SBL looks to administer girls' softball

STAFFORD — The Stafford County Board of Supervisors will vote July 6 at its 7 p.m. session on a proposal to allow Stafford Baseball League to administer the county’s girls' softball program.
The public may sound off with their opinions on the matter during the public presentation part of the meeting.
Robert Dreistadt, SBL president, has appeared before both the Stafford County Parks and Recreation Commission and the board of supervisors with his proposal.
"We are not saying the county is not doing a good job," he said in a telephone interview last week. He stated that the county has two people to administer the league.
"We'll have 50 to do the same job," he said.
Such a proposal did not happen overnight, he said. Parents asked the league and coaches alike to assume administration for about 10 years, he said. It was only recently that there was enough support to make such a proposal.
Dreistadt said the league would draw on high school coaches for support.
Babe Ruth Baseball will be a strong source of support, he said.
Colangelo Baseball, a Northern Virginia-based baseball school comprised of professional athletes, is used a great deal already and those services would extend to the girls' program, also, he said.
"What we do for the boys we will do for the girls," said Dreistadt.
Babe Ruth Baseball provides a tournament trail, also.
In a tournament trail, teams in four districts would compete for a spot in regional playoffs. The winner of that would compete for one in the state tournament. And the winner of that would have an opportunity to go to the world series, according to Dreistadt.
Under SBL, fees would climb from the current $40-45 to $95 for Stafford residents. Dreistadt said he feels there is a significant upside though.
The fee includes uniforms, medical insurance, umpire fees and background checks. The county, he said, does not provide medical insurance and full uniforms.
SBL is now spending $30,000 on new dugout roofs for area fields.
"That's hard money from fund raising," he said.
Dreistadt estimated that SBL can cover background checks at $8-10 each, compared to an estimated $18-35 that the county may be paying.
"And with 300 coaches, we can roll that money into clinics for the coaches and players," he added.
The league is a year-round endeavor, said Dreistadt. Coaches constantly attend clinics to keep their skills up to date.
"The SBL is a non-profit organization. Nobody is making any money on this. Personnel are not paid for their services. It is strictly volunteer," he said.
He said the purpose of the organization is teaching skills. Dreistadt said he feels that with SBL's vast number of resources and commitment, the results will be evident over time.
Jim Lawrence is a contributor to the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.