Stepping Down: 2014 to be Commissioner Coffee's Final Season

As the 2013 season comes to a close, the WSEM front office is already focused on 2014 and the big changes that are in store. Every offseason the league has made pretty big changes, and next year will be no exception. 2014 will be the fourth season for WSEM, and I am thrilled to see our league rise in prominence as one of the biggest and most popular leagues in the country. After the 2014 season though, I will be stepping down as the Commissioner. In 2005, I tried to form the Downriver Wiffleball League and soon realized the challenges in store. After three years of living out of state I returned in 2009 and then again wanted to form a league. It took two years of networking and hosting tournaments to finally have enough interest to form WSEM in 2011. Each season had its ups and downs, but every year we have made improvements. We have won many national awards, have a top five ranked website, our podcast is very popular, and our Big Wood team has made a lot of noise in the NWLA tournament. With WSEM growing and improving, why would I step down? Running a wiffleball league is very time consuming, and trust me I get a lot of help. Whether it is Corbett on the webpage, my brother making the turfs, or Crozier with the trophy and Handies, I have been able to surround myself with good people. I really get too much credit when I do not deserve it. I was ranked the 8th best commissioner in the country and was voted into the NWLA Hall of Fame, and although I am honored to get that recognition, a lot of it comes with guilt. So why would I step down? Through the years we have been able to network with top leagues all over the country and many of the commissioners who run these leagues do not get the kind of help I have. They are stuck with many tasks, and would kill to have what our league has. I am well aware of this, and this also gives me a little guilt. So why would I step down? This is why I am stepping down. Anyone who knows me probably knows I have a very addictive personality. When I am interested in something my entire focus is on that one thing and it consumes my life. For the longest time all I

wanted was to form a wiffleball league and well, that goal has been met. I still have fun and love the friendships I have made because of this league, but my heart is no longer in it like it has been in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I will give it my all in 2014 and make sure it is the best season to date. Another reason why I am stepping down is because of the growth of the NWLA Tournament. I think this tournament is proof that we are one step closer to getting national recognition and I want to be a part of putting “backyard” wiffleball on the map. Forming a local wiffleball league was a challenge, but this goal will be way tougher. I am not done with this sport, and I believe if I surround myself with the right people, we may be able to make this goal happen. I have no idea what the future of WSEM has in store. I do know you are in good hands. Corbett will be given the opportunity to become the new commissioner, and if he doesn’t want it, a new one will be picked out after next season. Thank you to everyone who has helped make these last three summers memorable, and let’s make 2014 the best one ever.

Our 10 Teams for 2014

The 2013 season wrapped up less than a month ago and we already have our ten franchise slots for the 2014 season filled. We had a nice head start this time as seven of the eight teams from 2013 have said they will return next year. We were right back at eight teams quickly, as Michael Sessions informed us he would return the historic Flying Squirrels franchise to its place in WSEM. Shortly after that, another second year player, Jason Hollister, announced that he will start a new downriver franchise, name still being discussed. Finally, Steve Harris, a lifelong Wiffle aficionado, approached Commissioner Coffee a couple of weeks ago about bringing in an expansion franchise of his own. Harris has been in contact with the league for awhile, but his roster is expected to be primarily an ensemble of rookies.

Here is a quick rundown of the teams slated to play in the upcoming 2014 WSEM season:

Belgian Wiffles		El Diablos		Flying Squirrels		Harris' Team
2011-Pres. Captain: David Buhr Belgian will once again have an overhauled roster for the fourth consecutive season. This time, though, Buhr does look to have two returning players alongside him.		2013-Pres. Captain: Chandler Phillips El Diablos have a lot of decisions to make regarding their roster and the cap for their sophomore season, in which they will defend their Garcia Division title.		2011-2012, 2014-Pres. Captain: Michael Sessions It's a new era for the brown and blue. We'll see what kind of roster The Mayor can assemble, but the franchise is expected to make its next drey downriver.		2014-Pres. Captain: Steve Harris Steve has been in talks with WSEM for the past few months, and has a crew of rookies ready to take on the established talent.

Hollister's Team		Holy Balls		Islanders		King Friday
2014-Pres. Captain: Jason Hollister Hollister started talking about forming his own team last May. Now, he has the franchise and is already in talks with players that want to set up a "new Wiffle order."		2013-Pres. Captain: Chris Paquin Holy Balls had a nice run in 2013. They may be losing some players, but Paquin isn't concerned as that leaves cap space to add quality free agents to replace them.		2013-Pres. Captain: Alex Linebrink The Islanders found a stud pitcher and solid core late last season. They may be just one or two pieces away from going on a nice run in the new cap era.		2012-Pres. Captain: Richard Hurd Reports say King Friday will look much more like the 2012 squad than last year's 12-16 roster when they step onto the Field of Make-Believe next spring.

	Westside Warriors		Wicked Aces
	2013-Pres. Captain: Alex Shore Shore has a lot of options for his roster with some quality players to bring back, but he always seems to have an "in" to pull blue chip free agents or rookies, as well.		2013-Pres. Captain: Austin Bischoff Fresh off back-to-back WSEM titles, the Aces remain a favorite in Ringler. Although, circulating rumors hint their roster could see more turnover than most expect.

There you have it! The first look at the 2014 season! Obviously, elements like team names, colors, and logos may be changed with league approval this offseason. And, of course, we will see players start moving around when free agency opens up on October 1st, which will give us a much better sense of how the landscape is shaping up for 2014 season.

We WILL NOT be taking on more than ten teams at this time. If other teams approach us this offseason, they will be put on a waiting list in case any of the current ten teams back out before the season. Players from teams on the waiting list can also choose to join existing WSEM rosters as full-time free agents or fill-in players.