Why We re Here. Little League Baseball and Softball Coaches Presentation Spring /30/2015. West Side Little League. Little League International:

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1 Little League Baseball and Softball Coaches Presentation Spring 2015 Why We re Here Little League International: to promote, develop, supervise, and voluntarily assist in all lawful ways, the interest of those who will participate in Little League Baseball and Softball. : Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, West Side assists youth in developing the qualities of citizenship, discipline, teamwork and physical well-being. By espousing the virtues of character, courage and loyalty, our baseball and softball programs are designed to develop superior citizens rather than superior athletes. 1

2 Little League History LOOKING BACK: HOW IT ALL STARTED 1939: Founded by Williamsport, PA resident Carl Stotz started with 3 teams: 1953: The National Little League Tournament is televised on ABC with Howard Cosell handling the play-by-play. 1964: Little League is granted a Charter of Federal Incorporation by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This places Little League in the same category as Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Boys Clubs of America and a select group of other agencies similarly chartered. Executive Board of Directors President Dave Harvey V.P. Baseball Robin Culp V.P. Softball Scott Yaw V.P. Challenger Andy Thompson Player Agent John Snyder Treasurer Rob Grim Secretary Chris Collinson Definition of roles: 2

3 Local League Constitution Constitution: Reviewed & approved annually by the membership at a duly organized meeting as provided in Article XII of the Model Constitution Constitution By-Laws/Local League Rules The Constitution spells out the duties and responsibilities of the officers of the board, definition of membership, election procedures, meeting requirements such as quorum, etc. Legally-Binding Document Local League Local League Rules Local League Rules: created each season by the Board of Directors Must be in compliance with Little League Rules & Regulations They normally include the local board s procedures for Age Structure, Selection of Tournament Teams (All Stars), specific ground rules for various divisions, etc. 3

4 3/30/2015 Residence and School Attendance Player Eligibility Requirements Players who live or attend school within the boundaries of the local Little League will be eligible to play A player will be deemed to reside within the league boundaries if: His/her parents are living together and reside within such league boundaries Either parent or court-appointed legal guardian reside within such boundaries Little League PA Districts 4

5 Baseball Programs WSLL Provides Tee Ball Division For girls and boys league ages 5-6 Instructional Division ( Machine Pitch ) For girls and boys league ages 7 & 8; Played on a 60 diamond with a 46 pitching distance Kid Pitch Division For girls and boys league age 9; Played on a 60 diamond with a 46 pitching distance Minors Division ( American League ) For girls and boys league ages 10-12; Played on a 60 diamond with a 46 pitching distance Majors Division ( National League ) For girls and boys league ages 11 12; Played on a 60 diamond with a 46 pitching distance Intermediate Division (Inter-District Play) For girls and boys league ages 12 13; Played on a 70 diamond with a 50 pitching distance JV Division For girls and boys league ages 13 15; Played on a 90 diamond with a 60 pitching distance Big League Division For girls and boys league ages (Played on a 90 diamond with a 60 pitching distance The Challenger Division Baseball Programs WSLL Provides A program for developmentally and physically challenged youth, helping them to enjoy the full benefits of Little League participation in an athletic environment structured to their abilities. More than the skills of baseball learned through the experience, the value of the Little League Challenger Division is found in the proven therapeutic and socialization benefits of participating in sports; the strengthening of participants self-esteem; the opportunities to mainstream into other divisions of play and the disciplines of teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play, which are hallmarks of the Little League program. 5

6 Softball Programs WSLL Provides West Side and East Side Little League have a combined charter for girls softball. This means that any girl who lives or goes to school within the boundaries for either West Side LL or East Side LL are automatically part of the combined program. Rookie Division For players league ages 6-8; Played on a 60 diamond with a 35 pitching distance Minors Division For players league ages 9 & 10; Played on a 60 diamond with a 35 pitching distance Majors Division For players league ages 11 & 12; Played on a 60 diamond with a 40 pitching distance Junior Division For players league ages 13 15; Played on a 60 diamond with a 43 pitching distance Education & Training Coach Resource Center Baseball and Softball Videos and Articles Teaching the Skills Drills and Practice Plans Team Organization Involving Parents 6

7 Coaches Behavior Treat our children and parents with respect Use Positive Reinforcement We are trying to build a lifetime love of baseball / softball More information at the Positive Coaching Alliance website: League receives complaints IN WRITING and reports to the Board. Board could decide to take no further action or send WRITTEN notice to the accused; when, where and why they need to appear (due process). Board could decide to draft a written warning, temporarily suspend Membership privileges, or suspend or revoke Membership privileges for remainder of the year. Disciplining a Member 7

8 Safety Requirements for ASAP Plan Have an active Safety Officer Check coaches with a National background check Provide first-aid training Require field inspections before season Complete annual Facility Survey Use concession stand procedures Regularly inspect and replace equipment as needed Have prompt accident reporting Require first-aid kits at events Enforce all Little League Rules 8

9 First Aid Coaches & Parents Supervising Children Safety & Equipment Concession Stand Lightning Safety rules you may not be aware of What to do in the event of an incident Pitching First Aid A First Aid Training session will be scheduled for some point later in the Spring All teams should have at least 1 representative attend All coaches are required to attend this first aid session once every three years 9

10 First Aid All Managers will be provided with stocked first aid kits Please share! First Aid materials can be replenished Have your parents fill out a Medical Release form WSLL Fields Waltz Field (Home to WSLL) 50 Waterwillow Rd, West Chester, PA East Bradford Park (Kenmara) Fields 835 Kenmara Dr, West Chester, PA Copeland School Field 666 Copeland School Rd, West Chester, PA Peirce Middle School Field 1314 Burke Rd, West Chester, PA West Goshen Community Park - Fern Hill Road and N. Five Points Roads, West Chester, PA Boot Road Park Field 110 W Boot Rd, West Chester, PA Stetson Middle School Fields 1060 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, PA

11 Emergency Phone #s DIAL 911 IN THE EVENT OF ANY EMERGENCY Whiteland Township Police (610) (Waltz, Peirce, Boot Rd. Fields) East Bradford Police (Kenmara, Copeland School Fields) West Goshen Police (610) (West Goshen Fields) Westtown East Goshen Township Police (610) (Stetson) West Chester Pierce Middle School Field 1314 Burke Rd, West Chester, PA West Goshen Community Park West Chester, PA Boot Road Park Field 110 W Boot Rd, West Chester, PA Stetson Middle School Fields 1060 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, PA Rustin High School Fields 1100 S Shiloh Rd, West Chester, PA Coaches and Parents No unauthorized adult is permitted in the dugout with the players (3 coaches allowed) All West Side Coaches will be issued Badges please wear them Meet with your parents before the season and reinforce behavior expectation (theirs as well as their kids!) 11

12 Umpires Coaches and Parents Respect toward the West Side Umpires by our players, coaches, and parents is demanded (not just expected) Reinforce to players not everything will go their way in baseball (or life!) Coaches must lead the way in proper behavior towards our Umpires West Goshen Field Coaches and Parents Managers must ensure players that must use rest rooms are accompanied to the facility by that player s parent or an authorized coach 12

13 Rules for Supervising Children Two Person Rule - managers and coaches shall avoid, to the maximum extent possible, being in a situation with players where they are the only adult. Open Door Policy Managers shall make it clear to parents that they are welcome to observe all team activities, within reason. However, parents and family members shall not be permitted on to fields/dugouts for safety reasons, unless assisting with activities at the manager s specific request. At all levels of game play if there are no other adult volunteers present the adult volunteer responsible for the team (manager or coach) must remain in the dugout or bench area at all times. Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures - Managers should advise parents to drop their players off as close to the reporting time; Managers and coaches shall remain at the field or facility at the end of practice until the last player has been picked up. Rules for Supervising Children Child Abuse - Under current PA, any person who has reason to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected may report the suspected abuse. [West Side Coaches] have a moral obligation to protect players who have been entrusted to us by their families. This includes situations where an adult volunteer has reasonable cause to suspect that a player may have been subject to child abuse as outlined in this section. Therefore, all West Side adult volunteers who so suspect that a player has been the subject of abuse shall report that incident immediately. Reporting should be to the Chester County Department of Human Services Child Hotline at , to a local police department or through The proper authorities will investigate the allegations. At the same time he or she contacts authorities, the adult volunteer who has reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred should contact the West Side President or Safety Director. 13

14 Safety and Equipment All League-issued equipment is inspected annually Boys are expected to wear protective cups All Kid Pitch baseball players must wear a mask on their batting helmet no exceptions All catcher s helmets must have a dangle throat protector Masks are provided for softball pitchers (although not mandatory) Bats Safety and Equipment Must be on approved list or meet guidelines: Must be BPF 1.15 rated For Baseball Majors division and under - must be 2 ¼ barrel diameter If dented get rid of it 14

15 Concession Stand Please only adults in the Concession Stand! Follow documented procedures about food preparation and safety found in the concession stand Lightning Play should stop if lightning is detected within 10 miles of field; play can resume after 30 minutes of last seen lightning All coaches should download Little League Weatherbug smartphone application it s free! 15

16 Additional Safety Rules There is no on-deck swinging! Players should move from bench to batter s box and no swinging behind dugouts! No bat weights or donuts permitted Players must wear catcher s helmet when warming up pitcher pre-game or between innings Head-first slides are not permitted (Majors division may dive back to a bag) Players may not wear any jewelry (metal or fabric) during play What to do Address situation immediately apply first aid, involve parents, call 911 Any situation where medical treatment was necessary should be reported to Safety Director Proceed with caution when a minor incident occurs If injury requires additional medical attention, an Accident Claim Form will be filled out by the Safety Director Is mandatory when using West Side s insurance 16

17 What to do - Insurance The Little League Insurance Program is designed to afford protection to all participants at the most economical cost to the local league. The Little League Player Accident Policy is an excess coverage, accident only plan, to be used as a supplement to other insurance carried under a family policy or insurance provided by an employer. If there is no primary coverage, Little League insurance will provide benefits for eligible charges, up to Usual and Customary allowances for your area. A $50 deductible applies for all claims, up to the maximum stated benefits. Pitching Little League International s pitch count rules must be strictly enforced West Side s house rules regarding 30% pitching totals must also be understood and enforced West Side takes the well-being of its players very seriously, and we see limiting pitching as a very concrete way to keeping young arms strong and healthy Talk to parents about other teams 17

18 Pitching Little League s PitchSmart program outlines the concerns and recommendations to care for young arms: PitchSmart Intro PitchSmart Risk Factors PitchSmart Pitch Counts (run links from slide show mode) Thanks for your attention! Have fun and stay safe! Please forward any comments or questions (or incidents) to: David Reinheimer safetydirector@westsidelittleleague.org 18