Rosemount Traveling Softball. Coaches Handbook

Transcription

1 Rosemount Traveling Softball Coaches Handbook

2 Table of Contents PRE-SEASON... 1 Introduction... 1 Application to Coach... 1 Birth Certificates... 1 Board Members... 1 Coaching Clinic... 2 Coaching Help... 2 Coaching Philosophy... 2 Equipment... 3 Field Assignments... 4 Field Locations and Equipment... 5 Cove... 5 Pond... 5 Shannon Park... 5 Fundraising... 6 Injuries... 6 League/National Associations... 7 Amateur Softball Association (ASA)... 7 North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA)... 7 United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)... 7 Parent Meeting... 8 Player Equipment... 9 Roster... 9 School Teams... 9 Tournaments...10 Qualifying for National Tournaments DURING SEASON Introduction...11 Canceling Game...11 Unable to Reschedule Weather Cancellations Fall Ball Sign Ups...12 Field Locations...12 Payments to Umpires...12 Player/Parent Issues...13 Rescheduling Game...14 Short A Player?...14 Submitting Scores to League...14 Tournaments...15 Game Balls Rosters Birth Certificate Page i

3 Gate Fees Umpire No Show...15 POST SEASON Introduction...16 Coaches Evaluations...16 Equipment Return...16 Parties...16 RESOURCES Introduction...17 Links...17 National Organizations State Organizations State Leagues General Sites APPENDIX A TSB MEMBERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Traveling Softball Board Members...18 TSB Position Responsibilities...19 President...19 Vice President...20 Secretary...20 Treasurer...21 Tournament Operations Director...21 Equipment and Community Teams Director...22 Uniforms and Apparel Coordinator...22 Field Maintenance / Scheduling Director...23 Promotions and Fundraising Coordinator...23 Communications/Webmaster/ Database Coordinator...24 Player Development/ Coaches Representative...24 Page ii

4 PRE-SEASON Introduction There are several things that take place prior to the start of the season. This section of the handbook will discuss items coaches need to be aware of for the pre-season. Each item is listed in alphabetical order. Application to Coach Each coach must complete an application in order to be considered eligible to coach a traveling team. In addition, a background check will be conducted by RAAA. Head coaches are approved by the Traveling Softball Board (TSB.) Once approved, the head coach will select his or her assistant coaches (application and background check needed.) The application is available online. Follow these steps to download a copy of the application. 1. Go to 2. Select COACHES in the menu bar at the top of the screen. 3. Select Coaches Application tab underneath Coaches or on the left side of the screen. 4. Click on RTSB Coach Application to view and print applications. This application is for the RTSB Board and also 5. Clink on RAAA Adult Volunteer Application and submit online background check. Birth Certificates Either the coach or the team manager needs to collect a copy of each player s birth certificate. Attached to the birth certificate should be a current photo of the player or a copy of the player s school ID. These should be brought to every tournament and potentially each game. At the end of the season, the copies should be returned to the parents. Board Members Appendix A of this document lists the TSB Members, their contact information and a description of their duties. Page 1

5 Coaching Clinic The TSB sponsors coaching clinics during the year. Attendance is required at one of these clinics by all traveling head coaches. It is strongly recommended that assistant coaches also attend one of these training sessions. Information on these clinics is available on the website or by contacting the TSB Vice President. Coaching Help If a coach needs additional assistance, optional training is available. Contact the TSB member in charge of Player Development/Coaches Representative Development for assistance with coach development. In addition, the section of this handbook called Coaching Tips will provide information on drills, how to run/plan a practice, rules, and game strategy. The TSB is creating a library of materials available for coaches to check out on topics such as pitching and indoor drills. A listing of these materials will be located on the website. You can also check out materials from local libraries. In addition, Fastsports.com has a resources section on their website. Coaching Philosophy Coaches will be expected to provide his or her coaching philosophy to their team at the Parent Meeting. Some things to think about regarding your style are: Are you going to argue with an umpire? Do you pull a player out of the game due to an error? How do you expect the players to behave on the bench? During practice? How do you view good sportsmanship? What kinds of cheers are acceptable for the player? Which kinds are not? How will you handle conflict or discipline issues? For example how will you handle a player who is never on time for practice or games? How will you rotate players? Will the best players always play and not sit out an inning? Page 2

6 Equipment All teams will be issued a team equipment bag in mid to late April. The following items will be provided in the bag: Two sets of catcher s gear (sizes are estimated by age group, if a different size is necessary contact the Equipment TSB member). Gear includes shin pads, knee savers, chest protectors and helmets. Used balls for practice, usually at least a dozen. Wiffle balls First Aid kit Cold compresses Rulebook for current year Scorebook 12 brand new game balls (home team provides a new game ball and one gently used ball for league games; tournaments other than Rosemount usually require you turn in two balls when you check in) Keys for the sheds and storage boxes that hold RAAA Traveling Softball equipment and supplies. Keys are marked Do not duplicate and must be turned in at the end of season. Equipment that is not supplied that you may want to keep on hand: Tarps, bungee cords for covering dugout when it rains or is extremely hot Measuring tape for 10U pitcher s mound and hammer for pitching rubber. Page 3

7 Field Assignments Prior to the start of league games, teams are assigned practice fields by age group, usually sharing a field with another team (i.e. 12A on Tuesday/Thursday and 12B on Monday/Wednesday.) Coaches have input with the board member in charge of scheduling fields as to what works best for their team. Weekends are available as well. After the start of league, games are first assigned to the fields at Shannon Park. The next location is the Cove and if necessary, the Pond. Practices are then scheduled around the game schedule as best as possible. The Fields/Umpire board member will out a spreadsheet of the schedule. If a coach is going to cancel a practice he or she must notify the Fields/Umpire board member so this field can be released to other teams. This spreadsheet also provides coaches a snapshot of the fields that are available if the coach wishes to reschedule a game or practice. Games take precedence over practice. Although it is a rare occurrence, a coach may be asked to cancel or move a practice (or just use a batting cage) if a rained out game, for example, needs to be rescheduled. Page 4

8 Field Locations and Equipment RAAA Traveling Softball typically uses the following fields: Cove The Cove is the Rosemount High School Varsity Field across from the school. Older age groups typically use it. The bases, rakes, chalk, field dry and chalkers are located in the storage unit attached to the dugout on the first base side. This field also has a pitching practice area and batting cage. The pitching machine and balls are kept in the shed next to the batting cage. Due to the separate pitching area and batting cage, this field is the most suitable for shared practices. Pond The Pond is located behind the High School next to the Pond. This is often the area RAAA takes team photographs. Younger age groups typically use this field. A storage box is next to the fence, behind home plate. This box holds the bases, rake, chalk, field dry and chalker. NOTE: The box on third base is for in-house softball. Shannon Park Shannon Park fields three and four are the primary fields for games. The backstops are set for fastpitch games. These fields have storage boxes behind the backstops for bases. Chalk etc. is kept in the shed. These fields also have a batting cage by 1 st base of field three. The pitching machine and balls are kept in the shed. Page 5

9 Fundraising There are generally three main ways in which fundraising is conducted for RAAA Traveling Softball. 1. Volunteering to work at one of the tournaments (Irish Early Bird, Lady Irish, or Irish Bash). Each family is expected to volunteer at the tournament. RAAA Traveling Softball requires a volunteer deposit. Once the volunteer has completed their assigned tournament duties, the check will be returned. 2. Program Fundraiser All teams will participate in a program fundraiser. The money raised will go to the general fund of RAAA Traveling Softball. The TSB will use these funds to invest in equipment, training, or any other needs that have been identified. 3. Team Fundraiser (Optional) Teams may conduct their own fundraiser to gather funds for special events, such as a National Tournament trip. Injuries Injuries will occur during practice and during games. The following is the policy for reporting injuries to the RAAA Main Association: 1. Go to 2. Select Contact Us on the menu bar at the top of the screen. 3. Complete the required fields (First Name, Last Name, address, Phone Number, Program - Traveling Softball.) 4. Select Injury under Request Type. 5. Enter information about injury in the subject and message fields. 6. A RAAA Main Board member will be in contact with you regarding the injury. Page 6

10 League/National Associations Rosemount plays in the Tri-County League, which is made up of teams from Ramsey, Washington, and Dakota counties. This league is one of two leagues that are part of the Minnesota Metro Fastpitch League (MMFL). The other league that is part of MMFL is the Suburban League, which predominately serves teams surrounding Minneapolis. The league usually sanctions our teams with three national associations: Amateur Softball Association (ASA) ASA is the dominant national organization. The rules by which the game is played by all organizations are the ASA rules. ASA holds national and regional post-season tournaments. The level of play at these tournaments is usually extremely competitive. North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) NAFA is a newer, smaller association. The former director of the Tri- County League is a regional director for NAFA. Therefore, almost all Tri-County tournament winners may get a bid to the NAFA national tournaments held in Minnesota. These tournaments at the younger age groups tend to only draw teams from Minnesota. The level of play is similar to league and local tournaments. United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) USSSA is a fast growing national association with a strong presence in the Midwest. National tournaments are available at all levels (A, B, and C.) USSSA is the only association that has gone to individual year designations (10U, 11U, 12U etc). Tim Johnson of the Minnesota Irish is one of the directors for Minnesota for USSSA so our local Rosemount tournaments will be national qualifiers for USSSA A and B tournaments. Page 7

11 Parent Meeting The TSB will hold a parent meeting after registration has been completed. Coaches are expected to attend this meeting. It will provide parents and players an opportunity to ask questions and meet their coach. The following things should be discussed by the coach with their players and parents after the TSB portion of the meeting: 1. Communication methods ( , phone calls) 2. Go over coaching philosophy 3. Player conflicts (i.e. vacations, dance recitals, school concerts, school events such as Fun Fests or picnics) 4. Team goal (State, Nationals) 5. Assistant Coaches (base coach and scorekeeper) 6. Team manager (required) 7. Player equipment not provided (see player equipment for information on these items) 8. Tournament Requirements (collect $100 check from each family) 9. Fundraising Page 8

12 Player Equipment The following items are required equipment for each player: Sliding shorts Sliding pad Helmet (approved by ASA) face guard and chinstrap. The following items are recommended for each player: Bat (Bats must be ASA approved. Information on how to purchase a bat can be found on the Easton website, Batting gloves The following items are optional. Parents will want to decide if these safety items are necessary for their child: Mouth guard Pitcher s face guard Roster Depending on what sanctioning the team will need, rosters are required for tournaments and RAAA record keeping purposes. You will want to create your own roster to distribute to players and parents. This is where a team manager can come in handy. School Teams In the past, some coaches have discouraged players from playing on a school softball team, during the traveling season. This was a personal decision made by the coaches it is not and has never been a policy determined by the RAAA TSB. A coach may not discourage/forbid a player from playing on a school softball team. We would encourage the coach, player(s), and parents to have a discussion about how to make it work for everyone involved. Page 9

13 Tournaments RAAA Traveling Softball usually hosts two tournaments in May and one in June. The first being the Irish Early Bird (held the weekend of Mother s Day) - which is a one-day tournament. The second, the Lady Irish, is held the weekend prior to Memorial Day. The third, the Irish Bash, is held the weekend prior to Father s Day. All RAAA Traveling Softball teams (except League-Only) are expected to play in all of these tournaments. We expect our League Only teams to play in at least one of the tournaments. (dates and tournaments subject to change) There are many other tournaments teams may play around the metropolitan area. As coach, you can decide with your team how many you would play in. The registration fee includes the cost of one tournament (Irish Invitational, Lady Irish and Lady Bash tournaments are free to RAAA teams.) If the team would like to play in more tournaments, the entire cost will need to be covered by the team. League-Only teams do not play in outside tournaments, other than the state qualifier and potentially the State tournament. Families of players on League-Only team will be refunded a portion of their registration fee. The League Qualifier tournament is usually held the last weekend in June with the State Tournament following two weeks later. Nationals follow the State Tournament. For assistance with tournament selection, please check out Qualifying for National Tournaments To qualify for Nationals for any tournament, a team usually needs to place first or second in the level of play (A or B) that they signed up to play in. Some tournaments may only offer 1 berth if it is a smaller tournament, bigger tournaments may offer 3. Occasionally the team that wins a berth may not want it and the berth can be passed down to the next team in line at that tournament. Page 10

14 DURING SEASON Introduction The following section covers the topics that will pertain to things that may come up during the softball season. Canceling Game Unable to Reschedule If the opposing team or your team is unable to reschedule, you may cancel the game. It is not treated as a forfeit as long as it is done in compliance with league rules, which usually allow cancellation up until 4:00 pm the day of the game. NOTE: Please verify current league rules. To cancel a game, follow this process: 1. You must call and notify the opposing coach/manager and we suggest you as well to document your timely contact. (A no-show is treated as a forfeit). 2. If you are the home team, follow one of the below steps: Game is today follow procedure below under Weather Cancellations. Game is few days out Contact Field/Umpire TSB member to let them know you are canceling game Continued on next page Page 11

15 Canceled Game, continued Weather Cancellations If you are concerned about weather, the game must be cancelled before 4:00 pm to avoid having to pay the umpire for at least one game. Typically if an umpire shows up and inclement weather prevents the second game of the double-header from being played, the umpire is paid only half of their fee. If the second game starts (one pitch) the umpire is due that fee as well. To cancel an umpire due to weather, please contact Steve or Barb Schmitz via the methods and order listed below: Steve Cell Home Phone: Barb Cell Barb Work As a last resort - -Schmitty76@frontiernet.net Fall Ball Sign Ups Sign up for Fall Ball takes place during the season, with registration due by mid-july. Coaches will be asked to hand out information related to Fall Ball during the season to their teams. Field Locations The Tri-County League will be providing field locations for all league teams on its website. This should provide all teams easy access to directions and maps for away games. Payments to Umpires The Fields/Umpire board member, on behalf of the TSB, pays the umpire group prior to the start of the season. Coaches will not be responsible for paying the umpires. This process was changed in Page 12

16 Player/Parent Issues If issues arise during the season, parents should always approach the coach first with their concerns. If the issue cannot be resolved by the coach, then the following people should be contacted, in this order: 1. Player Development/Coaches Representative TSB member. 2. Program Director/President TSB member. 3. RAAA Main Board The complaint process and form is available online at rosemountaaa.org, under Downloads. If a coach has issues with a player or parent, the coach should speak directly to the parent and/or player. If the issue cannot be resolved, contact the following people, in this order: 1. Player Development/Coaches Representative TSB member. 2. Program Director/President TSB member. 3. RAAA Main Board Page 13

17 Rescheduling Game To reschedule a game the head coach or team manager should promptly contact the opposing team. At the start of the league game portion of the season, the league publishes a list of all coaches with their contact information for this purpose. It is understandable and acceptable to reschedule a game due to not having enough players (i.e. band concert conflict). Most coaches would rather reschedule earlier in the season rather than on short notice. If necessary, a home game can be rescheduled at the opponent s field or vice-versa, again depending on what the coaches need to work out. Keep in mind whoever originally was going to be the home team is responsible to pay and schedule the umpire. Once a game has been rescheduled it is the original home team coach s responsibility to cancel the umpire for the originally scheduled date and schedule an umpire for the new date. Please do the following when rescheduling a game: 1. Contact Field/Umpire TSB member to secure a field for the make up game. 2. Work with the Field/Umpire TSB member to secure an umpire. The Field/Umpire TSB member will cancel the umpire for the originally scheduled game. Short A Player? If you are short a player(s) for a game/tournament, contact the Player Development/Coaches Representative TSB member for assistance in locating additional players. There are some rules pertaining to who can play and under what circumstances. These may differ between tournaments and league play. Work with the Player Development/Coaches Representative to work through the rules. Submitting Scores to League RAAA Traveling Softball will send a list of head coaches to the Tri- County League. The Tri-County League will send an to coaches on the procedure for submitting scores to the league. Submitting scores is something that can be done by a team manager. Page 14

18 Tournaments Game Balls You will most likely need to provide two new game balls when you check in for the tournament. Each team is provided 12 new balls at the beginning of the season. Rosters You will need copies of your roster when checking in for some tournaments. Be sure to have these on hand. Birth Certificate Just in case someone questions the age of one of your players, always have copies of the player s birth certificates on hand. Gate Fees Some tournaments, such as the State Tournament will require an additional fee to be paid a gate fee. Be sure to check prior to attending if any additional fees will need to be paid. Individual teams are responsible for these additional fees (not included with registration.) Umpire No Show If your umpire does not show up for the game, follow these steps: 1. Please contact Steve or Barb Schmitz if there is no umpire before the game start time. Call these cell phone numbers, in order. Steve Cell Barb Cell If Steve or Barb cannot get another umpire out to your game, it is legal to use a parent to call the game and they may be paid. We recommend you discuss this with your team to see if you have any parent willing to do this. The parent can choose to umpire from behind the pitcher if they so desire. 3. If you do not have a parent volunteer as home team, you can ask the opposing team if they have a parent that will volunteer. Page 15

19 POST SEASON Introduction The following items take place after the end of the season. Coaches Evaluations After the season, the TSB Vice President will send out coach s evaluation to all families. Feedback will be provided to the coaches once all information is compiled. Equipment Return The TSB member in charge of Equipment will work with you to arrange a time to return your team s equipment and the keys. This will probably occur during late July early August. Parties You should work with the parents to celebrate your season, regardless of the outcome. End the year on a good note with the team and enjoy! Note: Party funds need to be provided by the parents unfortunately the RAAA Traveling Softball program does not have funds to provide parties for all its teams. Page 16

20 RESOURCES Introduction The following section provides additional resources you may need during the year. Links The following are links to key softball organizations: National Organizations ASA AFA USSSA =16 NAFA State Organizations MMFL MN Fastpitch League mnfastpitchleague.com Minnesota Sports Federation State Leagues Tri County League - MMFL Elite League elite.mmfl.net Suburban League General Sites Fast Sports Irish Sports Dome Strike Zone Sports Page 17

21 APPENDIX A TSB MEMBERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Traveling Softball Board Members The following is a list of the current TSB members and their contact information: President OPEN Vice President Todd Krenz Cell: ; tmkrenz@charter.net Secretary Angela Sotnyk Cell: ; sotnyk24@msn.com Treasurer Tom Collins Cell: ; tom.p.collins@healthpartners.com Communications/Website Chris Hollenbeck Cell: ; cnhollenbeck@yahoo.com Field & Umpire Scheduling Alonzo Anthony Cell: ; alonzo.anthony@mpls.k12.mn.us Community Teams & Equipment Mike Martinez Cell: ; mike_martz@yahoo.com Tournaments OPEN Fundraising Brad Sprang Cell: ;brsprang@lightblast.net Coach & Player Development - Don Cross Cell: ; donald.cross@craneww.com Uniforms & Apparel - Michelle Lienemann Cell: ; michellelienemann@gmail.com Page 18

22 TSB Position Responsibilities The following information provides detail about what each position on the TSB entails. President The following are the responsibilities for the TSB President: Oversees the entire RAAA Fastpitch program and is responsible for its management Generates the Board meeting agenda Calls and conducts regular Fastpitch Board meetings Liaison between RAAA Board of Directors and RAAA Fastpitch as President of Traveling Softball association and attend RAAA Board of Directors meeting Organizes sign-ups and registration for Summer and Fall Programs Present the annual budget to the RAAA Board of Directors Liaison between RAAA Fastpitch and MSF, MMFL, ASA, USSSA, and AFA Responsible for reviewing and bidding on state and national tournaments Coordinate middle and high school Fastpitch organizations with the appropriate middle school and high school coaches and athletic directors Page 19

23 Vice President The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Vice President: Assists President in fulfillment of duties Leads and conducts the Fastpitch meetings in the absence of the President Manage the Fastpitch by-laws and yearly updates Organizes coach s selection committee and conducts selection process, if necessary Distributes, collects, and summarizes the player/parent evaluations of coaches Acts as community resource liaison working with area schools and businesses for support Secretary The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Secretary: Prepare, distribute, and maintain meeting agenda, minutes, and other necessary documents. Maintains working board members roster with phone numbers and job description Responsible for publication of all Fastpitch events with local media Retain/file all fastpitch documents/applications, evaluations, etc. Page 20

24 Treasurer The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Treasurer: Oversees all financial matters of the board Oversees and balances auxiliary checkbook for petty cash needs Prepares a yearly budget Summarizes financial report to board monthly Liaison with bank regarding all Fastpitch accounts and balances and with the RAAA Board of Directors Audit all spending to ensure proper authorization and reporting Collects/deposits all registrations, tournament fees, fund raising, and miscellaneous fees/purchases Reconcile all differences of RAAA Fastpitch purchases with the RAAA Treasurer Track and record all transactions with receipts, deposits and logs Tournament Operations Director The following arte the responsibilities for the TSB Tournament Operations Director: Handles all Rosemount tournament registrations. Publishes Rosemount tournament information and results. Organize volunteers for tournaments as required. Serves as Tournament host. Provides volunteer resource requirements. Organizes committees to conduct tournaments. Responsible for management of all tournament operation components. Page 21

25 Equipment and Community Teams Director The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Equipment/Uniforms Manager: Purchases, issues, and collects equipment, apparel, and supplies Responsible for repair, maintenance, and storage of equipment Instruct coaches on proper use of equipment Maintains, inventories, and tracks who, what, where all equipment is located Coordinate with RAAA Board of Directors and Fastpitch Treasurer equipment purchases Tracks and maintains keys for access to sheds, fields boxes, etc Oversees all recruitment of in house programs needed for summer and fall leagues Coordinates with surrounding community Fastpitch organizations for player and team assignments Determines number of teams for each age group Coordinates team try-outs with player development representative to conduct the tryouts through an independent organization Documents/finalizes try out results for team allocation Maintains player lists and coordinates players and coaching staff Uniforms and Apparel Coordinator The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Uniforms and Apparel Coordinator: Prepare RFQ from area businesses and negotiate uniform and apparel orders for the season Organizes, orders, and delivers all uniforms to Team Managers Organizes orders, and delivers all apparel orders to Team Managers Page 22

26 Field Maintenance / Scheduling Director The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Field Maintenance/Schedule Director: Field/Umpire Coordinator Tournament Umpire Coordinator Coordinating payment of umpires for league games and tournaments Responsible for scheduling and re-scheduling of fields for games, practices and scrimmages Responsible for scheduling umpires for all summer (coaches will be required to request the re-scheduling of fields and umpires when a rain out occurs or cancellation of a scheduled game) Liaison with City of Rosemount Parks and Recreation Department Coordinator for field maintenance and preparations of tournaments and league games Requests permits for fields Maintain field supplies Promotions and Fundraising Coordinator The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Promotions and Fundraising Coordinator: Coordinates all fund raising activities. Marketing for the RAAA Fastpitch organization. Coordinates Rosemount apparel purchases. Advertising and promotions for Rosemount Fastpitch. Coordinate external communications. Page 23

27 Communications/ Webmaster/ Database Coordinator The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Communications/ Webmaster/Database Coordinator: Maintains database(s) with information regarding players, tryouts, coaches, and teams to support Rosemount Fastpitch requirements. Assists with sign ups to ensure the efficient collection of database information on players and volunteers. Maintains Fastpitch website content. Coordination of all website information and access information with Web Site representatives. Responsible for publication of all Fastpitch events with local media. Maintains web site, with single person access log in and password. Provides information from the web site database to other fastpitch board members on an as needed basis only. Designs & creates RAAA Girls Traveling Fastpitch Softball website All general group communication to Teams, Coaches and Parents comes from the Communications Coordinator. Communications that are Job Duty related is disseminated by each category lead/director. Player Development/ Coaches Representative The following are the responsibilities for the TSB Player Development/Coaches Representative: Responsible to conduct a pre-season coaches clinic. Organizes player and coaches clinics as required. Contact person for coaches and players throughout the season. Conducts a coaches evaluation of players. Works with the Community Team Coordinator for independent evaluators associated with team tryouts. Page 24