Manager's, August is upon us, and it seems like it was just Super Bowl time.  Like my Grandfather said many times, "The older I get, the faster the time flies."  Isn't that the truth?

 

Even though we are not meteorologists, we really do watch the weather weeks ahead of a tournament, as well as communicate with our local Sites, and try and determine what kind of weather we are going to have, and then determine if we need to go with 'shortened games' or move to different locations.  We have already done that many times during the years, but it is an imperfect guess, so to speak.  This is Florida, and each and every one of you know that the weather can change at any time.  Also, because many of our Sites are miles apart, so it could be clear in one area, and rainy at another.  As an example, that is exactly what happened down in the Vero/Port St. Lucie 60's Tournament recently.  Knowing that, remind your Players that we do our very best to get the games in.

 

It is really important that you talk to your Players and followers about respectful behavior to everyone at the ballpark.  This is a League, and we expect a proper decorum regarding how we treat people from the time we come to the park to the time we leave.  This is not a place where we will accept bad behavior, especially bad language, towards our Staff, Umpires, and Players.  When this occurs we act swiftly and harshly to those who deserve the penalties.

 

Since we are already at the start of the fall, there are some important reminders for you:

 

Your Roster must be completed by October 1st.

 

If your Team started in FHC early in the year, the requirements for playing in the State Tournament are:

If your Team started in FHC later in the year, the requirements are found in the By-Laws.  It is less and very fair.  No team or Player can qualify if they started in FHC after August.  This Player qualification is for new Players who join FHC for the first time.

 

If you have an injured Player who needs a "medical waiver," we would like you to do that by November 1st.  Obviously, something could happen at the November Tournaments, which would cause a need for a waiver.  Contact Hal Hatley for the "medical waivers" as well as "rabbit runner" waivers.

 

Our FHC fall elections will be held around the first week in November.  I will address that in the coming weeks.

 

As most of you know, I was a Teacher/Coach at the high school level for 41 years plus.  I was fortunate to have a great experience in the classroom, which I loved, and had some success on the playing fields as well.  I was officially inducted into the National Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame on August 25 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  My wife Sherry and I flew out for a 3-day whirlwind trip, but it was well worth the airport delays, and we had an awesome time.  My thanks to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association for nominating me.

 

See you all soon at the ballpark.

 

Mike Knowles
FHC Chairman