To the editor:

I have been involved in the Westport Babe Ruth League for nearly 30 years and have never seen such a lack of appreciation as I have over the past few years. 

This week I became the latest example of the league.  I began coaching the minor league Tigers in the early 1990’s, under the management of my father who had been managing since the late 1970’s.  I took over as manager in 1995, and along with my husband Don, have been coaching ever since.  Five or six years ago, we were joined by another couple who have been a staple in the Babe Ruth League for 30 years.  Tom and Barbara were in charge of the Cardinals for 20 years, and wanted to stay involved even after stepping down as manager, so they moved over to the Tigers. 

Yet, with all of our years of dedication, I received a phone call from the board letting me know that they had to eliminate a minor league team due to a lack of players, and “as an executive board” had decided it would be the Tigers they would eliminate.  I was shocked, to say the least. 

Their reasoning was that by eliminating my team, they were allowing parents to coach their own children?  #1) Every year I have at least two or three great coaches besides ourselves working with their children.  And #2) I have a 7-year-old in the league who would have moved up next year onto the Tigers. 

Their response, “you can always put in to coach a team next year.”  Really?! So you’re telling me you’re eliminating my team, after nearly 30 years of dedication, but I can “put in for a team next year?!” 

There have been examples of others who have dedicated time to try to make the league a better place, only to be turned away because they were not part of the “board”.  The league is quickly growing smaller, and it is very disheartening to see a team that I not only managed for so many years, but played on as a child myself, getting eliminated due to politics.

To all of those out there who I have had the pleasure of coaching, or coaching with, thank you for being a part of my experience.

Michelle DeGagne

Westport