Youth Baseball Drafting Policy MISSION STATEMENT To provide an organized process for fair play competition with an even distribution of talent while incorporating teaching, learning, teamwork, sportsmanship and role modeling elements into a fun and enjoyable experience for all Park and Recreation sponsored youth sports participants. ACTION STEPS 1. Develop a process for evenly distributing teams and individuals. 2. Develop a process for assessing individual player skills for each sport. 3. Develop a process for orientation of players, coaches, and parents prior to league play commencement. 4. Develop a process for program evaluation and feedback -Parents -Participants -Coaches -Staff
ACTION STEP #1 EVENLY DISTRIBUTING TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS. All Park and Recreation sponsored youth athletic teams/leagues, 10 & under and older, will follow a drafting policy to enable teams to be distributed equally and fairly. Participants must register individually during the designated registration period. Centers with only one (1) team per age group: Returning teams (only) wishing to stay together will be allowed the option to keep their team together. Returning teams will be given the option of playing in the open league or to remain in the recreation league. If a returning team, a team returning six (6) or more players, elects to play in the recreation league, it will only be allowed to have a roster comprised of returning players. Note: If a returning team, electing to play in the recreation league, does not have enough returning players to field a team minimum of ten (10) player roster, they will be able to select players, through the draft and up to ten (10), to complete their roster. If a center only has one team in an age group, returning or not, it will have the option to play in the open league or play in the recreation league. All outside organizations electing to play within the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department s youth baseball program will be required to participate in the Open division or submit their players to be assessed as a part of our overall drafting process. Teams playing in the Open League are not eligible to participate in SWAC tournament play.
ACTION STEP #2 ASSESSING INDIVIDUAL PLAYER SKILLS FOR EACH SPORT. DRAFT GUIDELINES Drafting must take place and be completed by Mar. 18 for youth baseball; the Focus Team will coordinate setting the draft dates and sites. There will be scheduled days per age group for drills. Days for age groups can be the same but have to be at different time periods. Age groups will not be mixed. Age groups affected by the draft are: 10&Us, 12&Us, 14&Us. The 16&&s & the 18&Us, typically haven t had large #s of teams to constitute a draft. A coach from each team is required to be present for drill day. If the coach can not be present, it is his/her responsibility to send a representative in their place to participate in the drafting of players. Each coach has the option to freeze up to 5(five) players. They must freeze said player(s) before the assessment process begins and cannot release players after the drills have been completed. No one can freeze players after the drills have been completed. FROZEN PLAYERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 5PM, Mar. 6, 2009! FMI s should provide their corridor Youth Baseball Focus Team representative with this information by the deadline. Frozen player requests submitted after the deadline will not be honored. If a coach freezes one player, he will not be able to draft a player until the second round. If a coach freezes two players, he will not be able to draft a player until the third round. If a coach freezes three players, he will not be able to draft a player until the fourth round All coaches will draw a number from a hat to determine drafting order per round. As coaches are added to each round, the drafting order will be repacked. Once all coaches are added, the drafting order will be #1 ascending to the last coach, who will select twice, and return in descending order to coach #1. This process will be repeated until all players are drafted.
Selections will be made in order beginning with #1 ascending to last coach in specific age category with last coach selecting twice and descending in reverse order back to coach #1. Players that are frozen will not participate in the drill day but should be present. We will meet after the completion of drills to draft players. All kids must be evaluated before being placed on teams. ACTION STEP #3 ORIENTATION OF PLAYERS, COACHES, AND PARENTS PRIOR TO LEAGUE PLAY COMMENCEMENT. PLAYERS: Players will receive orientation at mandatory skills evaluation day. Park and Recreation staff along with volunteer coaches discusses the drafting process and explains that a head coach will contact them and let them know when they begin practice. Safety and positive attitudes should be stressed during this time. COACHES: Coaches will continue to be trained and certified through NYSCA. Things to be given out at this meeting: a. Youth Sports Parent Packet b. Youth Drafting Drills Sheet c. Youth rating sheets d. NYSCA Coaches Certification Dates
PARENTS: Parents will receive orientation during mandatory skills evaluation day. Park and Recreation staff will review the new parent packet with parents while their children participate in drills. Time should be allowed for NYSCA video, completion of the Parents Code of Ethics and question/answer session. YOUTH SPORTS PARENT PACKET Welcome to the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department s Youth Athletic Program. The following information has been put together to emphasize our overall philosophy and expectations for the upcoming sports season. Please review this packet and feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. Keep in mind that we are committed to work together and provide the children participating in this program with the support they need to develop their skills, have fun and succeed. MISSION STATEMENT: To provide an organized process for fair play competition with an even distribution of talent while incorporating teaching, learning, teamwork, sportsmanship and role modeling elements into a fun and enjoyable experience for all youth sports participants. PURPOSE: The Parent Packet provides a brief informational guideline and lists the responsibilities and expectations of the Parents involved in our Youth Sports programs.
4 INFORMATION SELECTION OF TEAMS: The players are selected onto teams according to their Skills Evaluation Day ratings. Park and Recreation Staff and volunteer coaches will draft the players onto teams. The goal is to more evenly distribute talent by age group and by center. SKILLS EVALUATION DAY: (MANDATORY) All players must attend their scheduled day(s). Players will be evaluated by age group and by center. Players will participate in a series of drills to obtain an honest skill evaluation. Park and Recreation staff and volunteer coaches will determine talent grade level of each player, which will aid in the team selection process. PRACTICE: Teams typically practice weeknights between 6pm and 9pm depending on the age division. Teams may practice more than once a week and some weekend practices will occur prior to the beginning of the regular season. Practices must not exceed 1 ½ hours. GAMES: Games are scheduled predominantly on Saturday between 9am and 4pm. Games may be scheduled on weeknight evenings & Sundays as to ensure that the minimum amount of games are achieved. Games are scheduled per hour. CANCELLATIONS/POSTPONEMENTS: Decisions to cancel practices or games due to inclement weather will be made by 4pm on weeknights and 8am on weekends. Please call our 24- hour information line at (704) 432-3834. If weather conditions change after these times, decisions will be made at the playing site. OFFICIALS:
All youth athletic officials are contracted through local booking agencies. They are all state certified and trained by Park and Recreation staff on any departmental rule changes. All participants, parents, and coaches are expected to behave in a sportsmanlike manner, before, during & after games, towards the officials. RESPONSIBILITIES/EXPECTATIONS ATTENDANCE: Parents and players must plan to attend and arrive early for all practices and games. Notify your coach prior to missing a practice or game. EQUIPMENT: Make sure players are properly equipped for their particular sport. Ensure that player is wearing their uniform and all required safety gear. (Ex: Shinguards, etc ) GET INVOLVED: Alternate bringing healthy, snacks and drinks to practices and games. Offer to help other parents with car-pooling. Help provide a safe environment for the team. DEVELOPMENT: Promote physical skill development by working with players at home. Encourage players to grow mentally and emotionally by displaying a positive attitude and supporting all those involved in the program including the coach, the opposing team and officials. EVALUATION: Be prepared to give an honest critique at the end of the particular sports program. We want your input so we can learn how to improve our programs. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME READ THIS PARENT PACKET. WE HOPE THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR YOUTH ATHLETIC PROGRAMS.
ACTION STEP #4 PROGRAM EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND PARTICIPANTS. SUGGESTIONS: Input prior to season (Parent Orientation) Evaluation Form (completed by staff, coaches, players, and parents) Group discussion (Preseason and End of Season organizational meeting) YOUTH BASEBALL DRAFTING S Rate players on scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being the highest rating. THROWING: Drill 1 Accuracy from 45 feet Drill 2 Accuracy from 60 feet Drill 3 Accuracy from outfield (120+ feet) FIELDING: Drill 4 Grounders from the right side of infield (at least 5) Drill 5 Grounders from the left side of infield (at least 5) Drill 6 Fly balls (at least 5) HITTING: Drill 7 Bunting (at least 5) Drill 8 Free swinging (10 swings) BASERUNNING: Drill 9 Timed to 1 st base (2 attempts/best time) Drill 10 Timed complete trip around bases
RATE PLAYER 1 TO 5 WITH 1 BEING THE LOWEST AND 5 BEING THE HIGHEST NAME 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10. 11. 12.