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Concession Stand

A letter written in August of 2005 from the LaGrange Soccer Club Board...

Why Do I Volunteer My Time?

What your three hours is worth!

As you all know, in order to register your child to play in Lagrange Soccer Club, you must agree to spend three hours in the concession stand. Those that refuse to agree are not permitted to register their children. Those who do promise and then do not fulfill the promise are not permitted to register their children the following year. We want to explain how much the three hours you spend in the concession stand is worth.

Fields

The income you help generate at the concession stand is the major source of revenue to the league. It enabled us to spend over $100,000 ----yes that is right 6 figures---- to irrigate completely the Stringham complex. Last spring we learned that the pump and electric line to the pump (for the irrigation system) were hit by lightening in late fall. Price tag about $2500 ----you got it---- paid from moneys your volunteer time generated from the concession stand. Last fall we irrigated the two new fields that the Town planted ---since we had exceeded the capacity of our first system we bought a new controller. The total cost was about $18,000. We just wrote out a check from concession stand funds that your time helped collect!

Safety

The emphasis on the irrigation system is not only one of beauty, but one of safety for our kids. Providing a playing surface safer for all of our players is our goal. Those of you who have seen other league’s fields know how much better our fields are than any other in the Hudson Valley ----the irrigation system is one of the prime reasons for the difference.

Equipment

It affords us the ability to spend over $2,000 per set of goals to replace them when they are no longer safe (letting your children climb on the goals and breaking them is expensive). It provides about $4,000 a year for equipment like first aid kits, a defibrillator, balls, corner flags, uniforms, benches and bleachers.

Registration

It enables us to keep your registration costs lower than almost any other neighboring league.

Time

Unlike other leagues or clubs, we do not ask our parents to do ANY fundraising. That is right, no Tupperware sales, no cake sales, no car washes. Ask yourself, three hours in the concession stand or all day at a car wash? We do not ask anything of you but three hours per child that you have registered in our program. Considering how much time our volunteers expend (i.e. Coaches, board members, tournament committee, age group coordinators, and committee members) three hours per child is, in the Lagrange Soccer Club Board’s view, not too much to ask for the privilege of playing on the safest fields around.

Prestige

This year having the Empires Soccer Games select Stringham Fields has honored us. We are the only non academic site selected by the Empires Committee. This is a direct reflection on the many hours of hard work done by many, many volunteers. To the 95% who do what is asked when it is asked ---THANK YOU.
To the other 5% ---we need your help!

How You Can Help

The assignment system works as follows. Based upon our registration census, letters are sent out randomly assigning parents for concession assignment. IF that date or time is not convenient you are asked to get someone else to fill your slot. A week or so before your assignment you are called to remind you of your assignment. We are willing to move you to a different date ---but would really prefer your getting a substitute (who does not have to be a soccer parent!!)
The problems that we encounter result from the following parental behavior:

Just do not show up
Do not return the confirmation call –so we do not know if you are going to be there or not
Waiting until the last minute to let us know they cannot make the assigned date which leaves us short handed and penalizes those who do show up because they are the ones who have to do the extra work
Refusing to do work in the concession despite promise with registration that you would as a condition of being allowed to have your child play in Lagrange.

Administratively ---our system is a sound one. The problem is the 5%, who do not read the letter, do not cooperate and make the workload of our other volunteers much greater than it need be.

The concession is an important source of revenue. We are not going to relent. Either do your three hours or you are free to have your child play in another league where the demands of membership are not so great.

LaGrange Soccer Club Board

LaGrange Soccer Club · P.O. Box 101 · LaGrangeville, NY 12540 · (845) 473-4823
Copyright 2009 LaGrange Soccer Leage, Inc.