WPC Grasshoppers

I was very proud that with the help of Bruce Webster, I was able to organize enough able bodied people in a very last minute fashion (we literally registered 10 minutes before registration ended at Big 5) for a church softball team consisting of friends and members of the church.  We finalized the roster before our first game.  Here are the names (question marks indicate not sure)
ROSTER PLAYERS
Rachelle L
Allan G
Chester T
Trasie T
Donna Ormerod
Keri Brinegar
Cliff W
Julie W
Antonio L
Elizabeth J
Andrew B
Jennifer T
Milee G-R
Gabe R
James R
Mikaela A
Arlene O
? Jennifer P
?  Steve B
?  Dan Guevara
?  Lynette Guevara

Bruce agreed to be the team manager.  A role he took very seriously.

He tried to organize us. Here are some sample valiant email attempts:

Uniform T-shirt fee:  $13.50

League fee:  $31.00

cash or check payable to Chester Topple

Chester-Allan and Rachelle wrote that they paid you for t-shirts

any questions, ask Chester

And then another email responding to a question from Keri B:

Keri,

In previous e-mails I have specified that I am collecting $31.00 league fees, with the caveat that this fee was not final.  Chester paid the $550 league fee, so he has the final word.

There are fees that include softball purchase for games and possible equipment purchase for team.  Right now we have only Chester's bat.

I have not been too specific with other associated costs because team member's have trouble remembering values for t-shirts or league fees--apparently it is too complicated.

Do you want to be the manager?

Best,
Bruce

And before our first game:

GRASSHOPPERS,

I talked to Manny of SFe Softball and he said we did NOT need to put numbers on t-shirts tonight (Royal Blue t's or as close as you can come to that color).

Anyone volunteering to pitch?

Andrew- I will need your help sorting through rules.

Anu-Do you want to help with scorekeeping?

Chester and Julie- Please pass on to Los Reyes' y Los Guevara's

Finally another sample of his attempts:

1.  Below is the link for our team schedule, we are THE GRASSHOPPERS.
http://santafesoftball.com/schedule.php?month=999&year=999&pfv=n&leagueid=1&season=20&conference=71&division=70&team=765

2.  We are a re-cre-a-tion-al co-ed team representing WPC.  We have Chester's $40 bat (legal bats for our league can be over $200).  We have inexperienced members on our team.  We are mostly church members.  Please "keep your cool and let it ride."  We are there to have fun.

3.  Play safe.  I am glad to see no injuries, 'cept for Milee's shins.  LOL.

4.  Show up 30 minutes early (females especially).  I will try to be 30 mins early this week.

5.  We are going to try a 2-inning rotation.  You are out in the field twice and how we are hitting will determine number of times that you bat.

6.  PRACTICE on Thursday, 630pm, Alto St fields.  (Don't forget to go to batting cage sometime this week).

7.  GAMETIME Friday,5/21,830 pm (show up at 8pm), FIELD #1, we are HOME team

Have a good week and hope to see you Thurs for practice,
Bruce

he tried to motivate us....We lost our first game in dramatic fashion 17-0.
Here are his reflections after the game:

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother GRASSHOPPER

Hola,

Well, I think we learned a lot last night as we took our whippin' 17-0.  But, we had fun.

For future games, I am going to need someone to step up and provide some coaching.  Last night, I was muy ocupado with keeping score (HOME team responsibility) and line-up and substitutions.

There are batting cages in Santa Fe and ABQ for getting in batting practice.  I suggest that you take advantage of those facilities.

I suggest that you practice throwing a ball and playing catch with someone.

In the immortal words of Crash Davis:
"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."

See y'all next Friday,
Bruce

And coach us:

Greetings,

We are NOT the Home team, so I do NOT have to keep score--so hopefully I can be more "nurturing" as your manager.  Hahahaha.

Be there at 6pm.  Let me know if you will not be able to participate.  Keri is out since she has previous engagement.

Just some notes to remember since we do not practice.

1.  Do not stand still after ball is hit.  Basemen (y mujeres) cover your bases.  Outfielders & pitcher & catcher move to back up play in case of overthrow.

2.  Wait for your pitch.  This is slow pitch softball.  You will have time.  Attempt OFF-hitting meaning hit between 1st y 2nd base.  Hit behind runner for sacrifice.

3.  When the ball is popped up and coming towards you or near you--call for it by yelling,"I GOT IT!!!"  If someone calls for the ball, move to back up in case the ball somehow gets by him/her.

4.  Do NOT get injured.  This is recreation, there are no slow softball scouts in the stands looking to "discover" you.

Seeya manana,
Bruce Webster
505.608.0021

We were not a very responsive group: and we didn't do so well.  Regrettably (now because I thought it was a good move at the time) He ended up resigning after our fourth or fifth game we had to forfeit during which he and I got into a little scuffle (we both were pretty heated, but..good resurrection story, we fell apart Friday, but made up Sunday).

Steve Brugger ended up managing/ organizing for the rest of the season, and did so enthusiastically. We won our first two games after he became manager.  However, we lost steam, people were inconsistent, and our final game ended in a whimper as only 6 or 7 people showed up and we ended up scrimmaging the other team.

I had fun at the games I went to, but our schedule was very busy this summer and we missed several games.  Milee, Gabe, James, Stever and Rebecca were definitely our most consistent and dedicated players.  Jamie Martinez was next once she was added to the team.

I was cleaning out emails recently and came across a whole bunch from Bruce in regards to the grasshoppers.  I was impressed.  I wrote him to tell him thanks, and to sympathize a bit:

You Did try! I'm cleaning out emails. This Grasshopper group was a hard one to work with. 

Thanks for your time yesterday. And good scripture readin'

His response was classic (note: he was the scripture reader in church that morning and he references the passage he read.

Yes, I saw great potential in the Grasshoppers...that was left unrealized...and now I will tell you what I will do to the Grasshoppers. I will remove the Grasshoppers' hedge, and the Grasshoppers shall be devoured; I will break down the Grasshoppers' wall, and the Grasshoppers shall be trampled down.  I will make the Grasshoppers a waste; the Grasshoppers shall not be pruned or hoed, and the Grasshoppers shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon the Grasshoppers.  


(Yeah, I might still be a little bitter...jajaja)


Hopefully we can regroup during the off-season and get em Grasshoppers next year!!!

Thanks to Bruce for all he did as the first ever WPC GRASSHOPPER MANAGER!!