oak forest baseball association

[Being Real]

As long as we are laying down guidelines, the "Storm" baseball teams use park district facilities as well, are they subject to the same hoops to jump thru as OFBA or are they a special case? Who looks into their financial records? Do they submit background checks on their coaches and staff? Do they pay the same rates?

Speaking of special cases, lets all look into the so called batting cage the park district rents out now. It used to be a gun range. Lets see years lead and gun powder, that spells hazardous materials, who cleaned it up and where is the paper trace on that before children where allowed to go in there? Seems the EPA should have been involved in that one....

[Real For All]

Being Real wrote:

As long as we are laying down guidelines, the "Storm" baseball teams use park district facilities as well, are they subject to the same hoops to jump thru as OFBA or are they a special case? Who looks into their financial records? Do they submit background checks on their coaches and staff? Do they pay the same rates?
Speaking of special cases, lets all look into the so called batting cage the park district rents out now. It used to be a gun range. Lets see years lead and gun powder, that spells hazardous materials, who cleaned it up and where is the paper trace on that before children where allowed to go in there? Seems the EPA should have been involved in that one....

Your points are right on target, all the organizations that utilize Park Facilities should be under the same rules with NO exceptions. Background checks and all the rules, fees and reporting should be the same. NO EXCEPTIONS!!

Batting cage that the Storm use is the old gun range, seems that one of the brothers of a coach (city employee) did the clean up and just power washed and painted the place, no lead abatement or other hazardous material removal was preformed as I understand it! Park Ditrict did not give the approval though as I understand it. It was the previous Mayoral Administration that has allowed this to happen without any hazardous cleanup. Wonder how that sits with the new administration?

How about the safety issues of the OFBA Facility, all items are up and running? Who is checking on the safety issues in that building? Troy Ishler? That is an interesting paradox, another city employee in charge of a youth facility! Let's make sure all the safety items are up to date there also! If not maybe the city and the park district would be liable if someone get's hurt!

[Yankees Fan]

OFBA Website wrote:

Is it true that the former Board Member is getting ready to sue the OFBA Board? I was at the Community Awareness Fair and I heard that rumor going around by many folks, is it true?

I hear he has a lawyer working to out all the ones who have slandered him on this blog. Spreading rumors may come back to bite some.

[Give me a break]

Good for him!!!

[Happy Resident]

Do we have a youth volleyball league? No. Would we if Mr. Sopko's son was interested in it? Probably. Meanwhile, my money goes to Crestwood so that my child can play.

Confused- why don't YOU go to the Oak Forest Park Board and propose a volleyball league. Why don't YOU take the time to gather all the information and start ruunning volleyball clinics.
No instead it is easy to bash someone who has volunteered ( and yes worked ) for the City for years.
Just curious- of all the people who have bashed any youth program on this thread- how many of YOU have coached or been on a board. How many of YOU have spent 100s of hours volunteering to coach or be on a board.
It is far eaiser SAID then DONE. It is easy to bash the works of other while you sit at your computer.....
No I do not have a child in the Baseball program....

[Baseball Nut]

Happy Resident wrote:

Do we have a youth volleyball league? No. Would we if Mr. Sopko's son was interested in it? Probably. Meanwhile, my money goes to Crestwood so that my child can play.
Confused- why don't YOU go to the Oak Forest Park Board and propose a volleyball league. Why don't YOU take the time to gather all the information and start ruunning volleyball clinics.
No instead it is easy to bash someone who has volunteered ( and yes worked ) for the City for years.
Just curious- of all the people who have bashed any youth program on this thread- how many of YOU have coached or been on a board. How many of YOU have spent 100s of hours volunteering to coach or be on a board.
It is far eaiser SAID then DONE. It is easy to bash the works of other while you sit at your computer.....
No I do not have a child in the Baseball program....

Get over yourself and move on, there is nothing new to talk about here!! It is what it is and questioning the motives of any of these principal folks is senseless! If you don't like what is on these blogs, do me a favor, don't join in. If you think they are doing it all correct great, but I will tell personally I would have question many things going on in the process, but it takes someone filing a complaint with Attorney Genral's Office and following up on it.
The Park District is not willing to do that, so why would an individual do it? So if there are problems or people have self-serving interests there is no tool for change!

Move on and let's get to the next concern!!

[boycott]

Baseball Nut wrote:

<quoted text>
Get over yourself and move on, there is nothing new to talk about here!! It is what it is and questioning the motives of any of these principal folks is senseless! If you don't like what is on these blogs, do me a favor, don't join in. If you think they are doing it all correct great, but I will tell personally I would have question many things going on in the process, but it takes someone filing a complaint with Attorney Genral's Office and following up on it.
The Park District is not willing to do that, so why would an individual do it? So if there are problems or people have self-serving interests there is no tool for change!
Move on and let's get to the next concern!!

An individual, unlike the park district has a stake in the baseball program. It is not park district money in the basball association, however it is infact indivduals who have funds in the program. Thus the reason individuals should be willing to follow through, even if the park district will not.

[Baseball Nut]

boycott wrote:

<quoted text>
An individual, unlike the park district has a stake in the baseball program. It is not park district money in the basball association, however it is infact indivduals who have funds in the program. Thus the reason individuals should be willing to follow through, even if the park district will not.

The Park District stake is that they have all the facilities that are used by OFBA and for that matter OF Storm,OF Falcons or OF Raiders for that matter. The Park District has a lot at stake here and this has been tested in the past litigations of OFBA. If they do not step up to police these groups there is little if anything those individuals with money invested can do? They need to make sure they have the votes to change things or they do not change. Where the Park District holds the main keys as most people are well aware is the facilities that they permit to these and any outside organizations! They have instituted "Codes of Conduct" and requested background checks. They also can restrict the use of their facilities if these outside organizations do not conform. If the members are willing to follow through why does this organization have to revise their by-laws? There were by-laws established when the organization's orginal charter and request for non-profit status were established. If you find those old by-laws you can see how these folks have changed everything to suit themselves and not the interests of the membership. I would present to you that is why they have a 20 member board. When in the past it was a smaller board, their main purpose was to run the league for the benefit of all the kids not just the deserving few!

Again, I will say to you, nothing new to discuss here, let's move on. OFBA is an organization that has had its good and bad times and it is up to the current membership to put this board to task and make sure issues are resolved, but again I will finish by saying my firm belief is the Park District Board has a duty to police these groups for their own and the taxpayers benefit!

Let me say this another way - I have personally contacted Little League and PONY Baseball - they would come into Oak Forest in a minute to establish a league in Oak Forest, they have said all it would take is a board of 10 and an OK to use the fields from the Park District. The organization would be under the rules of either organization and would be established for the benefit of the children, any perks, like tournaments of all-stars would be set up in the rules. If you think it is not possible just go to their web-site and look it up. So let's do it!!

Or don't persecute the many to prosecute the few!!

[OFBA Mom]

Baseball Nut wrote:

<quoted text>
The Park District stake is that they have all the facilities that are used by OFBA and for that matter OF Storm,OF Falcons or OF Raiders for that matter. The Park District has a lot at stake here and this has been tested in the past litigations of OFBA. If they do not step up to police these groups there is little if anything those individuals with money invested can do? They need to make sure they have the votes to change things or they do not change. Where the Park District holds the main keys as most people are well aware is the facilities that they permit to these and any outside organizations! They have instituted "Codes of Conduct" and requested background checks. They also can restrict the use of their facilities if these outside organizations do not conform. If the members are willing to follow through why does this organization have to revise their by-laws? There were by-laws established when the organization's orginal charter and request for non-profit status were established. If you find those old by-laws you can see how these folks have changed everything to suit themselves and not the interests of the membership. I would present to you that is why they have a 20 member board. When in the past it was a smaller board, their main purpose was to run the league for the benefit of all the kids not just the deserving few!
Again, I will say to you, nothing new to discuss here, let's move on. OFBA is an organization that has had its good and bad times and it is up to the current membership to put this board to task and make sure issues are resolved, but again I will finish by saying my firm belief is the Park District Board has a duty to police these groups for their own and the taxpayers benefit!
Let me say this another way - I have personally contacted Little League and PONY Baseball - they would come into Oak Forest in a minute to establish a league in Oak Forest, they have said all it would take is a board of 10 and an OK to use the fields from the Park District. The organization would be under the rules of either organization and would be established for the benefit of the children, any perks, like tournaments of all-stars would be set up in the rules. If you think it is not possible just go to their web-site and look it up. So let's do it!!
Or don't persecute the many to prosecute the few!!

This seems like a bit of rambling and not sure what you are trying to say, but I do agree with the last statement!!

[LHS Alumni]

Baseball Nut(J.K. under a different name). As usual his ramblings are understood by only a few as was evidenced by his recent bid for a Park District seat. Wonder if he finished counting his votes yet? He is the only one who is interested in the return to Little League or Pony Baseball. Oak Forest Baseball has been since 1952, is now, and will continue to be a viable organization in spite of the attempts of a disgruntled few to destroy it. Let's be honest, most of the complaints posted here are in the background about travel baseball, and the kids who do not make the teams. In-house baseball is strong in OFBA, and the Org. is doing everything they can do to keep it that way and keep the costs down. No more league money is spent on Travel Baseball than in-house, and every player, whether in house or travel is entitled to his share of the money they pay at registration. Travel baseball is very popular and is here to stay. It is also much more expensive than the in house program, and the travel parents have to make up the difference.

[Baseball Nut]

LHS Alumni wrote:

Baseball Nut(J.K. under a different name). As usual his ramblings are understood by only a few as was evidenced by his recent bid for a Park District seat. Wonder if he finished counting his votes yet? He is the only one who is interested in the return to Little League or Pony Baseball. Oak Forest Baseball has been since 1952, is now, and will continue to be a viable organization in spite of the attempts of a disgruntled few to destroy it. Let's be honest, most of the complaints posted here are in the background about travel baseball, and the kids who do not make the teams. In-house baseball is strong in OFBA, and the Org. is doing everything they can do to keep it that way and keep the costs down. No more league money is spent on Travel Baseball than in-house, and every player, whether in house or travel is entitled to his share of the money they pay at registration. Travel baseball is very popular and is here to stay. It is also much more expensive than the in house program, and the travel parents have to make up the difference.

Not JK, TS but thats OK if you want to think that, Travel Baseball is at the heart of all these discussions, but it is not the major my major concern. Mine is that the taxpayers get their money back and that the in-house players get what they deserve and not at the their expense. Travel Baseball is more expensive and hate to say, but here to stay. Problem is I still don't see travel ball making there players any better, so think long and hard about the investment.

OFBA was set up to give the community a baseball organization, let's keep it that way.

[kc kid]

I have read a few of these above posts.... I guess gone are the days of little boys getting a pick up game together and going to a field, picking teams and just playing ball. Kinda make one sad!

[resident]

Peeved parent wrote:

<quoted text>
Remember that the 18 - 20 games is all you are paying for in-house ball. If you want to play travel ball then prepare to pay alot more than a few hundred dollars!!!!!!!! Travel ball play close to 60-80 games a season and train in off-season as well. If you want the same opportunity then get your kid the extra training and you to will enjoy getting your moneys worth of baseball and your whole summer sacrificed to give your kid what he wants....

did you see who coachings the full-time travel team! Guy by the name of Boger, to my understanding he's not qualified to coach this team

[LHS Alumni]

Not TS, but guess again. Taxpayer money? There is no taxpayer money in OFBA, or Storm. Baseball Nut as usual is totally off base. The investment in travel ball is made by the parents, not by the league, and is actually none of your business. Have you ever played ball, and do you actually reside in O.F? I doubt it. I agree with KC Kid, it is sad that there are no pick-up games like in the old days where the decisions were made by seeing who could get the top hand on the bat, very sad.

[Baseball Nut]

LHS Alumni wrote:

Not TS, but guess again. Taxpayer money? There is no taxpayer money in OFBA, or Storm. Baseball Nut as usual is totally off base. The investment in travel ball is made by the parents, not by the league, and is actually none of your business. Have you ever played ball, and do you actually reside in O.F? I doubt it. I agree with KC Kid, it is sad that there are no pick-up games like in the old days where the decisions were made by seeing who could get the top hand on the bat, very sad.

If you know the history of OFBA, you would know that OFBA had an agreement to build a building with an taxing body of OFPD, guess what it is "taxpayers money". If you would know that to pay back that government sponsored loan is where OFBA has let the community down in regard to "taxpayer's dollars". Not that easy to figure out that this is why the OFPD should be involved and making sure that money is repaid. In 1952 when the folk were in the baseball organization of OF, it has gone in many different directions.

When you have an outstanding loan for Public dollars, it really makes no sense to me why you would continue collecting dollars for Travel and Cooperstown, when you still owe the park district(Taxpayer's money,) that may be why you should think about pulling in your claws and paying off the loan that OFBA owes to the community. Start making the correct restitution to the community before you start throwing out false claims about candidates that clean campaigns and not once brought up OFBA or any other organization in OF.

You sure want to blame others for the problems that OFBA bring on themselves for not following through with established agreements!

If you want to know where JK stands, you might give him a call to see where he stands on your issues, I think you would be greatly surprised by his answers. Stand up and do what's right, not the political rhetoric that you state here! All of us that have spent time in OFBA would like to see you finally clean this up, but we all just don't believe that any of you really care, except for all the politics that you are putting into this organization.

I WONDER WHY THAT IS? Why don't you apologize to JK and find out for sure what he stands for in this discussion.

[stop blaming everyone]

resident wrote:

<quoted text> did you see who coachings the full-time travel team! Guy by the name of Boger, to my understanding he's not qualified to coach this team

To what qualifications are you talking about. It is my understanding that when you want to manage a full time travel team you are interviewed. Every manager that has ever managed a team in Oak Forest not matter what division or league has to be interviewed for that position. Get your facts straight.

[boycott]

Baseball Nut wrote:

<quoted text>
If you know the history of OFBA, you would know that OFBA had an agreement to build a building with an taxing body of OFPD, guess what it is "taxpayers money". If you would know that to pay back that government sponsored loan is where OFBA has let the community down in regard to "taxpayer's dollars". Not that easy to figure out that this is why the OFPD should be involved and making sure that money is repaid. In 1952 when the folk were in the baseball organization of OF, it has gone in many different directions.
When you have an outstanding loan for Public dollars, it really makes no sense to me why you would continue collecting dollars for Travel and Cooperstown, when you still owe the park district(Taxpayer's money,) that may be why you should think about pulling in your claws and paying off the loan that OFBA owes to the community. Start making the correct restitution to the community before you start throwing out false claims about candidates that clean campaigns and not once brought up OFBA or any other organization in OF.
You sure want to blame others for the problems that OFBA bring on themselves for not following through with established agreements!
If you want to know where JK stands, you might give him a call to see where he stands on your issues, I think you would be greatly surprised by his answers. Stand up and do what's right, not the political rhetoric that you state here! All of us that have spent time in OFBA would like to see you finally clean this up, but we all just don't believe that any of you really care, except for all the politics that you are putting into this organization.
I WONDER WHY THAT IS? Why don't you apologize to JK and find out for sure what he stands for in this discussion.

The battting cage building was NOT built with OFPD (ie taxpayer) money. Baseball took out the loan and basbell is paying back the loan with Interstate/MB Financial. The park district only gave the okay to build it on their park district property

[Baseball Nut]

boycott wrote:

<quoted text>
The battting cage building was NOT built with OFPD (ie taxpayer) money. Baseball took out the loan and basbell is paying back the loan with Interstate/MB Financial. The park district only gave the okay to build it on their park district property

You need to look up the paperwork, maybe you are not aware that 1/2 the money was loaned by the Park and the other was through Interstate Bank. That is how the original agreement was put together. Unless you are telling me that they paid back the park district at this point? And now only owe Interstate? If they don't owe the Park District any more then maybe the Attorney General needs to audit the Park's finances, because that was a large sum of money that OFBA would be given a pass on!

[Baseball Expert]

Why do we continue catering to these jerks on this blog. That is what they want the supporters of OFBA to do. Did anyone notice that when the supporters of OFBA stopped posting, the critics had nothing to post about. Let them shed their anonyminity and complain at a meeting. Oh Darn, guess that would go down as well as the protests at registration. I have stopped with this one post, we owe these negatives nothing and are wasting our time having discussions with them.

[boycott]

Baseball Nut wrote:

<quoted text>
You need to look up the paperwork, maybe you are not aware that 1/2 the money was loaned by the Park and the other was through Interstate Bank. That is how the original agreement was put together. Unless you are telling me that they paid back the park district at this point? And now only owe Interstate? If they don't owe the Park District any more then maybe the Attorney General needs to audit the Park's finances, because that was a large sum of money that OFBA would be given a pass on!

Well the park district, unlike baseball, is a public body and all their records are public documents. You seem to have information as to that if they owed the park District money they didnt pay it, assuming it was "a pass on"