PBSF League Guidelines
Introduction
The success of PBF depends on the successful interaction and commitment from three groups:
Dedicated Coaches committed to providing quality instruction in a supportive environment.
Enthusiastic Players interested in participating and who are willing to learn
Supportive Parents actively assisting toward a successful season
The purpose of these guidelines is to help everyone understand what it takes each season to achieve the goal of our mission statement: a memorable baseball experience for every child. We ask all Coaches, Players, and Parents to sign an agreement acknowledging that they have read these Guidelines and the PBSF Code of Conduct, and will do their best to uphold them.
Coach Guidelines
It all starts at the top. Nothing is more significant toward creating a memorable baseball experience for a player than a coach. A quality coach can make players from teams with losing records feel like winners. Conversely, players from teams with winning records are not guaranteed a rewarding season when the coaching is poor.
As a coach, you will not only be responsible for teaching baseball, but also for teaching invaluable life lessons and skills such as teamwork, character, confidence and resilience.
PBF looks to all coaches to strive for the following:
Skill Building and Fundamentals
Your role is to:
- Help every player master the appropriate divisional skills and fundamentals, as described in the Division Descriptions.
- Develop players at positions where they can have some success.
- Improve players at positions they aspire to play but which they are not ready to be successful by providing opportunities in practice.
- Prepare players for the next level of baseball or softball.
- Act as a role model.
You should lead practices with an organized plan toward reaching these goals. To help you achieve this, PBSF is committed to providing you with the tools and training you need to teach and reinforce these skills. Regardless of your experience level, you are expected to attend a league sponsored coaching clinic annually.
Positive Coaching
Even more important than developing baseball skills, great coaches help players mature as people. Your goal is to create a positive experience for all players. This includes setting a proper example which emphasizes sportsmanship, effort, teamwork, respect (for players, coaches, umpires, and the game), and responsibility.
“Positive Coaching” also means sensitivity to different learning styles, using positive reinforcement, and never giving up on any player who gives good effort. Under no circumstances is the humiliation of a player ever appropriate.
You will attend a mandatory Positive Coaching Alliance workshop annually provided by the League and use the PCA guidelines when coaching. You also need to read and follow the PBSF Code of Conduct.
Punctuality
One important factor of teamwork and responsibility is being on time. Do your best to lead by example; always be on time and demand this from your players. Additionally, you are encouraged to enforce this policy with playing time consequences.
Playing Time and Position Rotation
Per the PBSF mission statement, an important coaching objective is to provide ample opportunities for each child to succeed. It is for this reason that each division has minimum game playing time and position rotation guidelines for players. (See Division Descriptions for specific guidelines.)
These guidelines get less “egalitarian” for each advanced division. However, even in the top divisions, you have the responsibility to ensure that each player feels like a valued part of the team. Minimum guidelines are a minimum, not a goal. The team’s needs come before individual desires, but the latter should be taken into consideration whenever practical and appropriate. Your challenge as a coach is to find the right balance between playing competitively, and providing great experience for each player.
Team Selection Guidelines
At the beginning of each season, you will work with all the other coaches in your division to make the team selection process as fair as possible. The goal of a successful draft is not to build your own powerhouse but to make teams as even as possible. This will make for a better experience for all.
- Some additional team selection guidelines include:
- Attending and participating in the pre-season evaluations.
- Sharing in an open and honest way all previous experience about players.
- Working together, for Mustang and above, to ensure that pitchers and catchers are distributed evenly.
- Trying to accommodate siblings on the same team whenever possible.
Three final notes:
- Only one coach per team is permitted to “freeze” his/her own children during the draft. Siblings are frozen in their appropriate draft round based upon the pre-draft evaluation order. If multiple siblings are involved, all coaches need to discuss to ensure team parity. Requests for additional coaches per team (and the ensuing need to freeze additional players) are generally discouraged and require approval of the Commissioner.
- Requests to pair “friends” should be given a very low priority.
- Any modifications to rosters after the draft require approval from the Commissioner.
The Division Commissioner is responsible for administering, supervising, and maintaining the integrity and objectives of the draft, including but not limited to:
- Having the final say about the draft order.
- Deciding where frozen players will be placed in the draft order.
- Approving the pairing of all co-coaches or assistant coaches.
Make Baseball & Softball Fun
Ultimately, this is a game for the players to enjoy. Remember that you are the most significant factor in making a season memorable and rewarding. Do what you can to make it fun by fostering a sense of team unity and spirit.
Parent Guidelines
Parents play a huge role in making a season great. Parental support lets the coaches coach and the kids play ball. There are many required tasks to keep a season moving along, and supportive parents make all the difference.
PBF looks to all parents to strive for the following:
Volunteer Efforts
Simply, the League cannot run without your involvement. You are expected to assist with your fair share of team and League duties. These tasks include:
Ongoing Team Duties - (e.g. team administrator, carpool driving, field prep, snack, team party, press releases, scorekeeping, schedules, jersey distribution, assistant coaching, etc. Refer to the Team Planning Guide for more information.)
League Volunteer Time - In addition to team tasks, you are expected to help out with league functions. With enough support, none of these tasks should take more than a few hours a season. Examples include helping with registration, organizing tryouts, uniform dispersal, field maintenance, fundraising, web site maintenance, Opening Day help, 4 th of July Parade help, and data entry tasks.
Attendance
PBSF is not a casual recreation league with an optional attendance policy. Players are expected to attend all practices and games, with the understanding that occasionally, acceptable conflicts do occur. Examples of acceptable conflicts are religious, academic, or medical. (Parents are obligated to disclose potential standing conflicts before the draft, so that this information can be considered during team selection.) If your child plays other sports during the spring baseball & softball season, players are expected to give top priority to baseball or softball. Making choices and sacrifices are part of fostering responsibility and teamwork.
You or your player should notify coaches as far in advance as possible in the advent of absences.
Punctuality
You are asked to take practice and game start times very seriously. Punctuality shows respect for coaches and fellow teammates. A player is “on time” when suited up and ready to play ball, not when dropped off at the parking lot with cleats in hand. A two-hour practice should consist of two hours of practice. Unexcused tardiness of your child may affect their playing time during games.
Reinforcement
You should help your player develop and reinforce what they learn, and not rely solely on team practices. This is especially important at the younger divisional levels. Budding players need to play catch frequently. Young developing players that swing a bat and play catch only at practices and games develop at a slower rate. A few minutes a day in the backyard and an occasional trip to the batting cages makes a huge difference. Additionally, you are expected to reinforce lessons of sportsmanship and teamwork. PBSF strongly recommends that you attend a league sponsored Positive Coaching Alliance workshop.
Community Service
In keeping with our community's theme of Respect and PBSF's commitment to sportsmanship and teamwork, the league has added a Community Service component to our experience. Please support your player in a league directed small community service project to benefit others in need."
Respect for Coaches and Umpires
Respect the time commitment, sacrifices, and responsibility that coaches have voluntarily undertaken. Try to understand what they are trying to do from a team perspective and help your player better understand team decisions as well.
During games, your important job is to root the team on and celebrate good play. Let the coaches do the coaching. Coaching from the sidelines can be very distracting and confusing for the players.
It is never appropriate for parents and spectators to question or criticize umpires’ calls. Let the coach handle any disagreements.
Grievances
If there are issues, parents are encouraged to talk to coaches sooner rather than later. Give coaches an opportunity to offer their perspective/explanation before you reach any conclusions. Feel free to ask a coach for explanations of things that may concern you. Remember that a coach is responsible for balancing the needs of each player with the needs of the team. If you find talking to the coach does not resolve your issue, contact the Division Commissioner.
Player Guidelines
Many coaches and parents work very hard so you can play. In return, you must work hard too, out of respect for your coaches, parents, and the game.
PBSF looks to you to strive for the following:
Attendance
Try hard to be at all games and practices. If you play other sports during the spring baseball or softball season, give top priory to baseball or softball. Your team is counting on you! If you do need to miss a game or practice, make sure your coach knows ahead of time.
Punctuality
Be on time and “ready to play” at all games and practices.
Effort
Work hard and try your best at all times. Take practice and games seriously and work on skills outside of practice.
Sportsmanship
Respect your fellow teammates, coaches, opposing players, and umpires. Always treat them the way you would like to be treated. Support your fellow teammates that might not do certain things as well as you. If they make a mistake, help them feel better instead of criticizing them. Always be a good sport, whether you win or lose.
Community Service
Join your fellow teammates in a small community service project that will help other kids in need.
Fun
Enjoy yourself. Always remember that this is a game. Regardless of whether you win or lose, the game is lots of fun, and the harder you try, the more fun you will have.