May 26, 2005

‘Snack shack supermoms’ step down

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

Wanted: two or more dedicated moms willing to sign on for a thankless, volunteer job that consumes more than 40 hours a week during baseball season. It’s a position, thanks to two Almaden moms, that has evolved into a profitable, well-oiled machine, while keeping the traditional, old-time flavor of the Little League snack shack
For the past three years, Teri Hahn and Yvonne Hurley have remained tirelessly committed to keeping the small 10-foot by 20-foot trailer and its contents well stocked, well maintained, and well loved—evident by the familiar laughter that emanates from inside its walls on a regular basis.

Yvonne Hurley and Teri Kahn have decided to step down and pass the role of “snack shack supermoms” to the next generation of little league parents ready for the challenge.

“These two ladies are awesome,” adds league president Debbie Osborn. “Yvonne and Teri are truly the ‘dynamic duo’. They work so well together and I truly hope that Almaden Little League’s parents and coaches appreciate all of their hard work. They are always on top of things.

Their energy level is unbelievable! They have the snack shack running so smoothly. They will truly be missed and believe you me... this is not an easy position to fill, and as president of the League I will truly miss them.” 

The decision wasn’t made hastily. The two women say they really have enjoyed being there for the kids, helping teens with community service hours and teaching the younger kids little life lessons along the way by having them work for the things they want. If one fell a little short, neither would think twice about taking a quarter from their tip jar to cover the shortage or send them out to pick up all the snow cone wrappers for wages—in the form of hot dogs.

“They get all excited,” says Kahn. “Then they’ll keep coming back and asking if they can help. They’ll haul the trashcans out, help us with stocking, and keep score, which gets them one free item.”

For Kahn, the past eight years have been largely devoted to the Almaden Little League including a board position for the past five years and a total of five years in the snack shack. Losing the other half of their operation has made her look at what lies ahead.

“Yvonne’s son is moving up,” she explains. “And I could never find someone else who works this hard. With only two of us, nothing less would work. Besides, I’ve been at this for eight years and I’m kind of tired.”

“There isn’t a job more difficult, challenging and more work in all of youth sports than running the famous snack shack,” admits Almaden Little League Vice President Kevin Jones. “It is a symbol of Little League and where, just minutes after the toughest loss or biggest victory, kids have already forgotten the pain or hurt of the contest. That is left to the parents. No, the snack shack is for collecting their much-anticipated cheese nachos and working out the details of that evening’s sleepover to spring on their parents!”

Indeed, much of their work is done after the sleeping arrangements have been made and families head home to dinner. By the time the trash is hauled to the dumpster at Almaden Country School and everything is cleaned up, stocked up, and locked up, they’re lucky to get home by 8. With phone orders, board meetings, sales records, shopping trips, and deliveries, both Kahn and Hurley put in roughly 40 hours each week. And that was before the recent decision to open the snack shack on Sundays.

“In so many ways this is the most thankless job in youth sports,” notes Jones. “People take so much for granted that they act as though it is a business and these two are paid employees—grumbling when they run out of something or not being served in the exact order they were in line for, etc. They put up with that side of it too. And for what? To be away from their families for hours on end?”

Knowing that some parents would either forget or prefer not to take their shift in the snack shack, Kahn and Hurley came up with a back-up plan and trained a group of teens willing to take the shifts for them and earn some summer spending money.

“Because these three girls aren’t high school age and can’t get community service, parents can pay them to work their shift,” explains Kahn. “The kids are great, even if the parent doesn’t want to pay, they’ll work anyway.”

When Jones succeeded in getting a new shack earlier this year, Kahn and Hurley were delighted, even if it meant having to move the supplies into storage only to have to move everything back after the rains prohibited the truck from traversing the wet fields to install the new one. But, according to Jones, they were thrilled to have electricity that wouldn’t trip a breaker every time the microwave was turned on—or simply to have a floor to sweep.

“I will never forget the looks on their faces when they saw it,” he says. “On top of it all they coordinated the removal and reinstallation of the cabinets, counters, machines, and shelves. I can only say that both Teri and Yvonne do work tirelessly and selflessly to provide the best snack shack experience for young and old alike. To do a good job is very important to them. It is not just the buying, preparing, opening closing, serving, etc., that they do.  They haul the damn trash away every single day!

Both Kahn and Hurley admit that one of the best things to happen to them has been Grace, an 84-year-old woman who sifts through the trash to collect cans for her church. Now they separate them for her and even take them to her home.

“She’s really helping us out,” says Hurley. “We don’t want to put these in the trash and even if we could, there’s no room. It works both ways.”

Creative thinking didn’t stop there. Well planned eBay purchases, menu changes, and savvy shopping has enabled Kahn and Hurley to streamline operations with a “smart” cash register, a larger refrigerator and the addition of hot dog, nacho, and pretzel machines.

Careful planning and devotion has indeed come in handy for a snack shack that sold 160 bottles of water, 140 PowerAdes, 203 sodas, 75 pretzels, 100 hot dogs, 100 hamburgers, and 75 bags of sunflower seeds last Saturday alone. That doesn’t take into account candy, snow cone, and ice cream sales that help account for roughly $3,500 in sales each week—or an estimated $25,000 each year in profits that play a significant role in keeping league fees down.

“Whoever takes over this is going to have it made,” Kahn says. “We have it down to a science. And we’re still cheaper than all the other leagues. Yes, it’s about making a profit, but we want the community to be with us too.”

“Teri and Yvonne have done an incredible job,” says Genny Huhn, who has her hands full as the league’s secretary, while doubling as an A&AA player agent. “Not only do they stock the snack shack with the many yummy items that all the snack shacks have, but at times, Teri goes to the farmers’ market and has peaches, plums etc. for our hungry little players. Kudos to these two energetic women for taking on this task. We will miss them both.”

According to Elizabeth Rehklau, having a son involved in Little League comes with the added responsibility of snack shack duty, but she admits that when she went for the training, the time spent organizing and streamlining every aspect of the shack was awe-inspiring.

“Every item even has its own code,” she says. “It made me realize all they’ve done over the years. They’re there every day and it’s not a paid job. This is from the heart—for the love of baseball.”

What many who have noticed will remember has been Kahn’s and Hurley’s unwavering dedication to a vital, yet under-appreciated role they took on and the indelible mark it has left on the Almaden Little League and the community.

“Simply put, they have huge hearts and have a very clear vision of the big picture,” adds Jones. “My heartfelt thanks go out to them for all they have done. It has made us a better organization having had them.”