West Lynn Little League parents, coaches, and players hoped all season that Donna Bartnicki would reconsider the announcement she had made on opening day that she would be stepping down as president of the organization.
Bartnicki guided the league through another successful season in what was her third year as president and tenth year of involvement on the board of directors.
Those who came to Flynn Field for West Lynn Little League games and witnessed Bartinicki in action admired her dynamic style of leadership, her personable manner and sincere outreach to each and every player.
Bartnicki made sure that each boy and girl was having a safe, fun, and productive baseball experience, not only learning how to play the game but how to be a good teammate and friend.
But the 42-year-old Lynn Tech graduate made it official at the awards banquet, telling the WLLL community that this was in fact her final season as president.
“There were a couple of recent changes in my life,” said Bartnicki. “My folks decided to sell the house we were living in and I just purchased a house in Nashua (N.H.) and my wife [Marcey] and I and our three children [Austin, 14, and twins Bryson and Madalyn, 10] are now living there.”
She said it was a very difficult decision to leave Lynn.
“I was crushed, I’m not going to lie – there were many tears shed,” said Bartnicki. “I never thought I’d leave the city. I still love Lynn. It wasn’t easy to leave Little League, it was difficult all around.”
Bartnicki, graduated from Lynn Tech in 1994. “My identical twin [Lisa Bartnicki] went to Classical and I went to Tech,” she said. “Our pictures are still hanging up at the Little River Inn, actually. I grew up on Gardner Street for a number of years and became friendly with the Ford family.”
At Tech, she began as a cheerleader before moving on to the softball and basketball programs.
“I played softball with Brenda Beaton, who is serving our country right now, and Donna Mills – just to have the opportunity to play on the team with Donna Mills was a gift,” said Bartnicki.
Bartnicki had hoped to serve as a consultant for the league but her relocation to New Hampshire has changed her plans.
“I’m going to miss it,” said Bartnicki. “I hope that people step up and keep the West Lynn Little League tradition going. We’ve had several board members like Shannon Molea, Evan Thomas, and John Kelter, who have stayed involved after their children have graduated, and that says a lot. ”