By Kathy Cook Hunter
Mt. Angel’s Service to Youth award goes to a group – four coaches who are said to follow their own lead by working as a team. Lance Arritola, Ron Schmidt, Jeff Seiler and Greg Traeger were selected for their many years working with Little League.
They were nominated by local league president Bobbi Tryon, who said, “Their goal is to help mold our youth into responsible adults by believing in them and teaching them to believe in themselves.”
“As far as sports goes, they learn to get along as a team, to recognize authority and to have fun doing all that,” Traeger said. “Right there you’ve made a lot of headway.”
“It’s more than winning; it’s an opportunity (for us) to teach values,” he said. “We have the skills we think make us successful in life, whether it be a work ethic or getting along with others.”
All the men are former athletes. “We all played sports growing up in Mt. Angel,” Seiler said, “and in a small town that’s what you do.” Seiler describes the coaches’ attitude as “there’s a place for everybody – just do your best,” and adds they try to put each young player in a position to succeed.
Arritola has coached for six years, Schmidt for approximately eight, and Seiler and Traeger for 20 years. Their commitment goes all the way, for they not only coach the teams but are also found during Little League season, March through June, toiling as league board members, field maintenance and umpires.
“In this town, to ‘coach’ means take care of the equipment and fields,” all agreed. They figure they make an 8-hours-a-week time commitment to practices and games during the Little League season.
These fellows love sports. Besides Little League, they are involved in other teams and games throughout the year. Among them: the Kennedy High School football camp and football season, and YMCA football and basketball teams.
One coach, Traeger, was responsible for getting a batting cage built for Little League, Tryon said. All are active, too, in their church, St. Mary’s Parish, and each is a father of grade-school-age children.
In addition to coaching duties, each has a full-time job in the area. Lance Arritola is part owner of the family farm, Arritola Mink Ranch; Ron Schmidt works at Woodburn Nursery and Azaleas; Jeff Seiler is a physical education teacher in Silver Falls School District; and Greg Traeger, handles sales at Traeger Pellet and Grills.
Summing up the nomination, Tryon said the YMCA’s Susan Susano said “they act as a group to keep the possibilities open for Mt. Angel kids to participate.”
