Joe Murphy, unofficially known as the father of Little League Softball on South Whidbey, now has a more official title: Volunteer of the Year.
The South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District named Murphy its top volunteer for 2003 this spring, not just for his coaching talents on the field, but for his leadership talents to construct the play fields. The addition of a girl’s softball field at South Whidbey Community Park — a project completed this spring — was an idea shepherded by Murphy and built with a volunteer force.
Tom Fallon, facilities supervisor for the parks district and vice president of Little League Baseball, credits Murphy for making the ballfield possible — the park’s fourth — from conception in 2002 to its grand opening in March 2003. If it has anything to do with Little League Softball, Fallon said, it’s a sure bet that Murphy will be leading the charge.
But, Murphy understates his role, saying he was just one of many who pitched in.
“It’s not something you do single handed,” he said.
His wife, Karen, said that her husband’s volunteerism comes from his dual skills of vision and action.
“He always sees ahead,” she said. “He sees where there’s a need and then does what he can to fill it.”
As the father of three young daughters, in 1992 Murphy consciously set out to change his life priorities.
“I decided 12 years ago when I moved to the island I needed to spend more time with my kids than with my work,” Murphy said. “It was a good choice.”
He switched his emphasis from real estate development to childhood development. His oldest daughter, nine years old at the time, turned out to like girl’s softball and that led Murphy to the district’s Little League program. When Murphy looked into it, he found that South Whidbey didn’t have much of a softball program.
He said he was told that there wasn’t much interest in girls softball on the island.
“I told them I didn’t believe that and if they gave me a chance, I’d prove it,” he said.
Within a few years, the Little League softball program grew to include eight softball teams for girls ages 7-14. The early start for the girls has had a dramatic impact on high school sports. As skill levels improved, so did the South Whidbey High School Falcons, whose softball team finished second in the state two years ago and third last year.
Watching the girls grow into skilled players brings him a great deal of satisfaction, he said.
“They should be real competitive this year, as well,” he said.
Murphy is currently coaching his 12-year-old daughter and her team, but as she grows older, he promises that his tenure with Little League softball will be coming to an end. That will leave more time for his other loves, he says — golf and boating.
When he moves on to these interests, it will be a sad day for South Whidbey’s Little League program.
“He’s always been a strong supporter of the parks,” said Fallon. “The league would be hard to run without him.”
The South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District has named a volunteer of the year since 1998. Past volunteers of the year have been Steve Ford (1998), Alan Wheeler (1999), Al Tenuta (2000), Dennis Voye and Dale Evans (2001) and Linda Cotton (2002). Over the years, park volunteers have contributed labor for park construction, time for organizing programs, trail mapping services, and time to youth activities development.
