Sponsoring the boys and girls of summer

By Deborah Taylor-Hollis

The kids have signed up, the parents have paid for their candy bars, the coaches have divvied up the players and another season of Little League has begun.

As most people know, this is Willow Glen Little League's 50th anniversary. It's a major milestone for everyone involved with teaching our children how to bat, pitch, run, slide and, most importantly, get along with others, while enjoying America's favorite pastime.

An added distinction for the league is that it is the third oldest in the state. It has changed little in its basic philosophy of caring for neighborhood youngsters and encouraging their love of the game.

Little League now emphasizes teaching children gently, with a focus on having a good time while learning new skills. Little League gives everyone a chance to "schlep" out to fields that are rainy in March, muddy in April, hay fever-ridden in May, and filled with the sounds of children laughing all season long, year after year.

But, the part of Little League that most people forget is the people that help pay for all this fun and frolic. Parents pony-up 60-plus bucks for each child, as well as sell a big box of top quality sugary edibles. That barely covers the complimentary shirts and hats.

Coaches, managers, umpires, and everyone from the League manager right down to the important Team Moms all volunteer their time. But, the equipment is not cheap, and there is a serious monetary gap between those cute tykes pushing $1 candy bars and the financial realities of running a sports league. Each team needs a sponsor.

This year the Willow Glen Little League T-Ball team, the A's, has a brand new sponsor. Workplace Safety Associates, a violence prevention and safety management consulting firm, is only two years old, but co-owners Brian Nicholson and Greg Tracey already have a track record for giving back to the community. The firm sponsors golf tournament holes in charity events, as well as Brian's daughter's new team.

"My daughter, Rebecca, decided that she wanted to try T-Ball [and] we saw the sponsor table at sign-ups. I told my wife I really wanted to do this, and I didn't have the work checkbook with me. When I got home I wrote out a check and brought it back an hour later," says Brian, explaining his new philanthropic diversion.

"It's a great opportunity for the kids to learn about sportsmanship and get some exercise," he continues. "We like being able to support things that are occurring within Little League."

Workplace Safety Associates is not an obvious choice as a sponsor, but, with a specialty for handling colleges and assessing physical problems, as well as protocols and procedures, Nicholson and Tracey found they had a thriving sideline business. (Both men are full-time California Highway Patrol supervising sergeants, who instruct fellow officers on workplace safety and other duties.)

"We both decided that having our own side business would give us something that we could work on together," says Brian. "We could decide what jobs to take and which ones we didn't want to take. This gives us extra money to do all those things we thought would be nice to do."

Brian's wife, Lisa, also has invested in their company by sharing their home with, not only their two children, but with the business. Their consulting start-up has a unique philosophy in a world of greed and self promotion. "It's very important for people to reinvest in their own communities," Brian says. "We cannot expect other people to do these things if we're not willing to do them ourselves. Something like this is, I think, fairly affordable for even the smallest of small businesses. People should strongly consider an opportunity like this."

The good will and personal support of the kids from hundreds of small business people like Greg Tracey and the entire Nicholson family will last long after the boys and girls of summer have finished their season.

Workplace Safety Associates can be reached at 1-800-556-8379. The A's T-Ball team can be seen at Willow Street Park, hitting their little hearts out.

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Deborah Taylor-Hollis can be reached at DTHollis@metronews.com.

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