Oak Park Windmills All Organizational Meeting 2019 20

Oak Park Windmills All Organizational Meeting 2019 -20

Mission and Charter The Windmills Girls Fastpitch Organization was established in Oak Park, IL, in 1989. Since its inception, the goals of the organization have been to: • Train girls to be elite softball players capable of earning college scholarships and to compete at a national level • Teach girls the principles of dedication, perseverance and teamwork • Learn and advance the most successful training techniques to our coaches and players • Encourage girls to participate in community service

Windmills Board 2019 -20 • Roger Reckers President • Paul Steinhofer Vice President • Bill Hendle Treasurer • Kimberly Plasencia Secretary • Ben Stone Facility Manager • Jim Christman • Debbie Exner • David Mendell • Gail Shelton • Melanie Rodriquez • Mike Leavy • John Casillas • Margaret Rzyewski • Holly Scott Chicago Bandits Director of Operations

Board Responsibilities • • • Formulate and uphold organizational policies Coach selection Finances Windmills Academy Organizational events Organizational marketing Tryouts College preparation Mediate team, player and parent Issues

Windmills Academy Policies • • • The Academy is for the use of current Windmills players only No food or drink (other than water) allowed Each team is allocated specific team practice times Sunday and Monday evenings reserved for lessons Players may use the Facility for individual workouts when it is not reserved for team practices or private lessons, as long as the player is accompanied by (i) their parent or legal guardian or (ii) by an adult and at least one other person over the age of 12. Under no circumstances should any player be alone at the Facility with an adult who is not their parent or legal guardian. • Current WIF schedule, Indoor facility rules, and cleaning schedule are located on bulletin board and on website. • Leave the Facility in better condition than you found it. There is a cleaning checklist hanging in the bathroom. Each team will have designated weeks and be responsible for using the checklist to clean facility. 5

Coach Selection • Coach application – Previous experience – Coaching credentials • Background checks • Board review and approval • Most qualified/best fit selected 6

Windmills 2019 -20 Teams 16 u 14 u 13 u 12 u 11 u-12 u 10 u 9 u-10 u Jason Perez Jeff Levine Laura Chambers Mike Solberg Andres Segura Dan Gill Jerry Runquist Damian Cruz

8 U Pinwheel Program • One day skills clinic for girls 7 -10 years old. • Introduction to travel softball with drills and instruction on pitching, hitting and base running. • 2019 Clinic was on 10/20 at OPRF High School with players and coaches from the 14 U team running the camp. • 19 girls attended • Pinwheels with the Pros November 10 th

Windmills Finances 2019– 2020 Estimated Statement of Expenses • Expenses-Windmills Academy – Windmills Facility Rent – Facility Cleaning – Facility Maintenance – Facility Equipment – Facility Supplies & Heating – Total Indoor Facility Expense • Expenses-General – Clinic Fees - Coaches – Park District Usage Fees – OPRFHS – Team Supplies – Insurance – Spirit Night – Advertising – Website and Internet – Total Non Facility Expenses – Total Expenses 36, 000 1, 000 2, 000 $43, 000 500 2, 000 1, 500 2, 500 1, 500 $ 13, 000 $ 56, 000

Academy Capital Improvement Project • $40, 000 in capital Improvements which included: – – – Flooring Repair New Turf Padding for Walls New/Repair Netting Additional lighting Fencing Repair • Corporate Sponsorship *Link to donate: https: //www. oakparkwindmills. org/

Softball Facilities • Windmills Academy – – 5000 -square-foot indoor facility for pitching, batting and fielding practice Each team is allocated specific practice times Mondays are generally reserved for private lessons We are currently evaluating whether our current indoor facility meets our organizational needs • Oak Park River Forest (OPRF) High School • Indoor Field House and Gyms • OPRF Outdoor Field use April to October • Oak Park District • Various softball fields in the Park District system

Team Volunteers • Volunteers needed from each team! – Needs vary from team to team – Coordinate with organizational goals – Business manager – Charitable events – Team parties/activities coordinator – Public relations – Online marketing

Organization Volunteers • Windmills Committees – Snowball – Spirit Night – Fundraising / Sponsorship – Charitable Events – Alumni

Organizational Events Snowball Banquet • • • Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park Celebrate special Windmills honoree This year, funds raised will go directly to College Exposure, scholarships, team equipment and clinics Dinner, cash bar, silent auction and entertainment for the whole family Each player in the organization is required to purchase a minimum of two tickets Spirit Night • Celebrate each team’s accomplishments • Celebrate Windmills player’s 4 -7, and 10 -year milestones • Date and location TBD – usually in June

Windmills On-Line Marketing • Windmills Website (www. oakparkwindmills. org) • All New Organizational Main Site – Organizational Information – Windmills History and Accomplishments – Photo Albums • Team Sub sites – One sub-site for each Windmills team – Controlled and organized by individual teams • Windmills Facebook/Twitter /Instagram Accounts • • Fan Page (Facebookoakparkwindmills) Publishes Current Events/Accomplishments/Photos Please like us on FB and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!!!! http: //twitter. com/Windmills. OP • Team Facebook Sites • Available per team • When paired with Twitter provides real time communication

Windmills Public Relations Each team needs to appoint a representative to report back weekly team accomplishments for the purposes of team recognition, brand development and on-line and media distribution. – Report Accomplishments (tournament placements) or media worthy news information to: david@oakparkwindmills. org – Major reported events will be published in local media

Windmills Community Service • Windmills have a long history of community service and it is part of our mission as an organization. • 14 u Jeff Levine’s team Child Rescue Coalition event - Girls made comfort bags(blankets, activity books and teddy bears) for children taken from bad situations. The bags will be given to children by police officers on the scene.

Windmills Community Service • • • This past September Windmills families donated four van-loads of diapers, wipes, formula and other supplies to the New Moms organization of Chicago and Oak Park. New Moms supports families with children under the age of 5 focusing on young moms (aged 13 -24), who are experiencing poverty and homelessness, with housing , job training and family support. It was one of the largest donations of supplies in their history. 11 u Gill team had the largest donation with 12 u Solberg coming in close second. Team will receive pizza party.

College Preparation and Recruiting Process • Windmills have demonstrated a consistent ability to prepare girls to play at the collegiate level. – – 117 Collegiate players (1 Olympian) since first class in 1996 Windmills name respected in recruiter’s minds Various clinics by Northwestern and De. Paul coaches Windmills now coaching at: De. Pauw, Western Illinois University, University of Nebraska-Omaha, North Central College, Concordia University Chicago

Recruiting process: The “Basics” 8 -12 u • Your daughter shows that she’s developing ahead of others in house league • Connect with a good travel ball program that has track record of success in recruitment; Now daughter can connect and play with others of similar abilities • Learn and practice how to teach and nurture the fundamentals with your daughter • Work hard in practices with team AND ESPECIALLY on your own to improve • Watch college games live and on TV to learn the game • Compete on travel team to become a starter; this is not GIVEN but EARNED 14 -16 u • Keep grades up, continue to work in team practice and work on own; this is CRITICAL to keep up; Players that get ahead always find the time for extra work • Team plays in college exposure tournaments for 14 u/16 u • Player writes letters to schools of interest; introduces self and year of HS grad. • College coach interest begins IF player is physically and mentally ready and player shows skills ahead of others of same age; create skills video to show this!!! • College coaches watch games, can only contact your travel ball coach for info about player 16 -18 u • Exposure tournaments continue as does contact and writing campaign to schools • Visit school campuses, talk to coaches AT those visits • Attend hitting/skills camps at schools that are real possibilities; On-Deck Camp invite; • If you fill the need for a school, and you are very good in the classroom AND on the field, coaches will bring player on an official (school paid for) visit; make an offer to player • NCAA DI, DII, NAIA, give athletic scholarships; NCAA DIII does not but usually comes up with academic money and aid to help with costs; Junior College also option; *Remember the game has to still be FUN! Always have balance for your student athlete so that they enjoy other sports/things they like to do as well*

Windmills play in colleges coast to coast! 22

Lessons and upcoming events Windmills offers group and individual lessons from professional instructors: *Abby Ramirez, infielder with the Chicago Bandits of National Pro Fastpitch *Bridget Boyle, former pitcher with UIC Flames *Holly Scott, pitching instructor with Chicago Bandits Academy and North Central College • • Upcoming Clinics details coming soon SAVE THE DATE for Open House at Facility, Thursday, Dec 5 th 7 -9 pm