Hilltop has a long tradition of baseball excellency in this area and you should feel proud to be a part of our continuing success. In years past when the league was considerably smaller than it is now, the policies and administrative procedures of the league were past on to new managers, from year to year, by managers and coaches who had been in the league for a long time. However, due to the explosive growth of the league over the past several years, many of the league’s policies and procedures have not been getting to the new managers and coaches. Therefore, the Board of Directors has decided to issue this manual to formally set guidelines and procedures for managers to follow and to also educate new managers on how the league operates and to help develop their coaching skills.

The continued success of this league is dependent solely on the influx of new volunteers who dedicate their time to carry on our rich tradition.

Good luck on the upcoming season and thank you for your devotion to youth baseball in this area.

Sincerely,

Hilltop Babe Ruth Baseball and ASA Softball League

Board of Directors

LEAGUE OPERATIONS (back to Top)

Hilltop Babe Ruth Baseball League operates according to a set of formal bylaws, which are carried out by a nineteen (19) member Board of Directors elected by the general membership. A minimum of eleven (11) directors are elected yearly at the September general membership meeting. Any member of the league in good standing is eligible to become a director and anyone seeking nomination as a director should contact the Vice President of Operations prior to the July Meeting. If desired, a copy of the bylaws can be attained from the League Secretary. All league business is conducted at the monthly board meetings, which are usually open to the general membership to attend. The league strongly encourages all managers to attend these meetings each month to stay current on league affairs; contact your Division Coordinator for the date and time of meetings. As managers your contact with the Board is through your Division Coordinator who is a direct assistant to the Vice President of Player Personnel; all correspondence must begin at this level.

The following is an outline of your responsibilities as a manager in this league.

PLAYER PARTICIPATION (back to Top)

Hilltop Babe Ruth Baseball and ASA Softball association have strict guidelines concerning the game participation of each player. Failure to completely with these rules will result in disciple action taken by the President and Board of Directors.

Detailed player participation rules can be found in the rules that govern each division.

Highlight

Rookies, Cadets and all Softball Divisions

All rostered players present for the game shall bat in order, whether playing defensively or not. The batting order will be adhered to. Players arriving late will be placed at the bottom of the line-up.

All players must play at least 3 defensive innings in the field.

Minor / Major Boys Baseball

All rostered players present at the game must play three (3) defensive innings in the field and bat at least one (1) time.

MANAGER’S RESPONSIBILITIES (back to Top)

GENERAL

1. After drafting a team, managers are to notify the newly drafted players within three (3) days that they are on your team. You may begin practicing your team immediately after the draft.

2. Managers should conduct a minimum of three (3) events per week, i.e. two (2) practices and one (1) game, two (2) games and one (1) practice, etc.

3. No players are to be left unattended at any fields. The manager or an adult appointed by him/her must wait at the field until all players have left or have been picked up. There are no exceptions to this rule at any age level.

4. One set of keys for the batting cage and the field gang boxes will be available for signing out at the shack. These keys are not to leave the Hilltop Field complex and are to be returned to the shack at the end of each day.

PRACTICES

1. There is a limited amount of practice space available to the league. Practice is strictly prohibited on any of the game fields at Hilltop Park without permission from the League President. Managers will be given copies of all permits held by the league for practice fields. Teams are not to interfere in any way with any school activities at Williamson Field (Manoa Field) regardless of what our permit says. Cadet level teams are not to use any of the fields with backstops at Williamson Field. These diamonds are for the use of the Minors Level and above teams on a first come basis.

2. The batting cage is for the use of all Hilltop teams. The Batting Cage sign up sheet is located in the shack. An adult must be present in the cage al all times, and the pitching machines are to be operated by adults only. Only one (1) player at a time shall be in the cage, and that player must wear a batting helmet. The last team in the cage is responsible to lock up all machines and balls in the gang boxes and then lock the cage. The cage is to remain locked at all times when not in use. Each time is allowed 1 time slot per week, additional cage time is permitted if all teams do not use their time slot for a particular week.

GAMES

1. At all levels accurate scorebooks are to be kept for all games. The scorebooks can be used as player participation verification tools at all tournaments. Therefore, the last name of all players participating in the game must appear in the scorebook.

2. To help keep games moving, three (3) additional batting helmets with cages are provided at all fields for the use of both teams playing. These helmets are clearly marked and are not to leave those fields. They are to be locked up with the bases at the end of the day’s games.

3. It is the manager’s responsibility to make sure your team’s dugout is cleaned of all trash immediately after the game.

4. The home team playing the last game on any field is responsible to put away and lock up all equipment that is not permanently mounted to the field. This includes bases, pitching machines, trashcans, etc. The visiting team is responsible for field maintainence. This includes filling the pitcher mound, home plate and raking the infield.

5. The manager of the home team playing the last game of the day on the Major/Minor Field, or an adult appointed by him/her, must wait at the field until the Shack is closed and all staff has left. This rule is for the safety of the Shack Personnel who will usually be leaving at night with that day’s receipts.

EQUIPMENT

At the beginning of every season each team manager is issued a complete set of uniforms and equipment for that team plus practice balls and the required number of game balls. As a bare minimum each equipment bag should contain the following:

· One (1) catcher’s mask with helmet and throat guard

· One (1) set of catcher’s leg gear

· One (1) catcher’s mitt (Rookie and Cadet teams will not receive catcher’s mitts unless specifically requested by Manager.)

· Four (4) batting helmets (Cadet, Minor and Major Baseball teams must have helmets with cages)

Managers are responsible for all league issued equipment and uniforms including normal maintenance to keep the equipment in good condition.

All equipment, especially bats and helmets, shall be inspected regularly by the Manger. Any bat or helmet with evident distortion or cracking must immediately be removed from use. Damaged equipment shall be reported to the equipment manager immediately for repair or replacement using the enclosed Equipment Requisition Form. All uniforms (except hats) at the Minor and Major boys Divisions must be collected by the manager immediately at the conclusion of the season. Players who do not return the uniform will not be permitted to register for the following season until the uniform is returned or paid for. Players in all other divisions keep the entire uniform.

TOURNAMENTS

As a Babe Ruth Baseball League, we regularly send a Tournament Team to the Babe Ruth sponsored tournaments at the end of each season. The Babe Ruth Tournaments take precedence over all other tournaments that may be available. Babe Ruth Baseball sponsors the following District Tournaments:

· Baseball – 9 and Under

· Baseball – 10 and Under

· Baseball – 11 and Under

· Baseball – 12 and Under

Separate tournament teams may be formed for individual age groups starting at eight (8) years old upon approval of the Board of Directors. Entry into any tournament must be approved in advance by the Board. The League will pay for entry of up to two (2) approved tournaments per team each year. Anyone wishing to manage a tournament team must submit their name to the Division Coordinator and/or the Tournament Committee. All Tournament Managers must be approved by the Board of Directors before any tournament team is formed. Tournament teams will be formed in accordance with the rules and guide lines of the Tournament Committee and Babe Ruth Rules. The League furnishes a full uniform, which must be returned. Pants and vests, which must be returned, and hats, which the player keeps, are furnished to all other Tournament Teams. Jerseys for all other Tournament Teams must be purchased by the individual players who make the team. Hilltop’s regular season activities take precedence over all tournament activities.

As an ASA Softball League, we participate in the DEL VAL Softball League. Team selection will take place prior to the start of the season. The teams participate in the DEL VAL league during the Hilltop regular season. All Hilltop girls softball participants will receive letters informing them of the try-out sessions. It will be up to the participant to attend the try-out. All DEL VAL Managers must be approved by the Board of Directors before any tournament team is formed. The League furnishes a full uniform, which must be returned. Pants and shorts, which must be returned – hats the player keeps. DEL VAL teams will be formed in accordance with the rules and guidelines of the League.

Tournament Team Policies

1. A tournament team will consist of a minimum of twelve (12) players and maximum of fifteen (15) players. The coaching staff will consist of one (1) manager and two (2) coaches chosen by the tournament manager who must all be listed on the Babe Ruth Roster.

2. The oldest tournament team within a particular division will be selected before any younger age tournament teams are selected. For example the twelve (12) year old team must be selected before an eleven (11) year old team is selected. The Babe Ruth Tournament Teams (10,12,13, 13-15) are to be selected by June 1^st.

3. Each division manager will recommend players from his/her team who he/she feels are qualified to play on the tournament team. Factors to consider when selecting those players are talent, maturity and commitment to participating during and after the Hilltop season. The recommended players and their parents must be apprised of the time commitment (play up to July 31) required by the tryout will be issued solely by the tournament manager. The tournament team manager will conduct at least two (2) tryouts before making cuts, and he/she is required to personally speak to all cut players, either individually or as a group, to let them know why they did not make the team. Each tournament team player and parent will be required to sign a tournament commitment letter.

4. Tournament team tryouts and practices may begin immediately after the manager is approved by the Board of Directors. However, those tryouts and practices shall not interfere with any regular season activities. NO player shall attend a tournament team activity over the regular season team activity without the permission of his or her team manager.

5. All Hilltop league personal safety related rules shall be adhered to by the tournament teams, even if those rules do not exist in the particular tournament.

PLAYER INJURIES (back to Top)

Haverford Township Hilltop’s position on injuries during a game is to call *911 from the “Shack” when a player is seriously injured.

COMMON MINOR SPORTS INJURIES

Most sports injuries are preventable. To assist in avoiding injuries, participants should maintain fitness, train adequately, play to standard, use the correct equipment and clothing, and cease activity as soon as a suspected injury occurs.

Most sports are either contact sports, like rugby and judo, or non-contact sports like tennis, swimming and cricket. Some sports, such as netball and waterpolo, are essentially non-contact, but unavoidable person-to-person contact does occur. Certain types of injury are particular to certain sports, and as an example, facial injuries are more prevalent in contact sports such as rugby, than in non-contact sports such as tennis.

Most major sports injuries can be recognized by their attendant signs and symptoms, and treatment can be provided as required. Head injuries, concussion, lacerations, soft tissue injuries and fractures, are recognizable and can be effectively treated by anyone trained in basic first aid.

Certain other sports injuries are more common, and may require more specific first aid treatment. Some common types are addressed below:

Chest cramps (or `stitches'). Usually caused by cramps of the intercostal muscles between the ribs, or the diaphragm high in the abdomen. Brought on by exertion, chest cramps are identified by sharp, spasmodic pain in the chest, difficulty in standing upright, and gasping respirations. A `Stitch' will disappear with rest and concentration on deep breathing.

Dislocated jaw. A common injury in certain contact sports is dislocation, or fracture, of the lower jaw (mandible). The casualty will have pain in the jaw, be unable to speak properly, and may have trouble swallowing. This injury requires a trip to hospital, and the casualty should sit, leaning slightly forward, and rest the injured jaw on a pad held by the casualty.

DO NOT apply a bandage to support the jaw. Observe the casualty carefully for signs of breathing difficulties and any indication that he or she is becoming drowsy or unconscious.

Groin and testicle injuries. Caused by a blow to the groin, or by overstretching the associated muscles. Characterized by pain to the region of the groin, sometimes nausea or vomiting. The casualty will be unable to stand upright, and will `guard' the injured area with his hands. The casualty should be placed on his back with knees slightly bent, and have an ice pack applied with caution to the injury site. Seek medical aid.

Muscle cramps. Caused by overstretching muscles, or by abnormal muscle contraction. They may also be associated with loss of fluid due to excessive sweating. Characterized by pain, tenderness, loss of power and stiffening or spasms of the muscles. Muscles respond to rest, application of an ice pack, then subsequent gentle stretching. DO NOT massage the affected muscles.

`Winding'. Caused by a blow to the abdomen which temporarily `paralyses' the diaphragm. Characterized by breathing difficulty, gasping attempts to breathe, lack of chest movement, bending at the waist and `guarding' the abdomen. The casualty should be placed in a reclining position and reassured until he or she regains the ability to breathe. DO NOT `pump' the casualty's legs, as this delays recovery.

`Tennis elbow'. This injury is due to a strain of the tendons and muscles associated with the elbow. Severe cases also involve the ligaments. It is usually a chronic condition, and presents when the elbow is overused or overstretched. Characterized by pain usually centered over the bone on the outer side of the joint that becomes more severe on movement. The casualty may need medical attention for pain relief, so application of an ice pack and support in a sling, as well as a visit to hospital is advised.

Shin splints'. This injury is due to a strain of the long flexor muscle of the toes, characterized by pain along the shinbone. This is an injury common to track athletes and footballers. First aid is rest, application of an ice pack, and elevation of the limb. Repetitive injury should be examined and treated by a medical professional.

Source: PARASOL EMT Pty Limited, Telephone: 1-300-366-818, www.parasolemt.edu.au.

DEALING WITH PARENTS (back to Top)

Coaching a Youth League Team is exciting and rewarding. But from time to time, you can experience difficulty with parents. Some may want their children to play more or they might question some of your judgements as a coach. This is normal, so do not feel that you are alone if this happens.

Below are a few thoughts to remember when dealing with parents:

· Always listen to their ideas and feelings. Remember, they are interested and concerned because it is their children that are involved. Encourage parental involvement.

· Express appreciated for their interest and concern. This will make them ore open and at ease with you.

· No coach can please everyone. Do not try.

· Know what your objectives are and do what you believer to be of value to the team, not the parents.

· Make certain all parents know your ground rules. Have rules and regulations for practice including dates and times printed on a piece of paper you can pass out to all parents. Have a parent meeting before the season begins to discuss your objectives and procedures.

· Resist unfair pressure. You are the coach and it is your responsibility to make final decisions.

· Most important, be fair. If you treat players equally you will gain their respect.

· Be Consistent! If you change a rule during the season, you may be in for trouble. If you do change, make sure everyone is informed, including parents.

· Handle any confrontation one-on-one and not in a crowd situation. Do not argue with a parent. Listen to their viewpoint.

· Do not discuss any other player with other parents. This grapevine will hang you.

· Ask parents not to criticize their children during a game. Don not allow a parent to humiliate their child. You are in charge during a game.

· Do not blame children for their parent’s behavior. Try to maintain a fair attitude..

· Parents must accept the fact that umpires, coaches and other league officials are volunteers and should be treated fairly at all times.

Always remember that you will be dealing with all types of children and parents of different backgrounds. One of your main challenges as a coach is to deal with these differences.

CONDUCTING A PRACTICE (back to Top)

It is important in conducting a practice that you have your activities pre-planned so thing will not get out of control. A suggested practice schedule would be as follows:

· A 10 minute warm up – All players loosening up by throwing to each other. Calisthenics are good to loosen up joints and muscles to prevent injury.

· 30 minute batting practice – Let each player get 3 to 5 good hits. Others not batting should field the batted balls.

· 45 minute dummy game – This gives players a real game experience and lets you concentrate on fundamentals. Do not just talk fundamentals, instead, execute them in practice.

· Always start practice on time. Players must understand that they are expected to be on time.

· Young players tend to daydream. Make sure they stay alert. During fielding, you should have players on their toes when the pitch is made so they become used to this in games.

· Ask the players to obey instructions – no exceptions.

· Practice means work, but make it enjoyable. The more fun they are having the more they are likely to learn.

· Never stop teaching at practice. Children learn by repetition.

· If you have assistant coaches use them at practice. A good assistant is invaluable to a coach.

· Set aside a time during regular practice to work individually with those players who need help in specific areas. If you have assistance, let them have this time during practice to work with other players.

· Above all, you must require all players to try. They may have different levels of talent, but everyone can try.

· Hustle means running off and on the field between innings, running out every ht ball and backing up fellow players on the field.

· Encourage team unity and spirit. Never allow a player to criticize another. This creates animosity and hurts morale.

· Correct errors of a player in practice diplomatically and immediately. This way the player learns at the proper time while it is still fresh in their minds.

· Understand the difference in criticism and correction. Correction deals with the problem, not the individual. Criticism directed at an individual always has a negative effect on all.

· In a game situation, tell players not to panic under pressure, but stay relaxed and concentrate.

· Lastly, be consistent in practice by making it clear to the players what you expect of them. If you do so, you will have a fundamentally sound team.

TEACHING FIELDING SKILLS (back to Top)

Here are a few fundamentals that all players must learn if they are to become good fielders. The biggest mistakes youngsters make in fielding is that they try to get too fancy of cute. As a coach your role is to instill fundamentals into their play. These tips may be helpful.

INFIELDERS

· Get in proper position. Stay low with glove down and your back parallel to the ground. This helps in protecting players and allows for quick body movement when pursuing grounders. Be on your toes, not flat footed.

· Charge grounders with both hands out in front of you. Do not wait for the ball to play you.

· If a hot grounder is too hard to handle, try and just knock it down and keep it in front of you. This prevents extra bases.

· Always look the ball into your glove.

· Always call out loudly on pop-ups. Always chatter.

· Cross your legs over when pursuing grounders. Do not shuffle from side to side.

· When tagging a runner, keep your glove closed and both hands on the ball. When making a tag on a runner at a base, use the base to protect yourself and drop the tag between the base and the runner’s feet, straddling the base.

· Keep run down throws to a minimum. Get the runner out going back to the base he/she came from.

· An accurate throw is better than a hard one. Throw at your fellow player’s chest. Get the sure out. Back each other up.

OUTFIELDERS

· Do not stand flat-footed when the batter comes up to the plate. Watch the ball closely as the pitch is made and anticipate a hit to your field.

· When fielding a hit, always look to the cutoff man for instructions on where to throw the ball.

· Catch fly balls over your head, with your hands above you so you will be in good position to make a quick throw.

· When pursuing fly balls, try to keep you eye on the ball as much as possible. If hit to your right, turn right and look over your left shoulder. Do the opposite for a ball over your left side. Back track using crossover footwork. When the ball is hit, your first move should be back. Remember that you can always come in on a fly ball easier than you can go back on one.

· If a grounder us difficult to field, block it with your body to avoid extra base hits. Keep throws low and bounce them to the infield if you can not reach it on the fly accurately. “Call out” all fly balls to avoid collisions.

· Back up all fellow outfielders in the event they miss the ball.

· When throwing, both infielders and outfielders alike should get a good grip on the ball’s seams and make sure they have a secure grip before throwing.

One last tip. Always think to yourself, “What do I do if the ball comes to me?” Or “What do I do if the ball does not come to me?”

TEACHING BATTING SKILLS (back to Top)

Most young players are eager to hit a home run every time they step up to bat. It is important that they understand that this is a mistake. The key idea in teaching batting skills revolves around one thought………Keep your eye on the ball. Contact is the number one priority because contact results in hits, which builds self-confidence.

With that in mind, here are some helpful hints to teach young players to become better hitters.

· Choke up. This helps to obtain bat speed. Bat speed determines distance.

· Weight on back foot. This helps maintain balance and gives the batter power. Body control is good balance.

· Swing level. Discourage uppercuts. Uppercuts cause pop-ups.

· Have a short stride. This keeps the batter on balance and promotes a level string. A long stride causes loss of balance and power.

· Keep your eye on the ball. Watch a pitch all the way to the catcher’s mitt. Remind the player that he/she has to see it to hit it.

· Spread your feet as wide as your shoulders. Hit the ball out in front of the plate. Hold the bat firmly, but do not squeeze it. This will inhibit wrist action and slow down the bat.

· When on deck, watch the pitcher. Is he/she wild, getting tire, mixing up pitches? This will help you anticipate pitches when you go up to bat.

· Typically, stand close enough to home plate so you can touch the outside corner with the tip of your bat. Adjust your position up or back in the batter’s box or in or away from home plate depending on the pitcher’s speed and location. Also try setting up a little behind home plate.

· Learn the strike zone. Make the pitcher pitch to you and do not chase pitches out of the strike zone. Learn where you best in respect to the strike zone.

· Stride into the pitch to gain timing with the pitch.

· Focus on the pitcher. Pick out an object on his/her person, i.e. the bill of his/her cap or his/her chest. When the pitcher starts his/her wind-up, focus on the ball and follow it all the way in.

· Keep knuckles straight, hands back and knees bent.

· Swing at about 85% of your total capacity. Do not overswing.

Most important, make sure your players use a bat that is not too heavy for him/her. Many times a player grabs the wrong bat and can not get it around. Check you bag for the proper bats for your team. Too many choices are sometimes the wrong thing.

CODE OF CONDUCT (back to Top)

Following are codes of conduct for players and parents that are to be followed.

Player Conduct

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………….2

League Operations……………………………………………………….…3

Manager’s Responsibilities …………………………………………….…3

Player Injuries……………….…………………………………………….…7

Dealing with Parents.………………………………………………….…...9

Conducting a Practice……………………………………….…………….10

Teaching Fielding Skills….……………………………….……………….11

Teaching Batting Skills…………………………………………………....12

Code of Conduct…..…………………………………………………….…..13

HILLTOP BABE RUTH BASEBALL LEAGUE (back to Top)