Making a Commitment

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Yun Conger has asked a lot of his players throughout the season and

in return, the Ocean View All-Star manager has made the ultimate

commitment to his team.

Conger lost his job as a general manager for a retail company in the

Long Beach area. The time commitment involved with managing the All-Star

team took its toll, he says, and Conger parted ways with the company.

“This is a once in a lifetime experience for these kids, and the

commitment to this is tremendous,” Conger said. “These kids have worked

so hard all year, and to tell them that I couldn’t manage them anymore,

well, it would have broken their hearts. It would be as though I was

abandoning them, and I just couldn’t do that.”

Conger has a good, solid track record in the retail business, and has

worked as general manager for a few big corporations. He says that the

the time involvement with the team became an issue with his current

company when Ocean View was in the District 62 Tournament back in late

June.

“To them, I was just missing too much time,” he said. “But now, I

think that it wouldn’t be a problem (for the company) because this team

has made it so far, and is so close to reaching the World Series.

“I don’t blame the company; really, I don’t. That’s how corporations

work.”

Conger also has the support of his family; namely, his wife of 13

years, Eun.

“At first she was against the decision, but now she understands,” Yun

Conger said.

Eun Conger agreed.

“When he first told me of what was happening, I began to worry,

because there are a lot of things to worry about in this type of

situation,” she explained. “I don’t work, and that was a big concern, for

me. But Yun made a decision, and I’m really OK, now, with that. I think

he did the right thing, and I support him.”

Once Ocean View’s spectacular season ends, Yun Conger says he will

looking for a new job the very next day.

“My resume will be ready,” he added. “I need to find work when this

season is over. If our season ends on a Thursday, I’ll be out looking for

work on Friday. Like with this team, that’s the commitment I’ve made.”