Volunteer Of The Month

“I’ve never met a sport I didn’t like,” said local sports advocate and volunteer Mike West.

At 75, West is still active in sports as he plays softball, pickleball, golf and regularly frequents the gym. However, this is West’s busy season as he ramps up to coordinate the over-60 men’s softball league at Bachman Sports Complex in Glen Burnie.

“Mike does a really good job with the league,” said Bachman’s facilities superintendent, Bear Chandler. “As volunteer league commissioner, he organizes tryouts, gathers registration fees and meets with leaders with the county’s parks and recreation members about rule changes to improve the league. He really wants the players to have fun and still compete.”

West began volunteering in the ‘80s when he coached youth football and baseball in the Cape St. Claire leagues.

Along with his involvement in youth sports, West kept active by playing flag football and softball in numerous leagues throughout Anne Arundel County. For many of those adult teams, West was the organizer and manager.

Born in Hawaii and being part of a military family, West developed a love for sports that enabled him to meet new friends as his childhood made stops in New York City and Staten Island and Arnold when that became his new home.

After numerous years of playing in the county recreational league, West noticed that many of his teammates stopped playing due to family or work obligations as well as a variety of injuries.

West did not want to stop what he loved doing, so he looked around and noticed that there was a senior league in Glen Burnie.

“I’ve played in that league for 10 years now and I’ve managed a team for nine years and been the over-60 league commissioner for eight years,” said West, who proudly acknowledged having several players in their 80s still playing softball.

West is currently trying to get more area residents to play in the Tuesday night doubleheader league.

“The quality of competition in the league has improved tremendously over the years,” West said. “The great aspect of our organization is it’s a draft league. We have a tryout in March and then all of the players are graded and given a grade (A, B, C) and then the managers draft an equal amount of players from each rating category. It makes for a very fair league and great competitive games.”

In theory, the draft enables players to play on different teams each year and have new teammates so they get to know more people in the league.

“We have great camaraderie in the league because it’s a draft league,” West said. “Everyone kids around with the other players because they were former teammates and/or friends.”

The tryouts are set for March 22 at 6:00pm at the Bachman Sports Complex on Ordnance Road in Glen Burnie. There is a $150 fee to play in the league.

If interested in playing, contact West at 410-271-2446.