One would be hard-pressed to find a bigger supporter of the Falls Little League program than Mike Holden.
The former board member and current assistant district administrator wants nothing more than for International Falls to keep pace with its biggest rival from Itasca (Grand Rapids), but trouble is brewing.
The current board is occupied by only six members, and Holden, who was an original board member in 1989, thinks that number needs to increase into the double digits. Itasca’s program currently has 13 board members.
“The more the better, I think,” he said.
Starting in January, the current board has been swamped with everything from sorting through piles of paperwork, to creating schedules, to finding umpires, to doing background checks on anyone working with the Little League program. It’s a job for 12-13 members, according to Holden, and double-time for six members.
Current president Eric Norstad, who took over for Tim Mellstrom this year, agreed.
“The thing of if is, the more people, less jobs,” Norstad said.
And that equals a more efficient and successful Little League product.
With registration coming up Monday and Tuesday it’s even more imperative that board positions get filled in preparation for this 2010 season. The season is scheduled to begin in May and probably won’t be pushed back with the recent wave of warm temperatures.
Norstad, who stepped into the lead role knowing presidents have a tendency to get worn out, emphasized a board member doesn’t need a kid in the program or even have to know the game of baseball to participate. There are more than enough tasks to go around.
The Falls Little League program experienced a similar need for board members in 2000, and recovered with Holden taking the lead as president.
Now with it’s recent struggles — last year’s board had seven members — Norstad is in that position.
Interested parties can contact Norstad at (218) 283-8084.
