patrick Lyons – Legal Affairs and Welfare/Safety • Cole Ryan – Baseball Ops & Equipment • Paul Strang – Club Treasurer

2019 Year in Review • NBL Mets won Third consecutive Championship • Fourth Championship in last five years • Sixth Overall Championship • Holds NBL record for most titles • Coach Drew Spencer

2019 Year in Review • NBL Capitals made it to NBL Championship game for the first time in their short history • Successful Youth Program in Enfield • Coach Cole Ryan

2019 Year in Review • Both our Mets and Capitals to represent UK in the 2020 CEB qualifier as the nation’s top two teams

2019 Year in Review • AAA Mammoths advanced to semi-finals • AA Marauders advanced to semi-finals • AA Sidewinders advanced to quarter-finals • A Musketeers advanced to quarter-finals

2019 Year in Review • Expansion A Mustangs had strong first season, winning 9 games • Coach Greg Gillette • B 4 B program robust and successful • Coach Ryan Turtill

2019 Year in Review • U 18 Team won the YNBC Championship • Coach Mark Flaherty

2019 Year in Review • Welcome Coach Marc Lopez to the Mets – Minors Baseball Director • Over 50 kids in Minors division, most in last 5 years.

2019 Year in Review • Six U 14 Mets players on first UK team, at any level, to win a European Championship • Advanced to Pony World Series in PA in August • Team managed by one of our Mets coaches

2019 Year in Review • Majors team – YNBC Finals • Coaches Josh Mills-Knutsen and Greg Gillette

2019 Year in Review • Former youth players giving back to the club, coaching youth teams • Aidan Pearce, Jaime Gustafson • Greg Kettle, Fred Mosier

2019 Year in Review • Mets Summer Camp was most successful ever • Give a little credit to MLB for being here earlier in the spring • Averaged over 30 kids a day in August • Coaches Greg, Josh, Mike, Aditya

2019 Year in Review • Youth Winter Training 2019 was huge success • Over 75 kids participating • New location at Haverstock School • Worked well for players, coaches, and families

2019 Year in Review • 2019 Youth Winter Training • Many thanks to adult players who gave their time, energy, expertise and experience in teaching and coaching our kids • Greg Gillette, Brendan Power, Brian Lainoff, Dani Santin, Rich Minford, Peter Weidmann, Sean Bennett, Louis Wampler, Joe O’Connell, Amanda Taylor, Rose Bhanji, Aditya Gillette

2019 Year in Review • Adult Winter Training also quite successful in both logistics and participation • Crystal Palace indoor facility ensured quality practices each week, and occasionally used the outdoor site • Skinners Academy for hitting Wednesday evenings convenient to Finsbury, and well attended

2019 Year in Review • We have the 2019 Youth Baseball Coach of the Year

2019 Year in Review • Schools program – Participated in Harringay Sports Festival, finished as one of top two sports • Received 4 -week commitments in two local schools • Led to introducing baseball in the Finsbury Park Sports festival, and more schools • Many thanks to coaches Josh, Greg, and Mike

2019 Year in Review • MLB games in London this year • MLB events had many of our Mets players and coaches involved • Play Ball Park, Farnham Park, and at Olympic Stadium

2019 Year in Review • We had the New York Yankees at our own Finsbury Park • The most epic event in the entire history of British Baseball • Hall of Famers and Baseball Legends teaching our Mets kids

2019 Year in Review • Fall Baseball League successful • Excellent participation – sold out 3 years running • Sponsored by The Naturalist Pub

2019 Year in Review • Import Review • Well worth the investment • Six months – April thru mid-September • Work 50+ hours per week over six days • Coach/train B 4 B, A, AAA players Wed, Fri • Train NBL players – Tues, Thurs • Coach/train youth players Thursdays, Saturdays • Youth Summer Camp

2019 Year in Review • Import Review • Field Maintenance Mon-Fri • Softball Mon-Tues • Field rentals open/close • Work in schools programme • Work in Park sports program • Private lessons

2019 Year in Review • Import Review • Filled in on facilities work, as director was away on business during the season • Lives very close to Finsbury • Play NBL games Sundays • CEB tournament participant

Get Involved !! • Always need more volunteers, more coaches, more facilitators to help • Running a baseball club this size requires many hands • And some of your spare time

Get Involved !! • Youth parents have helped with concessions, and we thank them • Coach Josh has stepped in for Morgan running concessions this year • Need Merchandise volunteers

Get Involved !! • Umpires, need many • At all levels • Willing to train • Paid gigs

Get Involved !! • Clubhouse refurbishment underway soon • Diamond Club Fundraiser – creation/sales/management needed • Facilities people needed

We Want to Be Better ! • The Club to flourish and succeed • In 2020 • And Beyond

Strategic Review • Board Members/Managers were asked to provide input on the Club’s various operations • Topics include: • Overall Club • Board of Directors • Winter Training • Spring Training Trips • NBL/Adult Baseball • Youth Baseball – Finsbury and Enfield • Import Programme • Facilities/Equipment • Communications/Social Media • Merchandise/Concessions • Mets on Deck Schools Programme

Strategic Review • Board of Directors • 11 committed, dedicated members • Diversified skill sets, different points of view • Keep each other grounded, work well together • 4 Directors up for re-election • One stepping down due to day job commitments

Strategic Review • Winter Training • Haverstock School for Youth worked well, renewed for 2020 • NBL, AAA, AA Players helping out widely successful • Looking to format the day more efficiently • Adult training at Crystal Palace/Skinners also worked well • Will likely renew both for 2020 • Better training plans

Strategic Review • Spring Training Trips • Youth – Looking at March Tournaments in Dubai, South of France • Adult – Opportunities in Netherlands, Italy. Need better cooperation between teams. Looking for competitive teams to play • Women’s Baseball Tournament in Edinburgh Early May

Strategic Review • NBL/Adult Baseball • Need to make NBL better – more competitive teams • Align our Adult teams more strategically • Move Marauders to AAA/Musketeers to AA • More input from, more communication with team managers • Add an expansion Single A team from B 4 B/Youth • Spread out/reorganize weeknight trainings

Strategic Review • Youth Baseball – Finsbury • We have a robust programme, with 140+ kids • Good core of coaches involved and committed • Better scheduling against other clubs at all divisions • Need more/better options for teenage players • Concerned with Little League Border Issues

Strategic Review • Youth Baseball – Enfield • Small, but growing programme • Capitals players committed and helpful • Several came to Finsbury Summer Camp • Entered full team into YNBC’s

Strategic Review • Import Programme • Will look to NBL Managers • More pros than cons in 2019 • Excellent ROI

Strategic Review • Facilities • Looking at additional field options • Clubhouse refurbishment starting soon • Bullpen mounds • Replace or extend D 2 backstop/ Base cut outs re-done • Cover batting cages • D 3 infield apron work/D 1 Home plate raised/cut outs repaired

Strategic Review • Equipment • Youth sorted thanks to NY Yankees • Adult – Team lockers for storage • Too much went “missing” • Resistance Bands and Plyo Balls as standard gear • Access to instructional videos

Strategic Review • Communications • Big improvements, responsive to issues • Infrastructure in place • New and better website in development • Be more proactive, plan ahead • Regular newsletters

Strategic Review • Social Media • Much improved presence on Facebook, Instagram • Twitter account quite active • More photos out there • New, better graphics design

Strategic Review • Merchandise • New Hoodie design • New T Shirt design • Booth at MLB Stadium in 2020

Strategic Review • Concessions • Under new management in 2019 • New coffee machine • Meal packages/bundles • Lots of parent volunteers • Gas grill in our future

Strategic Review • Mets on Deck Schools Programme • Most effort this year to revive • Finsbury Sports Festival • More schools than past 4 years • Continue to invest – focus on 4 schools – 2 primary, 2 secondary • Get MLB involved • Need facilitators and coaches

Strategic Review • Overall • We do more with less • Lots of time, energy, effort needed to run a large club • Better Club cohesion • Club vision to be revisited • More “town hall” meetings • Final Grade: Getting better, room for improvement

Let’s Be Better • More Club Centric • Take good care of equipment • Maintain our fields and clubhouse • Next Saturday, 9 Nov – Fall Clean Up Day at Finsbury – 9 AM

End • Thank you