What is a 'Liaison' in a baseball context?

Question

Can anyone help me understand what the word 'Liaison' means in this context? I found it in a contemporary American novel. The author is describing the youth baseball league in her neighbourhood. After describing the various roles parents play as volunteers, she adds this:

In addition, there were agents and board members who organized and administrated the league throughout the year, and a Liaison whose affiliates assisted with league operations and fundraising. Along the way, someone had the brilliant idea to make this discretionary servitude an honor by requiring that new recruits to the Liaison be nominated, thus elevating the countless hours of free labor to a form of exclusivity.

What exactly is a 'Liaison'? The dictionary doesn't help me...

Answer 1

In American usage, 'liaison' is the title given to one member of a committee. While the other members of the committee have general roles to do with governing the organisation (in this case a neighbourhood baseball league) the 'liaison' and his or her 'affiliates' (assistants) have particular responsibilities. These may include, as here, assisting with league operations and fundraising. It is more of an administrative role than a governance one. While your example is of a voluntary unpaid role, some committees have liaisons (or 'liaison officers') who are formally recruited and paid a salary. The term may be capitalised ('capitalized' US spelling).

Example:

League Coordinator - Team Liaison

The duties of the Team Liaison will include, but not limited to the following:

1. Works with the Treasurer and other Board leadership in determining fundraising and sponsorship goals that support operational financial needs.

2. Reviews fundraising opportunities for the organization as a whole and establishes schedules, events, and activities throughout the year, including fundraiser day vendors (food, drinks, etc.).

3. Creates and submits for review a fundraising plan in February, to include any proposed rewards or team/squad incentives to encourage fundraising.

4. Reviews and approves any/all fundraising requests from vendors, teams, coaches, and/or participant families.

5. Creates a network of community partners for sponsorships, and works to > enlist assistance from participant families to secure sponsorships.

6. Defines all sponsorship levels and ensures fulfillment of OAA obligations as well as those of sponsors, including managing banner production, advertising, social media, web presence, or any other elements promised in return for sponsorship.

7. Leads any fundraising events and works with the Volunteer Director for events that require active volunteers/participation for success.

Ola Athletic Association Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board (Georgia, USA)

Answer 2

It seems pretty clear in your example that the 'Liaison' is a body of people, perhaps a department within the organisation, that liaises between other parties.

'A liaison' normally refers to one person - for example, a press liaison is someone who liaises with the press (news media) on behalf of an organisation. Although I can't see a dictionary definition in either Cambridge (chiefly British English) or Websters (chiefly US English) to specifically define 'liaison' as a body of people, it doesn't seem at all unusual to a native English speaker. The names of departments within an organisation do not normally denote how many people work within them. For example, 'The Press Office' could be one person, or many people. The fact that, in your example, 'Liason' has a capital letter as if a proper noun would seem to indicate that it is the name of a function, not a description of it.