NEW ENGLAND REGION

Karen Janicki (Raynham, Massachusetts)

Karen Janicki’s journey with the Babe Ruth League program began in 1982 as a volunteer for the Raynham Youth Babe Ruth League.  For over 14 years, she supported fundraising events for the league, taking players “canning” at various local stores, and selling tickets to dances, pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, comedy nights, raffles, etc., co-managed the concession stand, recruited volunteers and handled many other local league responsibilities. 

In 1994 Karen was elected Eastern Massachusetts Bambino State Secretary (now known as Eastern Massachusetts Cal Ripken), a position she still holds today.

Karen also assists her husband Mike (former Eastern Massachusetts District 1 Commissioner and current New England Assistant Regional Commissioner/Eastern Massachusetts Cal Ripken State Commissioner) with administrative tasks and organizing activities/events for Eastern Massachusetts and the New England Babe Ruth Leagues.  One such event is the annual Babe Ruth Day with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, where New England Regional Representative teams for baseball and softball get the chance to parade on the field and get the full red carpet treatment as they cheer on the Red Sox.

Karen also served as a member of the Host Committee for the 2009 and 2012 Cal Ripken World Series hosted by Winchester, Massachusetts (Sachem Youth Baseball).  She played a key role in helping design and sell various souvenirs to support the Sachem Youth Babe Ruth League.

MIDDLE ATLANT REGION

Bernie Doherty (Newark, Delaware)

Bernie Doherty volunteered as a coach for the New Castle 100 Cub League.  He played a major role in having New Castle become a chartered member of the Babe Ruth League organization beginning with the 1987 season. 

After leaving the local league level, Doherty served as an Assistant State Commissioner for the Delaware Babe Ruth Leagues from 1990 to 1995.

In 1995 Doherty was elected State Commissioner for the Delaware Babe Ruth Leagues, a position he still holds today.  With Doherty as State Commissioner, Delaware has seen an increase in Babe Ruth leagues and teams. 

For close to 40 years, Bernie Doherty has inspired volunteers to serve as mentors providing positive support, advice, and guidance to youth participating on Babe Ruth teams throughout the Middle Atlantic Region.  Doherty is well respected throughout his community and has helped develop Babe Ruth League, locally, statewide, regionally, and nationally.

OHIO VALLEY REGION

 Troy Johnson – Co-Recipient (Mt. Washington, Kentucky)

 Troy Johnson’s journey with the Babe Ruth League program began as a player, participating from 1982 to 1990 (ages 10-18).  As a participant, he was part of three East Kentucky State Championships and two Ohio Valley Regional Championships.

Johnson’s experience as a player inspired his return to the Babe Ruth program in 1992, where he spent the next 17 years serving as a coach for the Fern Creek Babe Ruth League.  During his years of coaching, Johnson’s teams participated in three baseball District Championships and one West Kentucky State Championship.

As a volunteer, one of Johnson’s main focuses has been developing the Fern Creek Babe Ruth Softball program.  Fern Creek was one of the first fastpitch Babe Ruth Softball programs chartered in Kentucky.  Johnson has had the pleasure of coaching Babe Ruth Softball teams that won six State Championships, five Ohio Valley Regional Championships, and one team that placed 3^rd in the Babe Ruth Softball World Series. 

Johnson has also developed multiple county interleague schedules that have benefited smaller Babe Ruth League organizations in Kentucky.  With Fern Creek Babe Ruth League being one of the largest community-based recreation leagues in the area, they have helped smaller leagues that were in decline.  This development has kept many leagues afloat and has helped Babe Ruth League continue to grow for recreational baseball and softball.

During Johnson’s 33 years of continuous volunteer service with the Babe Ruth League program, he has also served in the following capacities:

• Chief Umpire (10 Years)
• Fern Creek Babe Ruth League Board Member – 1991 to 2002
• Fern Creek Babe Ruth League Equipment Manager – 1991 to 1999
• Fern Creek Babe Ruth League Vice President – 2002 to 2005
• Fern Creek Babe Ruth League President – 2005 to 2011
• Fern Creek Babe Ruth League Treasurer – 2011 to Present

Scott Sargent – Co-Recipient (Connersville, Indiana)

Scott Sargent’s affiliation with the Babe Ruth League program began in 1981 as a player, participating in the Connersville Babe Ruth League.

Sargent reconnected with Babe Ruth League in 1999, as a volunteer.  He assisted as a Host Committee member, responsible for planning and administering the 2000 Babe Ruth 14-Year-Old World Series and the 2002 Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series hosted by Connersville, Indiana. 

In addition, he served as Tournament Director for the 2012 Ohio Valley 14-Year-Old Regional Tournament and the 2013 Ohio Valley 9-Year-Old Regional Tournament, as well as Traveling Ohio Valley Tournament Director from 2014 to 2021.

From 2004 to 2018, Sargent assisted as a Board Member for the Connersville Babe Ruth League.  As well, from 2007 to 2013, he coached Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth Baseball teams for the league.

Sargent currently serves as Assistant Regional Commissioner for the Ohio Valley Babe Ruth League Region, a position he has held since 2018.

Professionally, Sargent was an Electricity Teacher for 27 years at Whitewater Career Center in Connersville; Assistant JV Baseball Coach at Connersville High School from 1994 to 1995; Freshman Baseball Coach at Frank County High School from 1996 to 1997; and JV Baseball Coach at Connersville High School from 1998 to 2005.

SOUTHEAST REGION

Carl Luer – Co-Recipient (Sarasota, Florida)

Carl Luer’s active involvement with the Sarasota Babe Ruth League began in 1999, serving on the league’s Board of Directors, a volunteer position he still holds today.  From 1999 to 2011, Luer coached several teams within the Sarasota Babe Ruth League.  In addition, he has been serving as League Secretary from 2002 to the present.

Luer is very active in local Science Fairs, having been part of a committee to initiate the Sarasota County Science Fair Program in the early 1980s, and remains an active member.  In 1994, the Science Fair Committee created the Dr. Carl Luer Biological Sciences Award presented annually to the outstanding biological sciences project at the Sarasota County Regional Science Fair.  Also, Luer serves as Chair of the Scientific Review Committee (SRC) for the Sarasota County School Board.

Besides receiving the 2024 Babe Ruth “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year” Regional Award, Luer was inducted into the Sarasota High School Hall of Fame in 2023, recognizing his commitment to youth baseball in Sarasota, his active participation in the Sarasota Regional Science Fair Program, and his career in marine biomedical research at Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory.  In 2001, Luer received the Professional Achievement Award from the USF Distinguished Alumni Program, served on the Advisory Board of the Pritzker Marine Biology Research Center, and was recognized in 2014 as the 11^th Distinguished Fellow of the American Elasmobranch Society. 

Roger Maness – Co-Recipient (Nashville, Tennessee)

After moving from Jacksonville, Florida to Nashville, Tennessee, Roger Maness’ active involvement as a volunteer with Babe Ruth League began in 2010.  He first assisted the East Tennessee Babe Ruth State Organization by helping run District and State tournaments.  Soon thereafter, Maness was asked to serve as an Assistant State Commissioner, a position he still holds today.

From an administrative standpoint, Maness is willing to do whatever is needed to assist the East Tennessee Babe Ruth State Commissioner.  He is available for questions and rule clarifications and works meticulously with tournament hosts to provide the best experience for all participating teams.

Maness also works diligently behind the scenes assisting League Presidents and coaches with different aspects of the Babe Ruth League program.  Willing to put in countless hours, he is often seen preparing fields, supporting and coordinating league events and activities, and playing a major role in the safety, well-being, and overall positive development of youth. 

MIDWEST PLAINS REGION

Michael Watts (Boonville, Missouri)

Michael Watts has been involved with the Babe Ruth League program since the mid-1980s when he started volunteering as an umpire and scorekeeper for the Boonville Babe Ruth League. 

In 1987, when his son was old enough to play, Watts was proud to step up as a coach for his team.  He continued coaching his son’s team, as well as other teams for the Boonville Babe Ruth League until 1995.  During his coaching career, Watts’ teams captured five League Championships and participated in several All-Star competitions.

In 1992, Watts was selected as League President for Boonville.  He was appointed the Missouri District 6 Commissioner in 2021.  A man whose dedication knows no bounds; Watts still serves as League President and District 6 Commissioner today. 

In addition, Watts has served on the Task Force for several Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series hosted by Branson, Missouri.

During his Babe Ruth League tenure, Watts has been instrumental in:

• The continued operation and advancement of the Boonville Babe Ruth League.  While many youth leagues have been on the decline, Boonville has more teams and players today than ever before.
• Designed and implemented the League Website.
• Conducted many fundraising efforts for the league, including a local business banner placement at the ballpark.
• Proposed and implemented a Pitch Count for local league games.
• Assisted in establishing the Boonville Babe Ruth Softball program in 1999.
• Secured sites, coordinated, and served as Tournament Director for 21 Missouri State Tournaments and 13 Midwest Plains Regional Tournaments.               

Watts’ support for young people goes beyond the Babe Ruth program.  He has volunteered for the Boonville High School in many capacities since 1992, such as an official statistician for the varsity football team, scoreboard operator for all basketball and wrestling events, and scorekeeper and announcer for baseball and softball games.  He is a past member of the local Jaycee’s and Boonville Pirate Booster Club, and has offered service to many other organizations over the years, including the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.

Besides receiving the 2024 Babe Ruth “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year” Regional Award, Watts was recognized for his distinguished service to the Boone’s Lick area by the Boonville Chamber of Commerce in 2005 and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 as a member of the 1974 Boonville High School Football State Championship team.

SOUTHWEST REGION

Darryl Brotemarkle (Paragould, Arkansas)

Darryl Brotemarkle joined the Babe Ruth League program in 1986 as a 13-year-old participant playing for the Paragould Babe Ruth League. 

In 1996, Darryl volunteered as a coach for Paragould.  During his years with the Paragould Babe Ruth League, Brotemarkle also served as a Board Member and League President.  With the assistance of countless volunteers and consensus building, he transformed the league into a competitive program that participated at the higher levels of the Babe Ruth tournament trail, culminating in their first World Series appearance at the Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series in 2022.

In addition to volunteering at the local league level, Brotemarkle held the positions of District 1 and 2 Commissioner, and Assistant State Commissioner for the Northern Arkansas Babe Ruth Leagues.  In 2019, Arkansas was merged into one state organization, for which Brotemarkle was elected State Commissioner, a position he still holds today. 

Even though Brotemarkle has enjoyed the administrative side of youth baseball and softball, his first love has always been coaching.  The hundreds of players he has coached over the years have provided many memorable moments and enjoyable times.  His proudest moment was having the opportunity to coach his son for five seasons.

Besides receiving the 2024 Babe Ruth “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year” Regional Award, Brotemarkle was the recipient of the 2021 National Babe Ruth “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year” Award, alongside his good friend and fellow Missouri State Commissioner, Rich Gross.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION

Dan Riley – Co-Recipient (Ridgefield, Washington)

Dan Riley has been involved with Babe Ruth League since 1980, coaching for several leagues, including Columbia Senior, Ryder Construction, Mid-County, Vancouver Storm, Camas-Washougal, and Hazel Dell Metro.  All in all, Riley has coached in over 800 games, having many great experiences with players and their families.

In addition, Riley served as Vice President and President of the Mid-County Babe Ruth League from 1993 to 1995.  From 2002 to the present, he has held the position of League President for the Southwest Washington Senior Babe Ruth League.

In 1999, Riley was selected as a Southern Washington District Commissioner, until taking on the role of Southern Washington Assistant State Commissioner in 2008.  In 2003, Riley was elected South Washington Babe Ruth State Commissioner, and appointed North Washington Babe Ruth State Commissioner in 2021, positions he still holds today.

Besides receiving this prestigious award, Riley was inducted into the Southern Washington Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame in 2004, received the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association Larry Linville Special Service to Baseball Award in 2013, received the NW Baseball Coaches Merit Award in 2014, and was elected to the Pacific Northwest Babe Ruth Roll of Honor in 2023. 

Tony Searls – Co-Recipient (Kennewick, Washington)

Searls volunteered as Vice President for the Kennewick Cal Ripken League from 2003-2004.  From 2004-2009, he served as League President for Kennewick.  In addition, he coached the T-ball, Rookie, Minor, and Major divisions of the league from 2006-2010. 

After leaving the local league level, Searls served as the Southern Washington Cal Ripken District Commissioner from 2010-2015, and as Southern Washington Assistant State Commissioner from 2015-2016. 

In 2016, Searls was elected Southern Washington Cal Ripken State Commissioner,  In 2021 he was elected Northern Washington Cal Ripken State Commissioner, positions he still holds today. 

For over 21 years, Searls has inspired volunteers to serve as mentors providing positive support, advice, and guidance to youth participating on Babe Ruth teams throughout the Pacific Northwest Region.  He is well respected throughout his community and has helped develop Babe Ruth League, locally, statewide, regionally, and nationally.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST REGION

Ryan Champlin - (Hanford, California)

Ryan Champlin started in the Babe Ruth League program in 1988 volunteering for the Hanford Babe Ruth League.  He coached in the league until 2008 and was selected as League President, Treasurer, Insurance Coordinator, and Equipment Manager in 2003, positions he still holds today. 

In addition, Champlin served as Central California Babe Ruth Softball District Commissioner and Assistant State Commissioner until 2015, when he was elected to his current position as Central California Babe Ruth Softball State Commissioner.

Champlin, serving as an Assistant Regional Commissioner, assisted with 25 Pacific Southwest Regional Tournaments.  He also was a Host President for several Central California Softball State Tournaments.

Besides receiving the 2024 Babe Ruth “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year” Regional Award, Champlin was inducted into the Pacific Southwest Babe Ruth Regional Hall of Fame in 2011.

Professionally, Champlin is a Special Education Teacher in Hanford.  While teaching at Hanford High School, he coached baseball for 27 years (eight years as Varsity Head Coach, four years as Head Freshman Coach, and 15 years as Varsity Assistant Coach).  He served as an Assistant Coach for High School Varsity Softball and coached High School Basketball for 23 years (one year as Head Freshman Coach, nine years as Head JV Coach, and 13 years as Varsity Assistant Coach).