Many thanks again to M.A.D, and Heather for providing a location for the AGM and Banquet.  Also, a huge thank you to Lloyd for providing the delicious spread of food.

As mentioned at the AGM, the meeting minutes from the AGM as well as the Annual Report will be posted to the website in the next few days. In the interim, here are a list of the motions as well as the outcomes of the motions.

1) Meeting minutes will be taken for organizational memory. A note taker is required for the task. Corey Oickle was nominated and unanimously appointed to the position.

2) Move to accept the Annual Report as a penultimate draft with minor copyright + calculation amendments to be incorporated prior to publishing the final document for public consumption.

3) Hiring an auditor to review current financial record keeping practices.

4) Re-structuring of current governance model to include five voting positions and four non-voting positions. The five voting positions include two Co-chairs, Treasurer, Secretary and Sponsorship Coordinator. The four non-voting positions include an equipment coordinator, volunteer coordinator, communication coordinator, and scheduling coordinator.

5) Election of 2012 Commission

Co-Chair – Aubrie (Abby) McGibbon

Co-Chair – Corey Oickle

Treasurer – Melissa Mercer

Secretary – Katherine Boone

Sponsorship Coordinator – Mike Marshall

Equipment Coordinator – Heather Scully

Volunteer Coordinator – Doug Bungay

Communications Coordinator – Charles Thompson

Scheduling Coordinator – Julie Roberts

Many thanks to those who came up and chatted with me after the awards were handed out. If anyone has any suggestions or input, hit me up on email, Facebook, or Twitter!

Happy training in the off season.

AMc

The ECRSA Commission is currently scurrying about all over HRM to tie up any and all loose ends with the 2011 season. The last task on the list for 2011 is the end of year banquet and AGM. After this, that’s the ballgame on the 2011 season.

Before I dive in, congrats to Rosie’s Riveters for taking the end of year league tournament!

Looking ahead, the AGM and end of year banquet will be held this Sunday, September 25th at The Company House starting at 6pm. There will be food en masse, a ton of awards and a great opportunity to toast your fellow players one last time this season.

The penultimate agenda for the AGM includes the following items and associated motions. If you have any questions, or want to add something, please email us sooner rather than later. Copies of all motions to be voted on will be available at the AGM.

Agenda and Motions:
1) Introduction and welcome
2) League survey – next steps
3) Presentation of Annual League Report
      Motion: Accept Annual League Report
4) Presentation of Treasurer’s Report
Motion: Accept Treasurer’s Report
5) Hiring an auditor to review ECRSA record keeping practices
     Motion: Identification and hiring of an auditor to review ECRSA record  
     keeping business
6) Proposed re-structuring of current ECRSA board governance model
Motion: Creation of an Executive Committee of 5 voting Commission
      members (ie. 2x Co-Chairs, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sponsorship
Coordinator) as well as 4 non-voting members (Equipment Coordinator,
Volunteer Coordinator, Communication Coordinator, Schedule
Coordinator)
7) Election of Commission (number of positions will depend on aforementioned   motion)

Many thanks for a great year!
AMc

the ECRSA Commission has decided to cancel all games scheduled for today. Keep your eyes peeled for make-up games to be posted soon.

Also, as we draw to the end of another great season, I am very interested to know what you thought of the season. What did you like? What needs to be changed? Who wants to help make that change happen? Send us an email, poke us on FB or tweet it up. We could even have a legitimate human interaction (aka: a conversation) at ball next week. Talk about cutting edge!

Batten down the hatches all. We will see you on the field next week.
Abby

1 – Swinging for power
Who doesn’t want to step up to the plate and pwn the ball? Do you feel like you are putting everything into your swing, but not seeing the results? This is one of the best (albeit rather technical) videos on breaking down swinging for power.

Let’s recap:
1 – Channel your inner Shakira – The hips don’t lie, so use ‘em and you just brought your game to the next level.
2 – Plant your front foot like you own the joint!
3 – Engage your core. How do you do this? Here’s my go to exercise for core strength. If you can’t hit the ball farther after 3 months of these bad boys, I’ll buy you a beer!
4 – Grip the bat low in order to snap the bat at the end of your swing
5 – I can’t believe they overlooked this in the video. Perfect your bat flip

2 – Running the bases
When is the last time you heard anybody say; “I hit the sh*t out of that ball, but I was good with stopping at 2nd”? Come on! How can you be happy with 1st when 2nd is so tantalizingly close I say? And look! Just beyond that, 3rd is taunting you! Calling your name and asking why you don’t call anymore? Huh! I thought this blog was supposed to about softball. Moving on…

Two key lessons when running the bases:
1 – UNLESS rounding for second, ALWAYS, ALWAYS OVERRUN 1st base. Let’s go the video for an explanation…

Note: If running through 1st base, aim for the orange part of the bag (not shown in video). It’s a safety thing and the 1st basemen will like you a little more!
2 – Don’t run harder, run smarter – How to Round the Bases Effectively and Safely

Note: If you round wide and round into someone playing 2nd, short, or 3rd, this will most likely NOT go over well. Round the bases is like driving, stay in your lane until you get to your destination.

So, in a little under 300 words, I have you swinging your stick more effectively and rounding the bases at blazing speeds. Who knew at the start of the season that I would be helping so many of you score?

We are back at The Pit next week, so let’s hope the rain let’s up by Friday!
Bring a big stick and swing for the fences my friends!
Abby (just for you Rob)

Put your paws up baby! Polish up your best shoes, touch up the make-up, and re-work your choreography because the ECRSA has a float in the Pride Parade this Saturday, July 23rd. Want to join us? Here’s the details from Julie, our fearless El Presidente:

It’s that time again….we are looking for as many people as possible to join us in our parade “float” this year. I will be driving our truck and everyone is welcome. Bring your friends, your neighbours, or your neighbours friends!!! Remember, the more the merrier

The parade marshaling begins at 11:30 and I have some decorations to make our truck as gay as possible. There will also be some snacks and refreshments available. Wear your jerseys and bring any sort of “prop” you’d like (ball glove perhaps?). The Parade begins at 1:30and if you are not able to join us with the decorating please be at Cornwallis and Upper Water Street (just past the casino, in front of the dockyard) by 1:00.

Head over to the ECRSA Facebook Page to let Julie know if you will be strutting your stuff with the ECRSA.

Happy Pride!
AMc

Well, the dust has settled, trophies have been handed out…well, bragging right have been allocated*, copious amounts of beer have been consumed and the ECRSA Dykes vs. Divas game expanded to include the inaugural ECRSA Kickoff To Pride Softball Tourney.

Congrats to the Dykes for finally beating a bunch of Divas in heels at an athletic event. With this feat successfully notched in their collective belt notch, there are no limits to your next endeavor. Dare I guess as to the what the endeavor might be – installing drywall as a timed event perhaps? Better yet – quickest to unload a pick up truck full of wood, then cut, and stack said wood before downing a case of beer as a team relay event? The mind reels at the possibilities for a re-match. So long as a Diva loses her wig…just saying!

Congrats are also extended to the sluggers of the league who put on a great show leading up to the Dykes vs. Divas game with the home run derby. For anyone who caught some of the derby action, I do hope you took names because this league has a pool of talent that can spank a ball something fierce. The Commission took note and we will be looking into official sponsorship from Purolator or Canada Post in order to return league balls that have been hit a postal code or farther out of the ball field.

This weekend saw some great ball, and some great individual plays. Congrats to Halifax Hustlas on their stand up performance in taking the tournament title. And that guy…who was that guy? You know? That guy….the one who won the game with a grand slam…m’eh! Not too shabby Kevin, or Carl or Corey.  Equal kudos to the Phiting Photonics team for giving the Hustlas a run for their money!

To anyone who volunteered this weekend – I am most thankful and humbled by your efforts throughout the weekend. From the peeps who hung out with their smart serve certification with the volunteers who sold beer in the beer tent, to the umpire who battled enough attitude to put the weather to shame in terms of its UNRELENTING harshness and a certain peep who monkeyed her way around both dugouts in order to get all the speakers wired up – Thank you!

This was our first time at bat with a tournament and I am very interested to hear your feedback on it. What did you like? What didn’t you like? What would you do differently and why? Please head over to the contact us page and send us an email. I will get back to you asap and welcome the opportunity to chat it up.

*Note to self – buy or get a trophy donated for next year!

League play resumes on Sunday. In the meantime, Happy and SAFE Pride to all. I look forward to seeing you out at the plethora of events.
Abby

Good morning all!

Here’s a quick recap of the events for today should you be so inclined to join us. Not sure why you wouldn’t join us as all the cool kids would be there and what does that say about you if you aren’t there? Pardon the peer pressure, but just saying!

09:00 – 10:30: Softball tournament kicks off with the 1st game of the day
10:30 – Noon: Game 2 (and possibly the championship game)
Noon – 2pm: Home Run Derby (all proceeds to Halifax Venus Envy Bursary Fund
2 – 4pm: Dykes vs. Divas game
4pm: Championship game if needed.

See you on the field!
Abby

Back again with yet more awesomeness for the weekend. Any more updates like this and I am going to have to do a Youtube video with this guy!

The tournament kicks off on Friday night with two local teams going head to head. Afterwards, everybody is welcome to join all the cool kids at The Company House for a highly entertaining, albeit somewhat exaggerated play by play of the game! Softball players, cold beer and tasty eats – How can you say no to that? Looking forward to seeing you there!

The Youth Project will have a BBQ set up at the tournament all weekend as a fundraiser for the great work that they do. Now, I don’t claim to be a sommelier, but I’m quite sure that any cold beer (with funds going to the Halifax Venus Envy Bursary Fund) pairs just swell with anything on the BarBee. What better way to support two great, local causes then downing a cold brewskie (or Smirnoff Ice) with a couple of dogs and your buds whilst playing ball under sunny skies?

So, let’s recap the week’s awesomeness shall we?

• 5 team, double elimination tourney with $250 to the tournament winner.
• A fantastic tournament registration party at CoHo (Company House) after the first game.
• A BBQ with all funds going to The Youth Project
• Funds raised from the tournament are going to the Halifax Venus Envy Bursary Fund
• A Home Derby, so somebody can truly lay claim to swing a big stick…and pick up some great swag for the demonstration!
• Dykes vs. Divas – ENOUGH SAID!
• 50/50 draw for a max. prize of $500 dollars on Sunday

How my head didn’t do this is beyond me!

The League Commission has worked ridiculously hard to make this inaugural tournament a fun one for all participants and a great fundraiser for local organizations. As always, we are happy to recruit any new volunteers and get any feedback.

I’m off to cross off the last details of the tournament To Do list. We’ll see you @ The Commons (Canada Games Diamond) this weekend.
Abby

Are you the next David “Big Papi” Ortiz? Maybe you taught this guy how to do that? Think you could challenge this guy? Swinging for the fence is just your modus operandi right?  Well, here’s your opportunity to prove it.

On Sunday, July 17th, just before the Dykes vs. Divas game, we are having a home run derby open to all. $5 gets you 5 pitches. Think you swing a big stick huh? Care to put your money where your mouth is for charity? All proceeds raised from this event will be donated to the Venus Envy Bursary Fund.

Come on! We have some great swag for those who can deliver.

The Kickoff To Pride Softball Tournament Schedule can be found under the Schedule page.

This tournament is a double elimination format. To see an overview of the tournament bracket, you can check out over @  Google Docs

See you this weekend!
Abby

After much discussion with the ECRSA Commission, it was decided that all proceeds collected from the 2011 tournament will go to…:

The Venus Envy Bursary Fund

What is the Venus Envy Bursary Fund?

Created in winter 2000 as a way to give something back to the community that supports Venus Envy, the Bursary Fund aims to support women and trans people in need who wish to further their education. We raise money through dances, concerts and other local events, donations from store proceeds and private donations.

The deadline for applications to the Bursary Fund is the end of July, so if you are interested in applying, check out the Venus Envy Bursary Fund page on the Venus Envy website.

Stay tuned for next week. This blog is going to be lit up with awesome leaks and updates about the tournament!

The sun is shining. We’ll see you on the field!
Abby