10/30/2025
Hi Everyone,
We have been impacted by the government shutdown. I have my 501c3 in hand now; however, there are many documents and identification numbers I have not gotten yet, and I have no Idea when I will get them. Without them, I cannot purchase insurance for the charity, which is required to hold practices and tryouts.
For now we are going to shift gears.
1) I will be postponing tryouts until late winter/early spring. It is not ideal but neither is trying out in November. I feel like waiting until after football season is over and we get physically closer to baseball season people shift towards baseball and start looking for teams locally. This will hopefully give us time to get everything we need. Raise some money. Find some additional Coaches to expand teams we will offer. Get a better turnout for the teams. Be overall more prepared for the season.
2) For baseball, I am going to focus on training. I will be looking for apporximately 20-30 kids to work with in a group setting. This is not a traditional team and will not be a tryout. Any and all skill levels, ages, genders, etc. are welcome to sign up for training. I need at least 20 Players to train and have them signed up to maintain my agreement with D-Bat in Lacey to access their indoor facilities, coaches, cages, training, etc. I have not settled on a price yet, but let's call it $100 as it will not exceed $100 a month, and I will likely have a sliding scale and hopefully scholarships/financial aid for players who cannot afford $100 a month to maintain accessibility. Why $100, $40 a month out of the monthly cost will go directly from me to D-Bat per child to pay for their services. The remaining will go into the charity's funds to build up a base of funds to pay for insurance, financial aid, equipment, etc. I will start taking sign-ups immediately for this. The goal is access, so please do not fret about cost, and be transparent so I can help your family.
Lastly, It has come to my attention that 5th grade camp has been canceled this year for our children in the district. Without being able to do formal baseball activities, I plan to shift the 501c3's attention towards raising money to get these kids their right of passage and lifelong memories from their 5th-grade camp. It will not be easy, and I will need all the help I can get to achieve this. I am told camp costs $400-$450 per child. I believe in a holistic approach with children and mentorship, and I will be working hard to get these kids outdoors.
Thank you for your patience, help, and understanding.
Coach Mendenhall
