CNSF October Board Meeting 10/5/15
**In attendance is Thomas Aquinas, Victoria Wilson,
Jeanine Unger, Chris Montalvo, Jeff Sponder, DJ Ten
Hoeve, Anthony Sciarrillo, Scott Schauer, AJ
Garrido, Erik Whalen, Michael Jordan, Damon Albano,
Maria Thompson, Wheezie - 13 people.
**Grievance in Basketball sent via email from Frank
Cammarato - it was sent to Rob Hill, Chris Montalvo, Jeff
Sponder, Michael jordan and Erik Whalen.
Set forth on the record - Jeff stated Rob Hill is away on
business and not able to air his side of the story so we
cannot resolve the issue. The Grievance is supposed to
be dealt with in 3 days which is impossible since Rob is
away. We will be giving Rob the opportunity to address
the board with his side when he gets back - it will
probably be when we have our next Board meeting.
Discussion back and forth between Frank and Jeff over
Franks disbelief that since Rob is not here this cannot be
dealt with tonight.
Jeff asked that we just gather the facts tonight.
Danielle Cammarato started playing basketball in 4th
grade. Kathleen O'Connor was Coach - team wasnt very
good but they had a decent year - her daughter was one
of the best players. The next year - 5th grade Kathleen
says she is on board to Coach, she picks the team and
right before the season starts she pulls out and pulls her
daughter off the team as well. Charles Braunstein
stepped in and fulfilled the Role of Coach for last year but
was not able to committ again this year. They asked
Frank to step up = he offered to assist but could not
committ to Coach. The tryouts were postponed from
June to September in hopes that a Coach would emerge.
Rob Hill is the Coach of the 7th Grade team. There were
8 girls that tried out or were being accepted on the
team. Rob ended up having Ashley try out for his 7th
grade team in June - noone is told that he is having
Ashley try out. At least 2 people that Frank knows pulled
their kids from our travel program - fed up with how
things are done here.
6 - 6th graders and 5 - 5th graders tried out. Frank
confronted Rob on the fact that he was wrong in having
Ashley try out for 7th grade without publishing the tryout
or that he should not have allowed Ashley to play up.
There were 7 kids at 4th grade tryout - that's enough for
a team.
Rule; Playing up is not encouraged and will not be
allowed if there are enough people to field a team.
in some situations we might have an advanced player be
part of tournaments or some games But not part of the
team. (this part is completely paraphrased)
Franks grievance is that Ashley should not have been
allowed to try out or to play up.
Franks daughter was one of the 6 girls that tried out and
will not be playing on the travel team. There are 2 other
girls who are good players - that were on the team last
year that specifically walked away because of this issue.
Frank was the treasurer of the Basketball commission
and has stepped down.
Erik Whalen said that as a result of Frank stepping down
- within 72 hours they got a trainer Evelyn - to step in to
work with the girls and Coach them.
Damon asked Frank "What is your ultimate ask with your
grievance". Frank replied " he would like Ashley to be
removed from the 7th grade team and given the
opportunity to play for the 6th grade team if she would
like.
Jeff asked "if Ashley were taken off the team would your
child - Danielle and the other two girls who left consider
coming back to play"? Frank said probably not and none
of them tried out.
Anthony asked would there have been a 5th grade team
if they didn't have to combine with 6th? No but there
would have been a 4th and 5th combined - there would
have been 12 kids and there would have been 8 - 10 on
the 6th grade team.
Scott asked "did the basketball team have regular
meetings to discuss issues"? Frank replied "not often
but occasionally yes, we did have meetings.
Frank said he learned the rules last week when he picked
up the guidelines.
**After the Grievance, Frank asked if he could discuss
some financial info - parents have complained about the
Basketball costs. We we are the most expensive
basketball program in monmouth. Other towns are
between 200 and 250. (Marlboro is 150 but the run a
fundraiser to offset). We used to be 200 then raised up
and up to finally $400. People say well soccer is $400
but soccer is fall and spring - 2 seasons. Basketball is for
1 season.
There is a 1200 stipend per year per team, which is
excessive. Should be $500. many Coaches do not even
use there whole stipend - like AJ - I believe he only used
about 500 or so. Frank is also saying that numbers don't
work if you look at the hours of Gym time.
Jeanine asked if anyone encourages the Coaches to use
their stipends...Yes, they are all aware they have it but
many cannot use it all - they cannot run more practices
or play in tournaments.
Saturdays 9-1 for 10 Saturdays from Sept to Nov and it
says 9 - 1 but then charge for 7 hours. Then it was
asked why it even begins in Sept when Basketball hasn't
even started. He also mentioned that last year gym time
was $7,000 but this year it's $10,000.
Other towns charge 200 and then if they want outside
training they talk to the parents and everyone splits the
fees - they don't need huge stipends.
Michael Jordan did mention that Ref fees and gym time
are going up.
Reduce the fee to $325, you still have $500 stipend for
trainer fee's etc and IF you need a few extra bucks for
tournaments then the parents kick in.
Erik Whalen is talking about how we need to get more
girls to play in town. Setting up girls recreation clinics in
early November to try to get more girls to come out and
play for the town. Erik also thinks that Frank is upset
because without Ashely O'Connor he was facing a total
loosing season.
Jeff mentioned that while he appreciates Eriks thoughts
he doesn’t necessarily agree, Frank was armed with good
info and also complimented Rob and all of his time that
he has dedicated. And that he felt so strongly about it,
that he resigned from his position as Treasurer of the
Basketball Commission.
Many discussions ensued about how everyone feels about
the grievance and about Ashley being allowed to start
with the 7th Grade team. Michael Jordan also suggested
that we bring in the O'Connors to address the Board and
just get there side of the story. Rob says that Kathleen
O'Connor reached out to him the day of the tryouts to
ask if Ashley could try out for him. We want to know her
side we are assuming (according to Frank) that they
believe Ashley is too good for the 6th grade team.
we have 3 days from that point to make a
decision. What is being asked of us is that the Rule has
been violated and that Ashley should not be allowed to
be on the team.
**We will try to have a meeting either the 13 or 14th of
October once Rob is back to deal with the grievance.
**Jeff asked if all read the minutes. Maria motioned to
accept the minutes and Chris 2nd the motion.
**Jeff asked that Michael Jordan be given a 1 year
extension to remain basketball commissioner - he will
most likely stay through the Basketball season and then
resign from the Board. Jeff set the motion on the table
and Vicky 2nd the motion all were in favor.
**All who ran for the Board were elected. Zach Finch
had the least amount of votes. Rob Hill offered to take
the 1 year position but if he changes his mind then Zach
would get the 1 year.
**New sheets for positions will be put out next month for
all Board members
**Anthony -treasurer report - financial - we have
finalized the audit report.
**Concussion report - we are all confused with where we
are with it. Jeff will check with Star about it but he
thinks we were going to put it on the website and offer it
up to everyone. Maria said Monmouth Medical is offering
it for free to everyone Oct 10.
**Rutgers certification - Michelle is not here but we had
full class and did not have to pay. It went well.
**CPR class we paid a lot of money for it and not a good
showing. On the Tuesday night Jeff went and there were
only 4 people there. Damon said not all Head Coaches
received CPR. Jeff said we have to get them certified or
they cannot Coach..
**For Nov meeting would like Baseball Commissioners
(Scott and the new incoming Commissioner - DJ) to get
together and discuss Capital Expenses.
**Holiday party 12/7/15 at Colts Neck Inn.
**Basketball info:
If you register by 10/23 its the same amount as last time
but after that it's 150.
11/11/15 there will be the Coaches draft night at Colts
Neck Inn
11/14/15 will be our opening day. It will be different
than previous - it will be a meet your Coach and get
your uniform and have a practice.
We will have our first game 11/21/15 - before
Thanksgiving this year.
Youth Ref intro on the 9th. We will now always have 2
adult refs for 7th and 8th grade boys.
**Baseball and Softball.
Baseball focus is on tryouts the next two Sundays and
makeups are the 23rd. We made some changes to the
guidelines. Big change is out of town kids part of the
reason is not enough kids to fill certain teams. From 7U 11U teams out of towners are only allowed if you don't
have enough to field a team. You are supposed to have
12 on a team. If at least 12 kids try out and all are
deamed to be travel ready you will not have any out of
towners on that team.
For 12U and up, The top 8 are from Colts Neck and then
the next 4 can be from Colts Neck or out of town. This is
the ages where it becomes difficult to field teams.
Little league made the change of the birthdate to end of
August but not USABL.
Tryouts are going to be more transparent and listed on
the website will be who will be running the tryouts and
who will be evaluating the different age groups.
Jeanine asked if two kids came out to play from Colts
Neck would you field a team of all out of towners so that
those two kids would have a team to play on. Scott was
saying we had a team that just ended last year at 24
years old and those boys played together since 8U. They
roster 15 kids so that they all can come together as often
as they can to play ball and keep the team going.
**Softball is great but Jeff is looking for a new
Director. It is conflict for him to be President and Softball
Director.
**Soccer - all is going well. WE had to cancel 1 game
due to the storm. A lot of good feed back. WE opened it
up to 3 year olds. We had some issues with metal goals
on 1st and 2nd grade and had to change some of the
goals to 4x8's. We had to change for safety reasons, the
metal ones were a safety hazard. We also had to change
to help some of the younger kids to play on the small
sided because there are things changing.
Pictures are on the 17th at the Rec Center we are waiting
to hear back from TSS. Halloween will do something cool
for the kids that are playing that day (won't interfere with
trunk or treat). Best costume gets a prize etc.
Refs are doing a decent job - trying to help the Refs and
teach them to call more fouls because there is a lot of
elbowing and pushing going on.
Nov 14, 2015 will be party - last games of the seasons
for all kids a 1:30 and 2:45 games and then 4:30 - 6 ish
will be a pizza party and trophies maybe a DJ as well.
**Wrestling - nothing to report, Maria exchanged emails
with Michele and Caro and she has not heard from either
of them and Jeff asked that Maria reach out again.
**Fundraising - Trunk or Treat Maria spoke to Justine,
they are getting a DJ and Ice cream Truck. We got fire
and police to come. It will be from 1-4
**Jeff - when we do jobs next month, DJ is totally
overloaded and needs some help at least 2 or 3 people
that understand the website and can help out. Scott said
that each sports group should have a person in charge of
the website. But Jeff wants 2 or 3 people that all work
together and can maybe DJ can delegate some of the
work.
Jeff says (after Damon acknowledged that he had a bad
week last week with sending too many emails) that there
should be one email a week with all the info for each
grade pertaining to that sport.
**Jeff thanked Scott and Thomas for their service on the
Board. Both of them have finished there terms.
Jeff made a motion to end the meeting and Jeanine 2nd
it and all were in favor.