WBCA Executive Board Meeting
February 11th, 2007 at the Sheraton Four-Points in Milwaukee

Present: President John Ball, 1st VP Bob Gawlitta, 2nd VP John Matera, Secretary Marty Paulsen, Clinic Director Mark Fuller, Awards Director Ron Kading, Publications Director Joe Waite, All-Star Chair Tony Gerharz, District 3 Rep John Hamilton, District 4 Rep Chris Wright, District 5 Rep John Feldner, District 8 Rep Pat Hansen, Ohio President Chuck Rinke.

1) President Ball called the meeting to order.

2) Minutes accepted from December Business Meeting.

3) Set dates and locations for All District Meetings.

4) Hansen asked "what are the qualifications for All Academic, All District, and All State. Discussed. Fuller Motioned that All Academic District should be a junior or senior, have a minimum 3.50 GPA for All-District, 3.75 for All-State, cumulative GPA at the time of selection, and a be a baseball letter winner, and nominated by his coach who is a member of the WBCA. Kading 2nd. Motion approved.

5) District Reps asked to make sure that all conferences are represented, and they have identified a champion. District Reps asked to fax all-district teams to Waite the day they are picked. As decided at the business meeting, the WBCA will not take nominations for coach of the year at the Spring All-District Meetings. The Fall Area meeting is where nominations for spring coach of the year, while summer coaches will continue to take their nominations at their usual District Meetings.6

6) Triple Play Sports Academy, presented to the Board. Triple Play in Sheboygan, tripleplayfunzone.com. Presented a video of who they are and what they represent. They want to bring in youth coaches, and asked if they can go ahead and start a youth baseball coaches association. Offering: would like to mirror the WBCA, start a clinic at Triple Play for youth coaches, have a Friday night clinic that would go into Saturday. It could end up being a family oriented event, with Blue Harbor Resort across the street. They wanted to find out it if it is an interest of the WBCA to support a WYBCA, to link up to baseballwisconsin.com, and be a mirror image, but a separate organization. Would have a November or a January clinic. Would be a coaches clinic, but players would be brought in for Saturday night. For every membership brought in by the WYBCA, the WBCA would receive a percentage. The kids and coaching members would receive expert instruction. Main goal is to impart knowledge. Would like WBCA endorsement, so they can use WBCA resources, etc. Both sites would link to each other. Discussed. No decision made.

7) Xcel Combine, Todd Goldbeck, presented to the Board: Asked to run high school combines. They currently offer 30 combines in 13 states (football) and will be adding baseball in 2007. Does it conflict with Showtime Sports? Would like to take the word 'combine' of Team Wisconsin 'combine'. Said Showtime sports is not a true combine. Gave competitive pitch as why they are better as a combine than Showtime Sports . Greg Fetherston is directing the combine in Fort Atkinson. Stated that they have a education component where athletes and parents get advice on recruiting, etc. Stated that Team Wisconsin is a Showcase Camp, and they do not want to compete with Showtime Sports. Any person that gets evaluated by Xcel is eligible to participate for Team Wisconsin and Showtime Sports. Would eventually like to hit all areas in the state by geographic region. Asked that 1) rename Team Wisconsin Tryout, eliminating the word "Combine" for the Showtime Sports event and 2) give stamp of approval of Xcel Sports event. Stated benefits to WBCA... more opportunities for athletes, donating money to scholarship programs, would be eventually willing to donate money to WBCA scholarship fund. Stated that there isn't anything like it in baseball, and that baseball is lagging behind other sports. It is a one day combine, that lasts about five hours. Xcel would contract facilities and rent them out. Doesn't believe that Showtime Sports is a different event than Xcel. Grades 9-12 are eligible to participate. No effort required from the WBCA, Xcel does everything. Just wants the endorsement. Discussion: Ball stated that he was concerned about Combine word. Instructed would prefer that Goldbeck would talk to Showtime Sports and wait feedback from that meeting. Decision tabled until more information can be gathered.

8) Fuller: Licensing deal with All American deal going well. Signed a $10,000 ($2000 per year) with ProLine Uniforms. Has been a good situation for both the vendors and the WBCA.

9) Gawlitta increase scholarships from three to six, Kading 2nd. Motion approved.

10) Kading: Awards went well other than some conference champions were not properly identified.

11) Gerharz: All Star Classic. Chad Montez will be assisting Lynn Held. Deadlines are set and Waite will have information on the web site.

12) Scholarships: discussed that the recipients be present to accept their scholarships. Will be further discussed at business meeting next fall.

13) Hall of Fame: Fuller said the process is going well.

14) Waite requested that all forms be sent to him for putting on the web site.

15) Sectional Sites: Decided to contact the WIAA with a letter explaining that we want to help, and asking how we can help. Waite stated that the WIAA has been provided with information, but it never seems to be used. Ball will write a letter to the WIAA asking them how we can assist in the process and identify good fields for Sectional Tournaments.

16) ) RBS Lanyards.. combine RBS with WBCA. Gawlitta concerned that other organizations would see this as an attempt to commercialize the clinic. Decided no. Decided to pursue getting free lanyards for the exhibition. Gawlitta checking with RBS first to give them the first opportunity.

17) Exhibition area was well done, and will remain the same for next year.

18) 50/50 raffle. Not offered this year. The vendor raffle raised $1122.

19) Fuller will investigate a possible speaker on field maintenance for next year's clinic.

20) Fuller stated that the speakers did well and were well received. Ed Servais from Creighton signed up for next year. Hall of Fame luncheon again went too long. Looking for ways to reduce the time. Speakers were asked to keep their speeches to five minutes and the presenters were asked to keep theirs two minutes. It didn't happen, and the schedule again went late.

21) Proposal for hosting the clinic. Regency in Green Bay or the Four Points in Milwaukee. $86 rooms for Milwaukee, and no room rental. Green Bay $180 total meeting space, rooms are $99. Ball motioned to stay at the 4 Points Sheraton, 2nd by Paulsen. Approved.

22) Luncheon and Awards went well. Agreed to keep the social on Friday night.

23) Griffin Publishing: Proposed to have the WBCA endorse their book. Decided not to pursue.

24) Discussed an increase in book ads, web links/logos, and booth prices. Will be investigated. Tabled for the Business Meeting next fall.