A World Run by Volunteers

I need to commiserate a bit, and I'm hoping I retain my job after the day I have had. I manage the logistics for my daughters traveling soccer team. This means all game reschedules, player forms, player passes, and everything else you can imagine that has to occur to keep the team humming short of coaching the kids. (Though I did that for years as well.) Pretty much everything is run by volunteers, except the master  scheduling grid and the website. All families must do at least four hours of volunteering or forfeit a $200 deposit. I've exceeded that minimum in multiple of double digits. By seasons end, I think I'll have save myself less than $2.00 per hour.Today I spent more time on soccer than actual work it seemed.

There is a two week grace period to reschedule games because of calendar conflicts. After that, only "the hand of God"conditions will be accepted without financial penalties. Because the season starts before school is out, one can imagine with concerts and school sports and church activities, a lot of conflicts occur.  Multiply that by 6 teams with between 14 and 18 players, and there is a lot of scrambling going on. Tomorrow at 3:00 is the close of the grace period. I just learned of another conflict this morning because I was not indicated as the point of contact until Sunday of this week, and  the first request didn't get to me at all. There is one date that both teams have free, and it is the week we aren't supposed to reschedule because it could be needed for those act of God needed reschedules. I just counted 36 messages between myself, both coaches, and the field and ref coordinator. I'm on pins and needles hoping this one date works. 

I had to laugh a few minutes ago but not in a "oh how funny" way, but rather in a "lady, just shut up" kind of way, when I read a message from one of our players mom. " I see the last day of school has a game scheduled. I think you should get that changed. I know ...(her daughter) wants to do something with her friends after school to celebrate the end of the school year." Yeah, they can celebrate by getting their little behinds on a soccer field like they committed to when signed up.

The poor coaches barely have any practices due to field conditions due to monsoon rain. The volunteer board member that can't get player passes without all paper work signed in is making extra trips to the soccer association offices to pick up new passes as they are approved. Managers are chasing down paperwork, taking pictures for passes, and juggling schedules with other  team managers. It is like this every spring, and every spring  and summer, it works out, but these frantic few weeks before the season starts are headache inducing.This is a world run by volunteers. Handle with care.