Jill's Journal: Kudos for a job well done, Brandon Valley
I was judging some local flavor columns written by weekly newspaper journalists from Maine last week, when I came across a quote that stuck with me: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
On the heels of Brandon serving as the host city for the 2021 State A Legion Baseball Tournament, the quote certainly rang true. And as I listened to the tournament co-chairs ––Stuart Peschel and Chris Brown –– give their summary to the Brandon City Council Monday evening, that simple little quote I came across last week, swirled through my mind once again.
On page 1 of this issue, you can read a “By the numbers” story that details the work the BVBA put into not only the planning of this five-day event, but also in carrying it out in true Brandon Valley style.
“People were stunned and shocked at how great our facility is,” Stuart told the council before thanking them for going ahead with an asphalt overlay of the road into Aspen Park. “We couldn’t have pulled this off without our volunteers and we certainly couldn’t have pulled this off without the city.”
Both men offered sincere kudos to Devin Coughlin and the city park staff for stepping up to help make the park and facility shine and encouraged city leaders to check out the BVBA Facebook page, where fans raved about their experience.
“We, along with the city, set a new standard for what baseball tournaments in the state are going to look like,” Stuart proudly shared.
When First National Bank Stadium was in the planning stages, Chris said the BVBA borrowed its motto from a line of a well-known movie, “Field of Dreams:” “If you build it, they will come”, and come they did, flocking to our city by the thousands.
The most recent tournament is the fourth state tournament the BVBA has hosted at First National Bank Stadium in its short existence.
“This was by far the highest profile tournament we’ve hosted, and I heard from a town member who was up in Brookings at a member-guest, and he pointed at the screen and said, ‘That’s Brandon, S.D.,’ and everybody at Brookings said, ‘Wow!’ The field showed great. Our facility showed great. Our people did unbelievably awesome,” Chris said. “We had so many good reviews from fans, umpires, from everybody at the job that we did as a community in pulling off that tournament.”
Brandon’s shining moment may will likel lead repeat to more shining moments for the BVBA and our community. Chris said the Legion Commission has requested that they “show up in Pierre in January to re-bid it.”
“It’s going to Rapid City next year but hopefully nobody else will show up and maybe that tournament will be back in Brandon in two years,” he said.
The tournament experience also caught the attention of the State Amateur Baseball Commission president who said our community and park be a wonderful facility for their state amateur tournament.
“That’s a 13-day event that brings thousands of people to the community,” Chris said. “So, like Stuart said, it was a phenomenal weekend. We wish our team would’ve maybe won another game or two, but that’s baseball, but I think as a whole our whole community showed extremely, extremely well.”
In another conversation Chris had with a Rapid City woman, he learned that she had never been to Brandon before. “She said, ‘I had no reason to come here. When I come east, I go to Sioux Falls and then I keep on driving.’ She said, ‘From what I’ve seen this weekend, I now have a reason to stop in Brandon, S.D.’ I thought that was pretty cool to hear from somebody whose never been in our community before and enjoyed her time here at our businesses and at our facility.”
Since I arrived here nearly 17 years ago, I’ve come to know that when Brandon Valley puts its best foot forward, we do it in a big way. And we “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world,” one grand tournament experience at a time.
