Thursday, March 16, 2006

Good News Knaggs


If the guest column in today's
Bee, penned by my old friend Jack Knaggs, sets a tone for this year's Little League season, kids and parents should be in for a good run. From my experiences with Jack Knaggs, I think the Little League folks have a good man at their helm. He's got a sense of humor, a longtime community involvement, a nice family and some wisdom to go along with his leadership.

I got to know Jack when he was a student at Sandpoint High School back in the early '70s. Our history involves Drill Team Variety Shows, coffee time at Connie's, story telling and snorters (those are the thigh-slapping giggles that manifest themselves through the nasal passages). We also share a common bond with the McCormick family of Dale, Mae, Julie and Todd. And, of course, I can't forget Sassy, my sister's first horse, a cute little Appaloosa which spent her early years with the Knaggs.

In this morning's column, Jack eloquently and diplomatically outlines how it's going to be with the Little League program this year, and he promises priceless memories. He grants that there'll be nothing in Little League to bring on the developers, fill up the community coffers or generate national news coverage, but I'd say there's a REAL STORY in what he envisions for Sandpoint-area boys and girls of summer from T-Ball to Bulldog baseball. He's looking for more volunteers to help the program and more real involvement from the youth, and he says it so well.

"Jack's Book of Facts describes baseball as a 'fun game played by children of all ages in which learned skills and strategies are used to outscore an opponent,'" he writes. "Fun is the key. When the adults show their oversized egos (in the name of competition) to deviate from this, children lose interest fast.

"This year there will be an emphasis on practices divided into fundamental training groups and serious rotation of players during games at the minor/rookie/T-ball level," he adds. "This will be done to provide skilled, knowledgeable players to the Major where more mature competitive skills can be developed."

Jack also talks about trained umpires who will follow a code of conduct and a set of bylaws to help them control situations distracting from the game. Kids will go on teams, based on geographic area and performance scores earned during tryouts. An opening day ceremony on April 15 will offer free food, drawings and a Major League game. "Best ever," Jack says.

If Jack can pull off the goals he's set for this year, I think everyone involved in the program will benefit. I can remember the days of T-Ball and Little League, and I can vividly remember some really scary moments---not with the kids but with the parents. I was especially distressed to learn back in those days that some tiny kids swinging a bat for the first time endured such Big League pressure from their parents.

I'll also never forget the night when a parent went after our son's Little League coach and wouldn't leave the area when asked, directed and ordered. Finally, he relented and hid behind one of the stands, uttering stuff neither kids nor parents needed to hear.

So, Jack, I hand it to you for your leadership and courage in elevating the goals of the game, and I wish you all the luck in the world. If anyone can pull off some priceless and precious memories for our community's young base runners, Jack Knaggs can do it.

Play ball!

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