Submitted by Paul Nimmo.
To the Lakewood Community,
The dust has all settled, the equipment put away and the planning for the 2019 Season is well underway. For the 2018 Season, Lakewood Baseball Club allowed 244 players the opportunity to play Baseball. 19 teams, separated by age groups, played 249 games this season.
Those teams played games within their age groups against each other, but also played “inter-lock” games with; DuPont Patriot League, Tacoma Metro Baseball, and Capitol Little League, as well as pick-up games with Northwest Prospects and Mason County Youth Baseball.
You may have noticed Baseball games at Ft. Steilacoom Park (Peterson Field), Clover Park High School and Four Heroes Elementary (the only turf field in Lakewood). LBC teams also played in Shelton, Tacoma, DuPont, and Tumwater. Practices were spread amongst several elementary schools, Harry Todd Park, Clover Park & Lakes High Schools and Hudtloff & Mann Middle Schools.
Lakewood Baseball Club also contributed to the local economy, as LBC rents the use of fields, pays local umpires, and purchases local supplies & services. LBC rents a storage facility for the large amount of equipment needed to run a four-month season. Outside teams coming in to Lakewood purchase food from local businesses.
Along with those expenses, Lakewood Baseball provides uniforms and equipment to the recreation level teams. Safety equipment must be replaced after several years of use. Consumable items such as practice balls, game balls, field chalk and game books are needed annually.
In order to keep costs low for the players (and their families), registration is kept at a very low level. Annual scholarships are available. However, registration does not cover the annual expenses.
The League and Teams rely heavily on Volunteers. 60 Adults stepped up to the plate to provide mentoring and coaching to those teams. An all-volunteer Board of Directors organizes and operates the 501(c)3 organization. These 7 members fill the 18 job positions.
Lakewood Baseball Club relies on Community Support. Many teams have supporters, team level supporters are; DuPont Physical Therapy, Lakewood City Glass,, Mod Pizza, Red Moon Realty and Studio Fitness.
League sponsors are important in continuation of operations. These supporters recognize the importance of building a strong sense of Community. League Sponsors are; Classy Chassis, Jones Animal Hospital, Lakewood Rotary, Lakewood McDonalds, Ram Restaurant & Brewery, and Tacoma Trophy.
Lakewood Baseball Club is pleased to report recognition by the Lakewood Community Foundation Fund. This Community philanthropic organization awarded $2500 through a grant to support Lakewood Baseball Club. The Lakewood Community Foundation Fund’s Mission is to improve the lives of people in the Lakewood Community by encouraging the generosity of donors and by accepting and distributing resources through a permanent endowment.
Lakewood Baseball Club looks forward to the 2019 Season. If you would like more information on how you can assist LBC, please contact info@lakewoodbaseballclub.org or visit our website www.lakewoodbaseballclub.org.
Andie says
It’s great to get this community report! All organizations could make friends and influence people by presenting similar annual reports. Thanks for your great work with the kids of Lakewood !
David Anderson says
I would like to add that Mary Dodsworth and crew from Lakewood Parks, as they have done every year, made Harry Todd Park once again the pristine baseball field I remember playing on when I was a fledgling left fielder for Woodbrook (then) Junior High.
This Lakewood Parks has done to enable the youth from Tillicum Elementary School to play on ‘a real field’ with the bases appropriately spaced (70 feet to first base is such a long way!), the pitcher’s mound where it belongs, the infield drug and the outfield mowed.
What a privilege these youth have had to play with LBC, each player totally funded – registration and uniforms – for each of the last five years from local people – Tillicum primarily – who understand the importance of boys playing ball.
Having begun in first grade, the team mostly still intact, they walked the halls of Tillicum Elementary this last season for the last time.
We’ll return, now drawing them back from where they’ve departed to various middle schools, and once again take the field defending Tillicum’s title.
Thank you, LBC; thank you Lakewood Parks; and thank you Tillicum’s community for our very own version of ‘Friday Night Lights.’
Greg Rediske says
Thanks for this report to the community. This excellent organization has been revitalized by their current leadership. The school district, the Parks Department, and the community in general need to continue to support LBC. There is nothing more American than kids playing baseball. Especially with a hot dog or two thrown in there. Nice job.