Baseball Coaching Manual
Total Page:16
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Baseball Coaching Manual 1 | P a g e Version 1.1 Contents Welcome and Coaches Expectations ......................................................................................................... 3-4 Code of Ethics ............................................................................................................................................ 4-6 Mission Statement/Program Goals and Guidelines ................................................................................... 7-8 Must Play Rule .............................................................................................................................................. 9 Inclement Weather Policy………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9 Conduct Standards and Procedures ....................................................................................................... 10-12 Contact Information ............................................................................................................................... 12-13 Field of Play and Positions .......................................................................................................................... 15 Equipment & Uniforms .......................................................................................................................... 16-18 Player Positions ...................................................................................................................................... 18-22 Basic Rules .............................................................................................................................................. 22-24 Umpire Signal ........................................................................................................................................ 25-26 Baseball Terms ................................................................................................................................. 27-28-32 Coaching Children .................................................................................................................................. 30-31 Coaches Responsibilities ........................................................................................................................ 31-36 Role of Officials/Scorers .............................................................................................................................. 37 Principles of Practice Organization ........................................................................................................ 37-38 Plans and Drills ....................................................................................................................................... 38-61 Resources & Supporting Information ......................................................................................................... 61 10 Nutrition Tips for the Young Athletes .................................................................................................... 62 2 | P a g e Welcome & Important Information Formatted: Underline Congratulations on your decision to take your first steps coaching youth sports within Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. Volunteer coaches serve as positive role models to the youth of our community while helping them to develop strong character and encouraging them to perform to the best of their abilities. This handbook is designed as a one-stop resource to support coaches in our youth sports program in providing a safe environment for children to have fun, learn new skills and enjoy youth sports. This is achieved by volunteer coaches teaching the fundamentals of a sport and allowing children to enjoy everything that sport is about. This handbook is intended to increase your knowledge and understanding of the coaching process within Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation youth sports and enable volunteer coaches to become more confident coaching youths. This is achieved by: • Understanding our Mission Statement, program philosophy, goals, guidelines, conduct standards and procedures. • Providing coaches, a better understanding of the delivery of sport specific skills with safe, effective and organized practices. All coaches possess their own unique skill set based on experience, personality, philosophy and knowledge. All effective coaches, however, have certain skills in common, which include: • Planning skills • Communication skills • Motivational skills • Organizational and Administrative skills • Analytical skills • Flexibility of style appropriate to individual players’ needs This handbook will help set you on your way to becoming a more confident and effective youth sports coach. The role of volunteer coach means that you will be held in high esteem and will become an important role model for young people. Do not underestimate the importance of your volunteer coach position in the eyes of your players and their parents. It is therefore vital that all volunteer coaches working within Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department (MCPRD) Youth Sports read, understand and agree to abide by the content and underlying principles of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) Coaches’ Code of Ethics (available on page 5) or as a download. All head coaches must be certified under the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) and are required to complete NYSCA sport specific training. This training is conducted on-line and the $20 membership fee is paid for by MCPRD Youth sports via the home recreation centers where they will be coaching. The recreation center’s chapter director for NYSCA must create each coach’s separate account with the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS). 3 | P a g e Youth Sports Volunteer Coaches’ Expectations • Make practice and games safe (ensure playing areas are free from any hazards before play begins), conduct adequate warm-up and cool-down times, etc. and FUN • Teach sport skills to all players, not just gifted ones • Encourage, reward and praise their young athletes’ efforts • Remember that effort is more important than winning (accept the “youth athletes first, winning second” perspective on youth sports) • Permit athletes to share in the leadership and decision making for their team, including team rules • Be the team “leader” and continuously set positive and uplifting examples of good sportsmanship for their players and their players’ parents. • Continuously encourage, monitor and help enforce their players’ and parents’ Code of Ethics (see pages 6-8). Code of Ethics for Youth Coaches (NYSCA) I hereby pledge to live up to my certification as a NYSCA Coach by following the NYSCA Coaches’ Code of Ethics: • I will place the emotional and physical well-being of my players ahead of a personal desire to win. • I will treat each player as an individual, remembering the large range of emotional and physical development for the same age group. • I will do my best to provide a safe playing situation for my players. • I promise to review and practice basic first aid principles needed to treat injuries of my players. • I will do my best to organize practices that are fun and challenging for all my players. • I will lead by example in demonstrating fair play and sportsmanship to all my players. 4 | P a g e • I will provide a sports environment for my team that is free of drugs, tobacco and alcohol and I will refrain from their use at all youth sports events. • I will be knowledgeable in the rules of each sport that I coach and will teach these rules to my players. • I will use those coaching techniques appropriate for all of the skills that I teach. • I will remember that I am a youth sports coach and that the game is for children and not adults. Code of Ethics for Players (NYSCA) I hereby pledge to be positive about my youth sports experiences and accept responsibility for my participation by following this Players’ Code of Ethics pledge: • I will encourage good sportsmanship from fellow players, coaches, officials and parents at every game and practice by demonstrating good sportsmanship. • I will attend every practice and game that I can and will notify my coach if I cannot. • I will expect to receive a fair and equal amount of playing time. • I will do my very best to listen and learn from my coaches. • I will treat my coaches, other players, officials and fans with respect regardless of race, sex, creed or abilities and I will expect to be treated accordingly. • I deserve to have fun during my sports experience and will alert parents or coaches if it stops being fun. • I deserve to play in an environment that is free from drugs, tobacco and alcohol and expect adults to refrain from their use at all youth sports events. • I will encourage my parents to be involved with my team in some capacity because it is important to me. • I will do my very best in school. • I will remember that sports participation is an opportunity to learn and have fun. 5 | P a g e Code of Ethics for Parents (NYSCA) The Parents Alliance for Youth Sports (PAYS) program sets a standard for parent education by providing a video-based educational program which offers a simple, effective way to make youth sports parents aware of their roles and responsibilities, as well as ways they can make their child’s experience more enjoyable and positive. I hereby pledge to provide positive support, care and encouragement for my child participating in youth sports by following this PAYS Parents Code of Ethics: • I will encourage good sportsmanship by demonstrating positive support for