Little League & Travel Teams

Paul,

I read with some amazement concerning your article regarding the advantages of
playing "Travel Ball" over playing for a Little League All-Star team. The issue at hand
is really those kids who will play for the All-Star team, or will be in the running to
qualify to play.

Apparently, you do not know the meaning of the word "loyalty." Some
of us here at Connie Mack have this crazy notion that we, as a league, would like to
put our best team out into the Williamsport Tournament (qualifying tournament for the
Little League World Series). "Small-minded" Coaches like Mike Stark, Kevin Mahoney,
Paul Righetti, and Dale Hibbard have busted their butts for years to make the Hardball Program
at Connie Mack a quality program.

Not too many years ago, I helped coach Connie Mack teams that
would get beat by 35 runs in a tournament game. Now, through Hardball Clinics run by Mike Stark, a greater
committment to the program, and improved coaching, the Connie Mack All-Star Team is very competitive.
In 1998, we entered the Williamsport Tournament and lost to 1997 local tournament winner, Lockport, 2-0, and
lost to eventual local tournament winner, Orchard Park (who always fields a great team!) 8-5.

Yeah, a loss is a loss. I do not have delusions of going to Williamsport, but it has been my and Coach Stark's
goal to make the tournament "something special," and to build a program that
would continue to develop and improve in subsequent years. To see the look on the kids faces to see "little" Connie Mack giving
the larger, more developed leagues a "run for their money" was extremely satisfying. A satisfaction, I am afraid, that you will not know.

The last thing Connie Mack Little League needs is an outsider pulling our better players
off of our All-Star team. It is nothing short of discraceful, and an insult to the hard-working
coaches in the League who believe in the above-stated goals. It has become pretty
clear why you were dumped from Central Amherst, sir. If you want your son in
"Travel Ball," fine, but LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!!!

Sincerely,

John Dunne