Play Ball! Minnesota and 3M honor seven Minnesota youth coaches.
Play Ball! Minnesota, in partnership with 3M, presented seven coaches with the 3M/Play Ball! Minnesota Coaches Award during the 2007 season. The 3M/Play Ball! Minnesota Coaches Award honors youth baseball and softball coaches who work to provide a positive youth athletic experience for their players. Each winner received four tickets to a Twins home game and took part in a special pre-game recognition ceremony. During the ceremony, the coaches were presented with certificates and a Twins jacket by Twins first-base coach Jerry White.
The seven winners of the Coaches Award were reunited for a special ceremony where two were selected as 3M/Play Ball! Minnesota Coaches Award Coaches of the Year. The “Coaches of the Year” received a certificate as well as round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations for two to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Recipients of the 3M/Play Ball! Minnesota Coaches Award were:
- Jim Hunter – Oakdale
- Trevor Monroe – Rosemount
- Shawn Donovan – Oakdale
- Rick Pedersen – Shoreview
- Kevin Ousdigian – Shoreview
- Craig Anderson – Pine Island
- Tom Quinlan – Maplewood
Tom Quinlan and Craig Anderson were selected as “Coaches of the Year.”
To be eligible for the award, nominees must have actively coached a full season of youth baseball or softball in Minnesota within the last two years. Nominees were evaluated on how closely they modeled the 3M/Play Ball! Minnesota Coaches Award principles, which include the following:
- Excel at teaching the game in a fun and positive manner
- Model and teach respect for teammates, opponents, officials and game rules
- Promote and support good sportsmanship by players, parents and coaches
- Help players develop important values by rewarding effort, good citizenship and fair play
- Share enthusiasm for the game of baseball and/or softball
Play Ball! Minnesota is a collaboration of Minnesota’s youth baseball and softball organizations working to improve the games of baseball and softball for Minnesota youth. The effort is funded by the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.
