There was an email sent out to teams that that you may or may not have received. It was sent from a new manager in the League was retracted but, in the meantime, created significant confusion among many others regarding end of season awards. Let me set the record straight for everyone. For the past twenty years Alameda Little League Boards have awarded “Participation Trophies” only to T-ball and Farm and Challenger players. This is because younger kids like them, but older kids don’t and usually throw them away fairly soon. Instead, for the Baseball Divisions we award a useful baseball item. Last year and in other years we awarded beanies with our logo. Other years we have awarded T-shirts, small bats, hats, or medallions on neck ribbons. The bottom line is that the older kids like useful baseball items and not small trophies in the opinion of Alameda Little League Boards going back to the 1990’s.
There is an award that goes to one player on each team as decided by the Manager and/or the coaches. This award is our Sportsmanship Award and it is called the Wootten Award, named after an elderly couple from back in the 1980’s who religiously came to games even though they had no kids or grandkids in the program. They just came to cheer all the kids in a positive manner. The player that you select should not necessarily be the best player or the MVP, but more of the inspirational type and a leader by example rather than words. He or she is liked by their peers for the poise and strong presence, would never use negative words, and generally be a positive force on the team. Please forward to me your team Wootten Award winner, no ties please, just one player.
I hope this clears up the confusion regarding awards. We will have Closing Ceremonies 1:00pm June 3rd which will include T-ball and Farm and Challenger trophies, Graduation awards for all 12 year olds moving up, Championship and runner up awards for all Baseball Divisions, all Wootten Award winners, Matteucci Award winners for the most Sportsmanship shown by Baseball Division Managers as selected by their opponents, and the Volunteer of the Year as selected by the President (President’s Award).
Please forward this to your team parents and other spectators. See you June 3rd at 1 PM. This is moved back from noon because Championship games don’t start until 10 AM.
Regards,
Ron Matthews
President
Alameda Little League