A Chat with the Commissioner of the S.A.A. Angels Softball Program

As the start of the Fall Softball season gets under way. We wanted to take a little time to talk to the Commissioner of the Softball program.

The Shiloh Atheltic Association Angels Softball program is based out of Lenora Park that teaches our girls that they can excel. A program that not only produces winners but produces girls with integrity and strength. They learn the meaning of teamwork and hard work.

The program itself has undergone a lot of changes in the past few years and behind alot of those changes is our current commissioner Leonard Perkins. I spoke with Mr. Perkins about where the program is now and how we got here.

Can you tell us a little about your Baseball/Softball background? How did you decide to become softball commissioner?

That’s kind of a funny story.  I really never decided to become commissioner.  The old commissioner was leaving and a lot of us felt that now was the time to make some changes that would benefit the program.  I was going to help in any way I could, and was actually trying to recruit a commissioner.  I was already coaching a baseball and a softball team so I figured I wouldn’t be eligible for the position anyway.  As the election time drew closer I was asked about running the baseball program.  I said, ”If I’d do anything it would be softball.” 

The next day four people came up to me telling me that they heard I was running for Softball commissioner.  Honestly, I thought it would all die down.  I told some people jokingly that I would turn it around with 20 committed assistants (nice dream) and others I told that the rumors were just that. 

I was 100% determined to assist in turning the program around, but I figured it would mainly be as a coach and/or trainer; but since some people were riding me about it I turned in the paperwork to be on the ballot.  Election night comes and I’m in attendance with everyone else just as a member, when someone comes up to me and says, ”Congratulations.”    

At that point I went to the front table and asked to see a ballot and I saw two things by Softball Commissioner: my name… and no one else’s!  My mind was racing, I honestly had not prepared for this, and I didn’t even know I was on the ballot.  I had spoken about it to a few people, but now I was here. 

Then, I saw four girls that had played softball that fall playing together and talking about something they had did during a game, and something snapped. 

And we are here going on our third year.

What makes the SAA Angels program different from other programs out there?

I think it’s the dedication and commitment to the sport.  We’re ALL IN!  I mean everyone!  Every coach, every player, every team mom and most of the parents.  (Still working on some of them...)  There are NO tricks, just hard work.  We care, and develop all of our girls.  That doesn’t happen at a lot of parks.  They work with what they call the “core” girls, or basically the girls with talent and put the rest in roles to support them. 

We push the brand new girls to become fundamentally sound, the average to become good, and the good to become great!  But everyone is being taught, coached, cared for and developed.  We know that everyone will not play in college, but ANY ONE of them could!  So we coach them all in hopes that they all make it.  The girls dedicate themselves to the sport, we dedicate ourselves to the players and the commitment to it all is the glue.  That has been the key to our success and I believe is what makes us different from most other programs. 

How can the community help support the softball program at SAA?

I think the key word is just that: Support. Whether it’s big or small, support is always a good thing.  You could participate in our 1st Annual SAA Angels Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Oct 13th, volunteer to coach or simply come and enjoy a game.  Everything we do is for our girls, so whatever anyone can do to support us… is also for our girls.    So I guess my answer is not to tell someone what they can do to support us, but to inform them that anything they can do will be greatly appreciated, because anything they do for our girls IS support.

What is your mission? What benefits do the Angels players get from being a part of the program? 

I believe from the start we wanted to re-build our program.  First of all, we wanted all of our girls to be proud to put on their uniforms and say what park they were from.  For years, that was not present.  I can throw out a bunch of words to make our mission statement sound dramatic, but the importance that must be stressed is that everything we do, or attempt to do, is for our girls.  Now, we are relevant, when they show up at a park people know who they are, some get worried when they see us coming from the parking lot.  But most importantly our girls have pride, respect, and confidence along with a working fundamental knowledge of the game of softball.  THAT was our mission!   

I don’t want to say that a player can get a certain benefit here then at other parks.  There are definitely some excellent softball programs out there.  But I will say that if your daughter plays with us she will get cared for, she won’t get thrown in the corner; nor will she get treated any different from anyone else regardless of her skill level.  Those are some of the things that I see are lacking at a few other programs. (Hopefully they will fix that) 

What are your long-term goals for the program? 

That’s funny to think about, because we have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time.  Some of our goals were to: be competitive at ALL age groups, have a few 1st place caliber regular season teams and then begin placing at All-Star tournaments.  In the last 2 years we have had eight first place teams, four undefeated teams, a 1st place regular season teams at 6U, 8U, 10U & 14U, and placed at 6 All-star tournaments.  

But they didn’t stop. We never expected to have two age groups (6U & 8U) to go undefeated in back-to-back seasons, and have an 8U All-Star Team win four Tournaments and one ASA State Championship! I’m still speechless at all of our young ladies' success.  Therefore one of our long term goals is to continue with everything that has gotten us here...… and the future looks phenomenal!

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

I want everyone to take the time to remember what is important.  The smile of a girl getting her first hit, the glow of a players first time crossing home plate, a pitcher that struggles for 2 season - never quits – then puts it together and strikes out 9 in her first win, the elation of a player hitting a softball over the fence, a last inning comeback, the embrace from a player so excited that she just scored the winning run, a 14U player supporting a 6U team meanwhile an 8U player looks at her as a superstar, the love and sisterhood of all the girls with no regard for race or creed, a game saving catch when she’s never caught a ball at practice and… a shy, quiet, timid girl that now has the shining confidence to look you in the face and say, ”I’m ready coach, I will get a hit… and she does!” 

That is why we are here, and nothing is more important!