PARKING RESTRICTIONS NEXT THURSDAY, JUNE 2nd
The parking lot for Fields 1, 2, & 3 will not be available to us next Thursday, June 2nd. The Eden Prairies Lions Club "Schooner Days" will take over the lot from the 2nd to the 5th for vehicles and carnival equipment. WE WILL STILL HAVE GAMES on Thursday, but all parking will be in the public parking area in the Eden Prairie Community Center across the road. There MAY be some parking available in the lot next to the tennis courts at the entrance to the ballpark area.
Gameday Results: Thursday, May 26
NEXT UP! - Tuesday - MAY 31
The Rosters! For both of our divisions, Northwoods and National! Find your team! Write down your managers names & numbers!
Full Schedules for the season. Field #5 teams...make sure you know where Field 5 is!
Our newly revised rules. Read these! There are changes! You'll have more fun if you know what to do! Northwoods Division Rules - National Division Rules
An updated league contact list! Emailed to all league members. Print this so you have it handy when you need it! Check your info & let us know if corrections are needed!
MORE Really Important Notes:
Notes & Resources for Managers are available on the website.
Parking is Restricted for Field #5 until school is out. Check the Field Location maps! The Blue Shaded boxes on the map are the areas you can park. This restriction will be lifted when the school year ends on June 10th. No, you can NOT park in the lot at the corner of EP Rd & 72nd. Simple guide: If the sign says "PERMIT PARKING" or "STUDENT PARKING" - it's not for you.
We will NOT require masks, but we Strongly encourage good distancing around the dugout & pavilion areas. And please keep your vaccines or boosters up-to-date! We've had a number of cases within the league in the past few weeks and, as has been reported in the news recently, may be on the verge of another wave of Covid-19 cases. As conditions change, we will announce any changes to our plans.
The Weather Alerts are set up! Text, Messenger, Email, Website and Facebook announcements will be made ... but ONLY if the weather looks dicey! If you hear nothing, it's Play Ball! If you haven't signed up for alerts, it's never too late. Go Here!
There are Many Many Openings on the Picnic Schedule, including this Thursday, May 26. Go Here to sign your group up soon!! Here is the Current Schedule! - UPDATED 5/14
That's all for now! If you haven't already, please read How West Metro Works ! If you are new to the league, please stop by the pavilion on your first morning just to get acquainted. We'll get you introduced to your managers and oriented to all the plush amenities at the park. Like outhouses and water fountains.
See You At The Park!
Registration is Now Closed for Summer 2022!
We have now closed registration for our Spring/Summer/Fall league for 2022. No new players will be accepted.
REGULAR LEAGUE MEMBERS! If you have fallen off of our mailing list (even though you were told about this back in February), you can contact Ron Wenaas to fix your mail issues and register by phone or text for a limited time. 612.418.7077
Please read all this information ... it's Important!... It includes news about our new Venmo payment option!
Here are a few major things you need to know:
COVID-19 continues to lurk around and conditions may change. For NOW:
The Gameday Schedule:
We will again have two divisions, the Northwoods Recreational Division and the National Competitive Division. We'll plan to have four teams per division with double-headers played on all four fields each gameday.
We'll start each gameday at 9:00 a.m. with batting practice on all fields.
The first game of the day will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Game two will begin immediately after Game One ends.
We need to be off the fields by 1:00 p.m.
We will go back to our traditional picnic schedule. To make our daily picnic possible, everyone will be asked to sign up to sponsor lunch for the league on one day during the season...please form groups of 3 or 4 to share the cost and serving/cleanup duties. Our grill is available and we'll update pizza options before the season begins. The lunch signup sheet will be available on the website and at the park.
League Hats: We do not plan to provide new hats to everyone this year. Please indicate on your registration form if your current Gray/Green hat is in really bad shape and needs replacement. We will order hats for those who ask for one as well as for new players. Thanks for helping keep our costs down!
Our Weather Alert System is charged up and ready to go. Even if you've been on the system in the past, please let us know how you'd like to hear if we're going to have weather issues. The sign up form link is Here, under the "More" tab above, or you can just fill-in the check box on your registration.
REGULAR LEAGUE MEMBERS! If you have fallen off of our mailing list (even though you were told about this back in February), you can contact Ron Wenaas to fix your mail issues and register by phone or text for a limited time. 612.418.7077
Please read all this information ... it's Important!... It includes news about our new Venmo payment option!
Here are a few major things you need to know:
COVID-19 continues to lurk around and conditions may change. For NOW:
- Masks will be optional
- We will continue to ask that you follow safe distancing practices at all times on the field, in the dugouts, pavilion and other areas of the park.
- We strongly recommend that everyone keep up-to-date on vaccinations, but since we're outdoors, we will not require them.
The Gameday Schedule:
We will again have two divisions, the Northwoods Recreational Division and the National Competitive Division. We'll plan to have four teams per division with double-headers played on all four fields each gameday.
We'll start each gameday at 9:00 a.m. with batting practice on all fields.
The first game of the day will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.
Game two will begin immediately after Game One ends.
We need to be off the fields by 1:00 p.m.
We will go back to our traditional picnic schedule. To make our daily picnic possible, everyone will be asked to sign up to sponsor lunch for the league on one day during the season...please form groups of 3 or 4 to share the cost and serving/cleanup duties. Our grill is available and we'll update pizza options before the season begins. The lunch signup sheet will be available on the website and at the park.
League Hats: We do not plan to provide new hats to everyone this year. Please indicate on your registration form if your current Gray/Green hat is in really bad shape and needs replacement. We will order hats for those who ask for one as well as for new players. Thanks for helping keep our costs down!
Our Weather Alert System is charged up and ready to go. Even if you've been on the system in the past, please let us know how you'd like to hear if we're going to have weather issues. The sign up form link is Here, under the "More" tab above, or you can just fill-in the check box on your registration.
NEW VIDEOS! "GETTING TO KNOW YOU" 2022
When you play a lot of games with the same group of folks, you tend to learn about their ball playing skills. For example, you soon find out things like who generally pulls the ball, who's got a strong arm and who tends to bring the baked goods (Sheryl). But with all this concentration on the game, we don't always learn what players are like off the field. In this series, we asked our teammates and softball friends to tell us something about them that we may not know--or that might surprise us. These videos only scratch the surface, but we hope they'll generate some conversation as well. Like to contribute to this video series? Let us know and we'll keep you in mind for our next round of filming. Happy viewing!
|
In Pt. 1, we learn that Board Member John Hovde is not just "bueno" at softball, Joe Albachten gives us a peek under his hood and we discover some historical sports trivia about John "Aldy" Aldritt.
|
In Pt. 2, Board Member Bruce Torgerson tells us which way he swings, John Marr reveals the secret behind his power and Dennis "Murph" Murphy confesses about a big decision he made early in his life.
|
|
|
|
|
In Pt 3, Tim Bothof tells us what he does with his music degree, Leon Donaghue gives us an open invitation and Dave Pertl reveals the best advice Mike Wech ever gave him about crushing a softball.
|
Pt 4 introduces us to a couple newer additions to our West Metro family--Kevin Honius and Charlie Vrooman, while revealing the big thing Bob Herbers and Jay Lee have in common.
|
NEW RULE FOR DOMEBALL: Hit the screen with a batted ball and it's now a strike.
|
It used to be called "inert." Now it'll be a strike. Do it twice and you're out. It's one of the few new rules for Domeball 2021-22--and one we're sure will generate some discussion. (Like no courtesy foul.) And just wait to call your first Infield Fly Rule!
Want to bone up on all the Domeball rules, old and new? Check them out Here. And if you're a completist when it comes to rules, the full SSUSA rules are here. |
Welcome!
Are you over 50 and looking to play some ball? Check out this video.
Ballplayer for Life.
|
Attend a senior softball hitting clinic from the comfort of your couch. Thanks to Mike M.
Mike Marrinan says he learned a lot from this hitting clinic he attended in Florida. Click here to watch the hour-long video.
|
Looking to grab some new balls,
|
Got info you'd like to share with the league? Why not send a note to the webmaster?
"TALKIN' DOMEBALL 2021"
We're back in the Dome! And we wanted to know how you were enjoying it so far. Are you glad to be back? How does dome ball compare to outdoor ball? Any tips on making the most of it? And how about that new "strike if it hits the screen" rule? Happy viewing and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
|
Pt. 1 includes interviews with Jay Lee, Mike Borrell, Jeff Master, Bruce Barringer and Mike Thingvold and At Bats by Bob Elsen, Denis Tierney, Bruce Senst and Mike Weck.
Pt. 3 includes interviews with Dick Nutt, Mel Olson, Steve Shepherd, John Marr and Doug Falls and At Bats by Gaylen Swoboda, Ken Koch, Judd Rietkerk, John Marr and Mike Schmidt.
|
Pt. 2 includes interviews with Sheryl Pylypow, Tom Olson, Esq, Mike Holm and Dick Kuyath and At Bats by Ron Wenaas, Bud Gott, Roger Briese and Don Goltz.
Pt 4 includes interviews with Tim Rud, Rick E. Reiss & Family, Mike Holm, Dick Nutt, Steve Shepherd, Tom Olson, Sheryl Pylypow, Bruce Barringer and Mike Borrell and At Bats by John Aldritt, Tim Rud, Rick E. Reiss, Aaron Isaacs and Bruce Barringer.
|
A music video for all you winners.Get the New Year off to a winning start with this music video shot at the Holy Angels Dome in Richfield. (Music: Game Winner by Vulfpeck)
|
Neato! We've got a credo!Inspired by the Rodney Crowell song of the same name, this video is a tribute to the men and women who just keep coming back, week after week, year after year, to West Metro Senior Softball.
|
A look back at the summer of 2021. |
A classic "Life to the Max", May 2012. |
|
Enjoy this 3-minute recap featuring some of your senior softball pals.
|
Ahh, we were so young back then. :-)
|
A couple of classics from the West Metro archives.
|
Domeball Moments 2014-2015. This was our first compilation video from the Holy Angels Star Dome, filmed between Dec. 2014 and March 2015. Our poster boy is our very own Bob Lundegaard, former Star Tribune movie critic and close personal friend of movie titans, the Coen Brothers.
|
Recorded Dec 22, 2016, "West Metro Confidential" features many of our most entertaining players talking about some of their favorite moments from senior softball. The interviews were conducted at the VFW in Richfield where we would celebrate the holidays and the end of the year.
|
Pandemic Predictions: March 12, 2020. |
Talkin' softball as 2017 comes to a close. |
Double your pleasure with two slow motion videos! |
|
|
|
|
Recorded at the Stardome on Jan. 17, 2019. Shot and edited by Gary Bingner of Quasimodo Advertising and Hold Tight Video.
|
Shot Dec. 20, 2018 at the Stardome.
High-speed softball action, slowed down for your viewing pleasure. |
West Metro's Brush with TV Fame
On March 16, 2021, Board Member Gary Bingner was contacted by a television production company who had found his videos for West Metro Senior Softball online and was interested in using some of the footage for a commercial for a "major car company" (for confidentiality reasons, they couldn't say who. Ron Wenaas quickly reached out to our players to see how they felt about it and there was enthusiastic approval for the idea--especially knowing the league could be compensated for any footage used.
Unfortunately, none of our clips made the final cut, but the production company was grateful for our interest and said they would reach out in the future if any similar opportunities came up. After viewing the Chevy version (with voiceover by James Earl Jones), Gary felt like the car company was missing the mark by not including our footage, so he re-edited the video with a heapin' helping of West Metro footage. He shared it with the production company who, quite candidly, said they liked OUR version better. Have a look yourself and be the judge. Which version do YOU prefer? Which one would make you want to buy a new Chevy?
Unfortunately, none of our clips made the final cut, but the production company was grateful for our interest and said they would reach out in the future if any similar opportunities came up. After viewing the Chevy version (with voiceover by James Earl Jones), Gary felt like the car company was missing the mark by not including our footage, so he re-edited the video with a heapin' helping of West Metro footage. He shared it with the production company who, quite candidly, said they liked OUR version better. Have a look yourself and be the judge. Which version do YOU prefer? Which one would make you want to buy a new Chevy?
|
The Approved for TV version
|
The West Metro "Extra Spicy" Version
|
|
|
|