Encino Little League Spring 2018 Parent/Player Handbook
Table of Contents WELCOME TO ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE 4 ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE FACILITY 5 WHERE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION 6 WEBSITE 6 FACEBOOK 6 TWITTER 7 EMAIL 7 2018 SPRING CALENDAR 8 IMPORTANT 2016-17 DATES: 8 THE LITTLE LEAGUE FAMILY TREE 10 REGISTRATION 12 LITTLE LEAGUE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: 15 A PLAYER S SCHOOL 17 LITTLE LEAGUE AGE DETERMINATION 18 OVERVIEW OF ELL SPRING SEASON DIVISIONS 19 WEE BALL DIVISION (4 Year Olds) 19 ROOKIE (TEE BALL): 19 AA DIVISION - UNDERHAND COACH PITCH 20 AAA DIVISION -- OVERHAND COACH PITCH 20 FARM 21 MINOR 21 MAJOR 21 JUNIOR 21 TRYOUTS 21 GAME AND PRACTICE SCHEDULES 22 PLAYOFFS 23 DIVISION RULES 23 PITCH COUNT RULES 24 2
ATTENDANCE 26 EQUIPMENT 26 VOLUNTEERS 28 EXECUTIVE BOARD 29 SNACK STAND VOLUNTEER SHIFTS 29 CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAM 30 LEAGUE SPONSORSHIP 30 ELL RULES OF THE COMPLEX 32 FIELD MAINTENANCE POST-GAME CHECKLIST 33 POST-SEASON (SUMMER) ALL-STAR & TOURNAMENT PLAY 35 NON-LITTLE LEAGUE POST-SEASON TOURNAMENTS 35 3
WELCOME TO ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE Proudly celebrating its 63rd season of youth baseball, Encino Little League is open to all children 4-14 years of age who reside or attend school within the league s boundary. Our mission is to provide a safe, fun and welcoming environment for our children to: Have fun! Learn baseball fundamentals. Appreciate the importance of community, friendship, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Experience great memories to last a lifetime. Encino Little League is more than a youth baseball organization. It is a place where neighbors meet, kids play, friends and families cheer, and community spirit thrives. It is a small-town community (albeit one nestled within a huge city). We have wonderful children who make ELL special. From the smallest child to the teenagers (Juniors Division), we have been blessed with extraordinary kids. But it takes more than children to make ELL special. It takes parents who appreciate and foster the true sense of community spirit that exists at ELL. Encino Little League is fortunate to have dozens of parents who dedicate their time as coaches and managers, and many more who volunteer in other ways. Our league is managed by a nine-member Executive Board, but it cannot function without support of more than 150 active coaches and parent volunteers who go above and beyond to help ELL thrive. We encourage you to become involved early in your child s Little League experience as we continue to build a strong volunteer base that will provide long-term continuity year over year. We welcome all the new parents and children into the Encino Little League family, and we welcome back the many families who are returning for another year. Have a great season! Chad Elder, President 2017 2018 4
ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE FACILITY Located at 5120 Hayvenhurst Avenue just south of the 101 Freeway, ELL s state-of-the-art complex contains six baseball diamonds, turfed ba ng cages and bullpen area, and a volunteer-led snack stand. Figure 1 5
WHERE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION Encino Li le League is home to roughly 600-700 players from 500 families. It is important that you remain informed and updated on a regular and mely basis. It is the responsibility of each of our families to take advantage of the resources provided by the league designed to make you and keep you aware and informed throughout the year. League informa on is available through a variety of digital formats delivering important and mely informa on by way of email blasts, newsle ers, and pos ngs on the league s Facebook page and Twi er feed. ELL s website contains most of the informa on your family needs before and during the spring, summer and fall seasons. WEBSITE The league s website ( www.encinoll.com ) is the go-to source for all league informa on: weather updates and field condi ons, league calendar, game and prac ce schedules, scores and standings, as well as snack stand schedules, rules, forms, news, events and more. Please bookmark it and check it regularly. Please also check the website and other resources for informa on you may be seeking prior to sending an inquiry to the league. Answers to most ques ons may be found on the website or from one of the other ELL resources, including this handbook. FACEBOOK Encino Li le League's Facebook page is a great way to keep up on the social side of things in the community. Liking our page and regularly viewing the league's Facebook posts keeps you in tune with mely dbits and important informa on. You can also view the many photos uploaded from me to me throughout the season. 6
TWITTER Twi er is the first choice for delivering informa on on the fly. Field condi ons and game day status alerts addressing inclement weather condi ons are delivered via ELL s Twi er feed. Other late breaking informa on or updates of interest will come to you via Twi er throughout the season. It is strongly recommended that you follow ELL on Twi er and set the league s Twi er feed to come to you via text message or alert so you don t miss an important mely announcement. EMAIL ELL will also send email blasts as necessary. The emails will include league news and detailed informa on not designed for the more abbreviated tweets on Twi er or Facebook posts. Emails may also direct you to links containing more detailed informa on you should read. 7
2018 SPRING CALENDAR The calendar is posted on the ELL website and is a real me calendar with updates as they occur. IMPORTANT 2017-18 DATES: EVENT Date(s) SPRING REGISTRATION (ONLINE) November 1- December 16, 2017 ELL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING January 11, 2018 SPRING TRYOUTS January 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 (makeup), 2018 COACHES CLINIC & SAFETY MEETING January 27, 2018 DIVISIONAL PLAYER DRAFTS January 28-31 NEW PARENTS NIGHT (Rookie & AA [5-6 yr old] divisions and new parents in older divisions) LOWER DIVISION (T-BALL, ROOKIE, AA) COACHES CLINIC -- Granada Hills Li le League February 1 February 3 JUNIOR DIVISION TRYOUTS February 3 PRE-SEASON PRACTICES (ASSIGNED TO TEAMS) February 4 COMPLEX CLOSED March 2 OPENING DAY March 3 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS March 11 PASSOVER (first night) NO GAMES March 30 EASTER SUNDAY NO PRACTICES April 16 PICTURE DAY TBD 8
PICTURE DAY MAKEUP TBD ELL POKER NIGHT FUNDRAISER May 3 FIREWORKS NIGHT/HR DERBY May 12 MOTHER S DAY NO PRACTICES May 13 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING May 16 MEMORIAL DAY May 29 DIVISION PLAYOFFS May 30-June 9 CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY June 9 DISTRICT 40 ALL STAR TOURNAMENT BEGINS June 23 9
THE LITTLE LEAGUE FAMILY TREE Encino Li le League is a member of California District 40, which includes leagues from throughout the San Fernando Valley and north to Canyon Country and Frasier Park. District 40 is part of California Sec on 2, which is one of 10 regional sec ons that comprise the state of Southern California 1 within Li le League Interna onal. Southern and Northern California are part of the Li le League Western Region, which also includes Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. 1 Little League considers Northern and Southern California as separate states for tournament purposes. 10
Other useful links include: District 40: www.eteamz.com/cad40 Western Region Headquarters: www.eteamz.com/llbwest Li le League Interna onal: www.littleleague.org 11
REGISTRATION Registra on for Encino Li le League is online via the registra on link on our website: www.encinoll.com. You will be asked to create a member account (Figure 2) as part of the process and may use the same account in future years. Please be sure to update your profile to reflect any changes as they occur. Please also make sure all email addresses for your family remain current. ELL uses the emails provided during registra on to deliver ELL news and informa on during the season. You should tag emails from the league as safe so they don t land in your SPAM folder. Figure 2 12
ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE BOUNDARY The boundary for Encino Li le League is displayed below (Figure 4). You may access the full map at the Forms & Publica on link on the website. If you are uncertain whether your school or home is located within the ELL boundary, you may enter your home or school address in the Little League Finder (Figure 4) and it will provide a result that indicates the Li le League boundary in which the address falls. Figure 3 13
Figure 4 14
2018 REGULATION AND RULE CHANGES Li le League Interna onal announced several changes for the 2018 season. A complete look at all of the changes may be viewed on the Li le League website. The most noteworthy change, which will affect most Encino Li le League families, is the new Bat Rule. In sum, for AAA, Farm, Minor and Major divisions, a bat may not be more than 33 inches long, nor more than 2⅝ inches in diameter at its thickest point, and must either (a) have the factory-printed USA Baseball logo or (b) be a single, solid piece of wood. A complete statement of the new Bat Rule is found on page 27 of this Handbook. RESIDENCY AND ELIGIBILITY Li le League Interna onal provides a thorough explana on on residency and player school a endance eligibility on the Little League website. LITTLE LEAGUE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: 2 A copy of your child s birth cer ficate is required for proof of age. Residence shall be established and supported by documents containing the full residence including the parent/guardian name(s), street address, city, state and zip code informa on, dated or in force between February 1, 2016 (previous year) and February 1, 2018 (current year), from one or more documents from EACH of the three Groups outlined below: Group I Driver s License School records Vehicle records (e.g., registra on, lease, etc.) Employment records Insurance documents 2 Certified copies of birth certificates are required for players participating in Little League All-Star play. 15
Group II Welfare/child care records Federal records (tax, Social Security, etc.) State records Local (municipal) records Support payment records Homeowner or tenant records Military records Group III Voter s Registra on U lity bills (e.g., gas, electric, water/sewer, phone, mobile phone, hea ng, waste disposal) Financial records (e.g., bank or credit card statements, loan documents, etc.) Medical records Internet, cable or satellite records IMPORTANT NOTE : Example Three documents from the same Group (u lity bill, cable bill and bank statement, all in Group III) cons tute only ONE document. Players who established residence or school a endance for regular season and/or tournament play prior to the 2017-2018 season using the Player Verifica on Form, and can produce the form with proper proofs and signature, will be grandfathered and will not need to complete a new Player Verifica on Form. Any documents submi ed as proof of residence must show customary usage or consump on to demonstrate bona fide con nuous habita on as determined by Li le League Baseball, Incorporated in its discre on. 16
A PLAYER S SCHOOL A player shall be meet the residency/school requirements if the physical loca on of the school where (s)he a ends classes is within the boundaries established by the local league. Note: This excludes home schools, cyber schools, sports-related schools, sports academies, or preschool or a er school where a student par cipates outside of the primary school in which the player is enrolled. School a endance refers to the (place) physical loca on of the school the player in ques on a ends during the tradi onal academic year. Once established, a loca on of school a endance shall not be considered changed unless the child is enrolled and a ends another school or is no longer enrolled in the previous school. School a endance shall be established and supported by a document indica ng enrollment for the current academic year, dated prior to October 1, 2017 and with the physical loca on of the school, from ONE of the following categories to determine school a endance by such player: Official/Cer fied School enrollment record A Li le League issued school a endance form completed by the principal, assistant 3 principal or administrator. Forms referred to above and throughout this handbook may be obtained from the ELL website and/or the Little League website. 3 Report cards are no longer accepted as evidence of school enrollment within a league s boundary. 17
LITTLE LEAGUE AGE DETERMINATION The Li le League age for players born in 2006 or later is his or her age as of August 31 st of the season being played. Players born before 2006 use the previous April 30 th cutoff through the 2018 season. See Figure 5 below for the 2018 Li le League Age Chart. Figure 5 18
OVERVIEW OF ELL SPRING SEASON DIVISIONS WEE BALL DIVISION (4 Year Olds) This serves as an introduc on to organized baseball for this age group. Rookie Division is for League Age 4 year olds (League Age is as of August 31, 2018). Teams will be formed and with volunteer managers and coaches. The early part of the season will be instruc onal in the form of clinics. Teams will play Tee Ball games each Saturday (similar to the Rookie division described below) for the remainder of the season. ROOKIE (TEE BALL): Rookie League is an introductory level designed for the first me player. Rookie Division is for League Age 5 year olds and first me 6 year old players (League Age is as of August 31, 2018). When ba ng, players hit off a ba ng tee the en re season. No excep ons! All players play on defense. Typically 6-7 ba ers or 1/2 the line-up bats each inning. There are no outs and no score is kept. Base runners are not removed from a base even if an "out" is made. Games are a maximum of 6 innings or 1 hour, whichever comes first. Prac ces are at the manager's discre on, though each team is provided with assigned mes on Sundays at ELL. Each team s roster generally has 13-14 players. 19
AA DIVISION - UNDERHAND COACH PITCH The AA Division is for League Age 6 year olds and for some 7 year olds (League Age as of August 31, 2018). There is one scheduled game per week on Saturdays and an occasional weekday game. AA follows the same basic rules as T-Ball except: ba ers face underhand coach pitch (so toss). The play is a more simulated game environment but no score is kept. If an out is made, the ba er (or runner) will be called out and removed from the base. Prac ces are at the manager's discre on though each team is provided an assigned me on Sundays at ELL. Time limit for AA games is 6 innings or 1 hour, whichever occurs first. Each team s roster generally has 13-14 players. AAA DIVISION -- OVERHAND COACH PITCH The AAA Division is for League Age 7 and 8 year olds (League Age as of August 31, 2018). There are two scheduled games per week: one on Friday in the early evening and one on Saturdays. AAA is overhand coach pitch. No score is kept during the regular season. At the end of the regular season, a Jamboree tournament is held where the score is kept and a division champion ul mately crowned. There are no walks. Prac ces are at the manager's discre on, though each team is provided an assigned prac ce me on Sundays at ELL. No new inning may begin a er 65 minutes or 6 innings. Team selec on is done by dra 20
FARM Farm is primarily for League Age 8 and 9 year olds. This division introduces the players to kid-pitch. Also beginning in Farm, players use an official (i.e., hard ) Li le League baseball. MINOR Minors is for League 10 and 11 year olds and some 9 s. MAJOR Majors is for League Age 11 and 12 year olds. JUNIOR The Junior Division is for league age 13 and 14-year-olds. In the Farm, Minor, Major and Junior divisions there are two scheduled games per week: one on a weeknight and one on Saturdays. Prac ces are held at the manager s discre on, though teams are encouraged to prac ce weekly and are provided assigned mes on Sundays at ELL. TRYOUTS Tryouts are held for players eligible to be dra ed in the AAA, Farm, Minor, Major, and Junior 4 divisions (league age 7-14). All players must try out in order to be dra ed. Tryouts are held for the 7 to 12-year-old age group over two weekends in January, with one makeup date provided prior to the divisional dra s. The Junior division tryouts for 13 and 14- year-olds are held in late January/early February. Volunteer managers and coaches will observe all players eligible in their respec ve division/age group. Players try out in small groups during specifically assigned mes. Tryouts consist of 10-15 minute 4 Rare exceptions are allowed in the event of injury or other legitimate and compelling reason, which must be approved by the league. 21
sessions that include fielding ground balls, fielding fly balls, hi ng and (for kid pitch divisions) pitching and catching. All players are rated by managers and the division Player Agent in the categories of infield fielding, ou ield fielding, throwing, and hi ng. Some players will also be rated for pitching and catching. 5 Assigned tryout mes and addi onal details and informa on regarding tryouts (when to arrive, what to wear, what to bring, etc.) will be posted on the ELL website in December. Dra s will be held in late January for AAA through Major divisions followed by a dra for the Junior division a week later. GAME AND PRACTICE SCHEDULES Schedules may be accessed directly on the website. Guidance on how to access schedules is provided late in the pre-season. Game schedules are released in February following the forma on of teams. ELL provides assigned prac ce mes most Sundays for every team in all divisions (except Wee Ball). The prac ce schedules a empt to rotate mes each week to avoid a team being locked into the same me; however, the league will take into account the schedules of managers and coaches of mul ple teams in mul ple divisions and endeavor to accommodate the prac ce and game schedules to avoid any conflict among those teams. The prac ce schedule will be provided to all managers and coaches and will be posted on the website in mid to late January. 5 At the managers request. 22
PLAYOFFS Playoffs are held to determine a league champion in the AAA, Farm, Minor, Major and Junior divisions. These take the form of standard tournament pool or bracket play, depending on the number 6 of teams in each division. Teams generally play a minimum of two pool or playoff games. The AAA division plays a two-day Jamboree style event to determine four semifinalists. These four teams then play regular semifinal and championship games to determine the AAA champion. All teams in all five divisions make the playoffs. There are no playoffs in the Wee Ball, Rookie, and AA divisions. Title games in Junior, Major, Minor, Farm and AAA divisions take place on Championship Saturday on June 9, 2018. DIVISION RULES Rules for each division will be posted on the website. It is important that parents review the rules as a means of understanding those specific to each division. The posted rules not only address rules of the game, but also explain ELL s minimum playing me rules. Parents should pay par cular a en on to rules governing arrival me for games, most notably late arrivals. Parents should also be certain to understand rules governing playing me, which differ during the regular season than during the playoffs. Pitch count rules are also prominently displayed within the rules and are explained to all coaches. In light of the importance of pitch count rules in the context of injuries and overuse, these rules are also included in this parent manual. ELL meets or exceeds the pitch count restric ons imposed by Li le League. 6 The playoff format in the Minor Division may not allow for a double elimination format when the division reaches a higher than usual number of teams (12). 23
PITCH COUNT RULES Li le League Interna onal governs the pitching eligibility rules. ELL conforms to these pitch count rules, though the league implements stricter limits early in the season. Addi onally, the league pitch count defaults to the lower age in defining pitch limits in each division, e.g., the maximum pitches 7 allowed in a day in the Minor division for 10 and 11 year-olds is the limit in place for 10 year olds. Maximum pitches per day regular season: LITTLE LEAGUE RULE ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE RULE LEAGUE AGE 7-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 FARM MINOR MAJOR JR. PITCHES PER DAY 50 75 85 95 50 75 85 95 Maximum pitches per day preseason: ENCINO LITTLE LEAGUE RULE FARM MINOR MAJOR JUNIOR 35 50 50 50 7 10 year olds in majors will be limited to a pitch count commensurate for that age, i.e., 75 pitches. 24
The rest requirements for Farm through Major divisions mirror those prescribed by Li le League Interna onal as follows: # Pitches Required # of days rest 66+ 4 51-65 3 36-50 2 21-35 1 1-20 No day of rest required The rest requirement for Junior division is as follows: # of Pitches Required # of days rest 66-95 4 61-65 3 41-60 2 21-40 1 1-20 No day of rest required 25
ATTENDANCE There are no specific guidelines in place for player a endance and games during the regular 8 season, other than how it may impact a player s eligibility for summer all-star play. While it is understood that schedule conflicts will arise from me to me, parents are asked to communicate with their coaches when a child will be absent from prac ce or a game. Player absence impacts the team, and one of the lessons of team sports is to understand and accept one s role as a teammate and to embrace the responsibility that comes with that. Your assistance in reinforcing these lessons to your child will help in that process. EQUIPMENT UNIFORMS ELL provides all players with a team jersey and baseball cap. Parents are responsible for purchasing baseball pants, socks, belt, helmet, gloves, bats and other equipment. HELMET The helmet should fit securely and meet NOCSAE specifica ons and standards. To find a player s correct head size, measure the circumference of the head just above the ears and refer to the helmet manufacturer for sizing. All players at Encino Li le League (except Junior division) must use NOCSAE-approved facemasks with their ba ng helmets during the regular season (this is a local Li le League rule). 8 To be eligible for all-star play, Little League requires attendance in 60% of the games 26
BAT All players must use a Li le League approved bat. Li le League recently changed the rule and now requires all bats to conform to the USA Baseball standard. The rule is set forth here: h p://www.li leleague.org/learn/equipment/baseballba nfo/batrules.htm. Recommended bat lengths for each age are as follows: 27
GLOVES Gloves that are too big prevent beginners from developing proper fielding skills. Gloves should be purchased based on a player s current size and needs, rather than a size an cipa ng on a player growing into it. The best way to learn the fundamentals of fielding is by wearing a glove that fits well. CLEATS Baseball cleats enable your child to have sufficient trac on when ba ng, running and fielding. Purchase molded or rubber cleats only. No metal spikes allowed except in the Junior Division. CUPS (Male Players Only) Cups must be worn by all male players at every game and prac ce. For players in Wee Ball, Rookie, AA and AAA divisions, so cups are sufficient and more comfortable for the younger children. In Farm and above where a hard baseball is used, hard cups are essen al to provide the necessary protec on. For children in AAA and up, we also recommend buying sliding shorts that hold the cup in place while also providing extra padding when sliding. 28
VOLUNTEERS ELL is a volunteer-run organiza on. All board members, team managers and coaches volunteer their me to make each season of baseball memorable for your child. We ask everyone to assist the league some me during the season. This may involve a task of a couple of hours, or a greater role with a greater me commitment. Some of the ac vi es you can help with include: Tryouts Opening Day Uniform Distribu on Equipment Communica on (upda ng Facebook page) Team Parent (assist team manager) Merchandise Sales Sponsorships Picture Day Facili es Safety Coordinator Mother s Day/Fireworks Night Poker night or other Fundraiser Trophies Snack Stand Photographer/Historian Summer Tournament Volunteers 29
EXECUTIVE BOARD The Execu ve Board sets policy for and governs the league. Eight elected members and the prior year s outgoing league president sit on the nine-member board. The elec on for the Board of Directors takes place each May. The Board holds regular monthly mee ngs and occasional special mee ngs as necessary, par cularly late in the calendar year in connec on with planning for the upcoming spring season. In addi on to overseeing all administra ve aspects of league opera ons, the President and the Board are responsible for selec ng and assigning volunteer coaches during the fall and spring seasons. The President selects, subject to Board confirma on, managers for ELL-sanc oned all-star teams. SNACK STAND VOLUNTEER SHIFTS ELL s snack stand volunteer policy was outlined as part of the online registra on process. At that me, parents had the ability to choose to either submit a refundable deposit of $150 (which will be returned to a er working the required snack stand shi ), or to pay a nonrefundable opt-out fee of $100.00. If you signed up to work a shi, you will have the opportunity to select the day and me you are available via the ELL website beginning some me in February. Depending on when you registered, you may have desired, but were unable, to select the refund op on due to the limita on of an cipated shi s available. There are mes when shi s become open and opportuni es are available to work a shi and receive a refund of what would otherwise have been a non-refundable payment of $100. These opportuni es are on a first come first served basis and there is no guarantee that shi s will be available. If you do not sign in at the snack stand during your shi, you may not receive the refund. There will be a sign-in sheet and/or system to make sure you have the opportunity to sign in when you arrive at your snack stand shi. 30
CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAM All local Li le Leagues are required to conduct background checks on managers, coaches, board of directors members and any other persons, volunteers or hired workers, who provide regular service to the league and/or have repe ve access to, or contact with, players or teams. Individuals are also required to complete and submit a Li le League Volunteer Applica on to their local league. Select from the links below to learn more about this vital aspect of Li le League s mission. See the Li le League website for specifics on background check informa on. LEAGUE SPONSORSHIP Many childhood memories begin with the crack of a bat. Many life-long friendships start in the stands. Encino Li le League is a place where families come together to share the values of sportsmanship, self-confidence, leadership and a strong sense of community. To maintain and modernize our facili es, we need the help of our community leaders. The league offers a robust sponsorship program to provide suppor ng businesses with requisite exposure to the ELL community and beyond, rela ve to the level of sponsorship in which a business par cipates. Specifics about the sponsorship program may be obtained on the ELL website. All Encino Li le League teams are responsible for a minimum sponsorship contribu on of $1,000. The league encourages parents from each team to contact local businesses for support. Encino 9 Li le League is a non-profit organiza on and the contribu on may be tax deduc ble. All money collected for Team Sponsorship is used for ongoing expenses (maintenance, repairs, etc.) as well as for capital expenditures (field remodel, parking lot, facili es improvements, etc.). Teams may fulfill the sponsorship obliga on by obtaining one or more sponsors that total $1,000. The league sponsorship program offers a variety of sponsorship levels with varying promo onal benefits at each level. This informa on may be obtained on the league s website. 9 ELL does not provide tax advice; donors/sponsors should consult with their tax advisor; Encino Little League Tax I.D. # 95-2159715. 31
ELL CODE OF CONDUCT Encino Little League s Executive Board has mandated the following Code of Conduct for all managers, coaches, parents and players to sign. All members of Encino Little League agree to comply with the following standards. Code of Conduct Any physical or verbal assaults by, or against any member of the ELL community will not be tolerated, and will subject the offender to immediate ejec on from the facility, suspension or expulsion from the league at the sole and binding discre on of the Execu ve Board, and/or criminal and civil liability. In the event of a ques oned call on the field, only the team manager may speak to the umpire. Field and dugout coaches may not discuss a call with an umpire. Should a manager/coach break this rule, the umpire may issue a warning to the manager/coach in ques on and upon a 2nd occurrence the umpire may elect to eject the manager/coach in ques on from the game. Fans should refrain from talking to the umpire at all mes. Should an umpire feel that comments from the stands exceed what is acceptable they may issue a warning to the team s manager. Should the behavior con nue, the umpire may elect to eject the team's manager from the game. Any manager, coach or player that is ejected from a game must serve an addi onal suspension of one game, as well as any prac ces that take place before that game. Anyone ejected from a game must leave the complex. Failure to comply could result in a forfeiture of the game. In addi on, no manager, coach, parent/guardian, player or spectator may: Appear anywhere on the ELL complex while in an intoxicated state at any me. Gamble upon any play or outcome of any game with anyone at any me. Smoke while on the premises, including parking lots (this includes any and all smoking materials and e-cigare es). Any manager, coach, parent or player viola ng the Code of Conduct is subject to disciplinary ac on from the Board of Directors according to league rules, up to and including expulsion from the league. 32
ELL RULES OF THE COMPLEX Field use is for registered players in Encino Li le League programs ONLY and is limited to the field within that division. No open play on other fields is allowed, even if that field is not in use. Any other field use is by WRITTEN PERMISSION ONLY from Encino Li le League. Violators will be removed by security and may be prosecuted for trespassing. cages. Ba ng helmets (with faceguards) shall be worn by all ba ers, at all mes, including ba ng No pets allowed in the complex any me! 10 No smoking (tobacco or e-cigare es), alcoholic beverages, or glass beverage containers. No bicycles, tricycles, big wheels, in-line skates, roller skates, scooters, razors, motorized scooters or skateboards. No parents, siblings, friends or other visitors (other than authorized managers and coaches) are allowed on the field or in the dugouts or bullpens. No warm-ups, calisthenics or other ac vity are allowed within the grass infield or home plate area on any field. The only excep on is for infield prac ce. All warm-ups should be conducted in the ou ield. All fields, bleachers and dugout areas shall be trash and li er free following games and prac ces. Infields shall be dragged, pitching and home plate areas raked, bases removed and equipment put away a er use. No outside food or snacks shall be brought into the complex. Please support ELL s snack stand. 10 The ELL Execu ve Board may, from me to me, approve certain evening events at which responsible adult consump on of alcohol is permi ed. 33
Players must remove any trash (bo les, cups, etc.) from their dugouts a er their game. Spectators are also encouraged to clean up around the stands a er their game. FIELD MAINTENANCE POST-GAME CHECKLIST To help keep our fields in top condi on, please follow these field maintenance procedures. Prior to star ng, remove bases and plug holes (if applicable). When finished, remove plugs and replace bases. Except for the last game of the day, leave plugs in and place bases in the dugouts. BASE PATHS : You will find either a rake or small broom at each field. When raking or sweeping the base paths, RAKE/SWEEP FROM HOME PLATE TOWARD THE BASES. RAKE TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE BASEPATHS, NOT THE SIDES: Standing on the grass, use a pushing mo on (away from you) towards the center of the base path. DO NOT LET THE RAKE TOUCH THE GRASS WHILE DOING THIS, KEEP THE DIRT OFF THE GRASS. The home plate area is composed of a clay dirt material. The rest of the infield is Angel Dirt. These materials do not mix. HOME PLATE AND PITCHERS MOUND: USE A RAKE ONLY Home Plate: Push the clay towards home plate from the edges of the ba ers circle and rake out all holes in the ba ers box. Then smooth the clay for an even appearance. Pitchers Mound: Push the clay towards the rubber; RAKE AWAY FROM THE GRASS SO AS NOT TO ALLOW ANY CLAY TO GET ON THE GRASS. THIS WILL CAUSE LIPS. Pack the dirt in front of the rubber and rake out the holes. Smooth the clay for an even appearance. Use only mound clay for both home plate and mound areas, NO INFIELD DIRT! INFIELDS When dragging the infield, take care, keep the dirt off the grass, you do not need to drag all the way to the edges of the grass (leave a 1 foot gap). Do not accumulate dirt by first and third base. Pay extra a en on please do not to drag the Angel Dirt onto the grass as it ruins the blades of the lawn mowers and raises the costs of maintenance. KEEP THE ANGEL DIRT OFF THE GRASS. 34
scheduled. COACHES BOXES AND ON DECK AREA Groom with a rake only. 11 WATER DOWN THE INFIELD BETWEEN GAMES. This helps in two ways: dust control and ground compac on. DO NOT OVER-WATER. FIELD DAMAGE REPORTS Check field for damage. Report it to your Division Commissioner so we can have repairs CARE FOR TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT Secure area and return tools, rakes and brooms before leaving. If you are the final game of the day, pull bases and PLUG BASE HOLES! DUGOUT, SCOREBOOTHS, AND BLEACHERS MAINTENANCE Keep dugout free of trash. Make sure the scorebooth is cleaned up (and for the last game of the day, turned off). Have parents pick up trash in bleachers. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR FIELDS PICK UP ALL TRASH NEAR THE STANDS INFIELDS SHOULD BE GROOMED PROPERLY DUGOUTS SHOULD BE CLEANED BEFORE YOU LEAVE EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE LOCKED AND STORED AWAY VIOLATION OF ANY OF THESE RULES MAY RESULT IN THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL FROM THE COMPLEX, SUSPENSION OF MANAGERS OR COACHES, REVOCATION OF FIELD USES, OR THE TERMINATION OF FIELD RENTAL AGREEMENTS. 11 Depending on water conservation measures that may be in place in any given year 35
POST-SEASON (SUMMER) ALL-STAR & TOURNAMENT PLAY The official Li le League Baseball Tournament divisions in which ELL par cipates are as follows: 8-10 year-old, 9-11 year-old, Li le League (10-12) baseball, and Junior Baseball (League Age 13-14). Tournaments begin at the District level with the winning teams in each division advancing to Sec onal tournaments, followed by Subdivision, Division (SoCal state tle), Regional and the Li le League World 12 Series. Majors division teams (10-12 years old) compete in an effort to advance to the Li le League World Series in Williamsport, PA. The Junior Division World Series event is played in Taylor, Michigan. The All-Star teams represent Encino Li le League at these tournaments. Players are selected at the end of the regular season based on their overall playing ability, eligibility and availability. Specific guidelines governing the selec on process are in place in an effort to promote a culture of objec vity and fairness in the process. Managers and Coaches of ELL s All-Star Teams are selected by the league president and confirmed by the ELL Execu ve Board. Coaches interested in being considered for an all-star coaching posi on should no fy the league president no later than April 15 th. Li le League All-Star rosters may be announced on or a er June 1, at which me prac ces may begin (subject to eligibility confirma on for all players selected). The length of a family s commitment to the All-Star program is directly related to the team s on-field success. The Li le League All-Star Tournament begins with District play in late June and concludes with the Li le League World Series in August 2018. NON-LITTLE LEAGUE POST-SEASON TOURNAMENTS Encino Li le League is pleased to support an expanded program to provide younger players with the opportunity to par cipate in post-season baseball. While tournament play is not for everyone, the 12 8-10 and 9-11 division competition concludes with the SoCal state title (Divisional championship). 36
experience can be posi ve for many children. These opportuni es draw upon the skills developed during the regular season and raise the level of play. ELL sanc ons tournament/all-star teams for 7, 8 and 9 year-old players. Players are selected at the end of the regular season based on their overall playing ability, eligibility and availability. Whereas Li le League allows and provides for some players to play up with an older division, e.g., 8-10, 9-11, 10-12, etc., players in the younger 7-8 year-old age groups generally play with their age appropriate team. Most tournaments offered to teams in these age groups u lize PONY league rules where the age cutoff is April 30 th. ELL s tournament teams will be hold true to the Li le League age determina on. While this will result in teams being younger than many of their opponents, the program is designed to provide tournament experience to players, not necessarily trophies. ELL provides support for these teams by way of league insurance, field me for prac ces, and also provides a league infrastructure. Most tournaments are categorized as 7U, 8U, 9U, et seq. Teams entering summer tournaments are experienced teams from other leagues and some mes includes travel or club teams. Our compe ve teams represen ng ELL are formed to provide the greatest opportunity for winning their games. Players are invited to join the team based on their ability and should make a commitment to be at all prac ces and games. 37
ELL 2017-2018 Executive Board Chad Elder Jack Maya David Hilton Cary Biren Boris Vaisman Tracy Taylor Brian Gallagher Jamie Hayman Rich Russakoff Kenny Marsten President Vice President for Baseball Opera ons Treasurer Registrar, Baseball Opera ons Secretary Facili es Umpires, Sponsorships Scheduling, Snack Stand Uniforms, Snack Stand President Emeritus (advisory) The above lis ngs are general areas of responsibility to help you direct a ques on to the appropriate individual. To contact an E-Board member by email, please click on the Contacts link on the ELL website. HAVE A GREAT SEASON! 38