|
Wellesley Little League
1st Grade League
Information and League Rules for Coaches
I. General Information
Philosophy – The 1st Grade league is a developmental league and coaches are expected to emphasize having fun while teaching players fundamental techniques for throwing a baseball and, secondarily, hitting a baseball. The League will play games on Saturdays at 1:30pm and have a weekly team practice (in addition to Saturday game day) from April until mid-June. The games are for fun, no score should be kept and coaches should treat the games as an opportunity to reinforce skills within the context of the game (especially infield play, teamwork and game situations). At this age there can be dramatic differences in ability among the players. Coaches should emphasize to each player a goal of “getting better every week” and identify things for each player to work on that are appropriate for that player. Complement, praise and encourage each player for their personal accomplishments. The league is structured so that teams will play “small-sided baseball”, this year we have twenty-three seven year old teams to enable players to see more action and keep all players on the team moving and involved as much as possible. Coaches should structure practice drills and games to insure that players are not standing around or spending too much time watching others, and receive ongoing coaching to reinforce proper techniques.
Skills Focus – WLL believes that too many kids in its older leagues have not learned how to properly throw a baseball when they were younger. As a result, WLL has adopted specific throwing drills for coaches to use – at all levels of its program – to teach proper techniques. These drills are contained in the WLL Coaches Handbook (web link below) as Appendix A, and may also be obtained at the WLL web site. Coaches should run these drills at the beginning of every practice, and educate the players about the reasons for each drill. Teaching 1st graders the proper throwing mechanics is the number 1 skills goal for the season. The secondary goal is teaching players proper batting mechanics, with the primary teaching tool being the batting tee. It is very important that all players use the tee every game. All games should begin with the use of the tee. Refer to the Coaches Handbook for proper mechanics and drills (especially the soft toss and tee drills).
Practices – Please be certain to schedule one independent practice each week. This is in addition to Saturday practice/game day. Coaches should develop a practice plan in advance, and are encouraged to use a consistent structure for every practice. Running simultaneous stations that focus on particular skill development with small groups of players is encouraged. For example, one coach can practice throwing, another fielding (ground balls / pop-ups) and a third swing mechanics, and rotate the kids through each station quickly. Coaches should recruit parents to assist – even if it’s only one practice during the season, as most players’ parents will attend the practice / game, anyway. Be creative, and refer to the Coaches Handbook for tips. If you would like further assistance in developing drills for practices, you may contact the league Commissioner. Note that there is no field reservation system in place in Wellesley, and fields are available (subject to field conditions and scheduled or make-up games) on a first come, first served basis.
Inclement Weather – Coaches are responsible for the well being of their players, and may cancel games if, in their discretion, the conditions are unsafe or too unpleasant. (Remember that kids do like to play in the rain and some of the most memorable games are the ones where the conditions are not “ideal” for parents; bear in mind that it is already a short season and difficult to make-up games; and always remember the Norwegian perspective: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.) Set-up a system to contact all players’ families (broadcast email, phone chain or WLL web site), and make sure everyone knows what to expect, in advance. If you anticipate the need to cancel a game, make sure that you and the coach for the opposing team have each other’s contact information and coordinate well in advance so that you can avoid communication problems. If the coaches do not agree, the home team coach decides. If anyone spots lightning, play should be suspended and players should be advised to wait 20 minutes in cars (not under trees) before play resumes.
Team Discipline / Parental Assistance – Setting up some rules for your team at the beginning of the season will make things easier for the coaches, parents and players. Coaches should recruit parents to assist during the practices and games so coaches can focus on coaching. Consider assigning this duty just like assigning responsibility for ice and oranges. For example, you may ask a parent to run the bench area, to make sure kids are prepared to bat, are not swinging bats or otherwise endangering one another, and manage the batting order.
Pancake Festival – The annual Pancake Festival is the WLL’s most important fundraiser and the support of the players and their families is very important. This year’s Festival will be on Saturday, May 19th at the Wellesley High School. Coaches are strongly encouraged to find a coordinator for their team to manage the distribution and collection of tickets and funds. Each team will receive a package of tickets to distribute to the players to sell.
Picture Day – Individual and team pictures are scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 12th. Each head coach will receive a package with order forms and information for distribution to the players’ families. The WLL web site will have the schedule for the pictures. Try and have your team there at least 10 minutes early so they’re ready to go. By watching the prior team you’ll get an idea of the drill and it will enable you to get in and get it done quicker.
End of Season – WLL policy is to suggest coaches do not purchase trophies or the like for players. Certificates with a team picture are a fine alternative and quite easy to produce with digital cameras. Try to take a picture early enough in the season to make this a simple process. A season-end gathering to commemorate the season and maybe make special recognition of each player’s individual development is a fine time to distribute such certificates.
Resources - Coaches should read the Coaches Handbook, which is an excellent source for techniques, coaching tips and drills. The Handbook is available on the WLL web site and there will be additional resources added regularly.
Thanks! – The success of little league for every player is attributable to the volunteers who make it all possible, and the most important volunteer is the player’s coach. Your players will learn about the game of baseball and team sports from you, and many an adult still has vivid memories of their little league days and the coaches who helped them. Thanks very much for your generous efforts!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, problems, requests for help or suggestions on how we can improve the 1st Grade league or other aspects of little league in Wellesley.
II. Practice / Game Rules
- On field practice time starts promptly at 1:30pm each Saturday. Practice should last 30 minutes and the game time should fill the balance of the time. You should be off the field and make sure that all equipment and players are removed from the bench areas no later than 3:15. Games that precede your time on the field must end prior to 1:30 and it is the responsibility of the preceding game coaches to make sure that happens. If you have any problems, please let me know.
- Tees should be used for the entire first game- no coach pitch. It is important to stress to value of hitting of a tee. Even David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez continue to use a tee. Coaches should work with players to focus on batting swing mechanics, taking care to position the tee out in front of the batter (where a batter should hit a pitched ball). Advanced players should be taught how to hit the ball as if it was an "inside" or "outside" pitch, by moving the location of the tee inside or outside. (Refer to the Coaches Manual for suggestions.) After two games, all players should continue to hit off the tee during there first at bat. Coaches may then pitch to those hitters on their team who have the consistent ability to hit a pitched ball in not more than two or three swings. Coaches may elect to use the tee for the entire team and season if they wish.
- All players should be positioned on the field during your team’s defensive ½ inning, with no catcher and positions filled in the following priority: all infield positions; pitcher; and then outfield. Coaches should be on the field to assist players in their positioning (keeping outfielders out of the infield), reinforce skill mechanics and keep the game moving. Coaches should do their best to rotate each player through all of the positions, while being sensitive to any player’s anxiety about playing first base and pitcher. Avoid placing a player in a position that could endanger them, or make the game too frustrating for the others. Coaches must proactively work with their better players to support and help the players who are not as advanced, and make sure those who are not advanced make real progress during the season.
- The defensive team should attempt to make a play at a base to retire a runner or batter on each batted ball. Players at this age often can run faster to a base than the defense can throw the ball, but the goal is to teach players how to make plays, and throw to the proper bases. Coaches should be encouraging defensive players to attempt a play, without being overly concerned about runners taking advantage of defensive errors.
- The batting team’s coaches govern the base runners. The batting team’s coaches should reward good hits, but not allow runners to take undue advantage of sloppy fielding play. Limit base running advances on any overthrow so that runners don't advance past the base to which they were running when the overthrow occurred. Coaches should explain these limits to players prior to playing and be consistent in enforcement. There is no leading, stealing or advances on a “passed ball.” Base runners must stay on the base until a ball is hit.
- Defensive plays that result in outs should be celebrated, but the runners should be allowed to remain at the base where they were put out. (This increases the chances for defensive plays at different bases in the field and keeps the batting team on the field, instead of sitting.) Three outs does not retire the side.
- A continuous batting order should be used and no more than 8 – 12 batters should hit each ½ inning. If a team has 4 – 6 players, that team should probably go through the lineup twice. (Otherwise, at this age, too much time is spent switching sides.) Coaches of both teams should confer prior to play to establish the rule for that game, taking into account the number of players on each team, and be prepared to change the rule as game conditions merit. Coaches or parents helping with the bench should insure that players are ready, with helmets and bats, and there is no delay between batters. Coaches should vary the batting order each week.
- Players on the batting team should remain on the bench (or in the immediate area) until they are batting. There is no on deck circle or swinging bats except in the batter’s box.
- A batted ball must reach the pitcher or it is a foul ball. There are no strikeouts. If a batter is unable to hit a pitched ball after 2 - 3 swings, the batter should be allowed to hit off the tee. Again, the tee should be in use the entire first game and the first inning of every game for all players. If the batter is unable to hit the ball after a 2 – 3 more tries, the batter should be awarded first base. (It will be much easier if you are consistent with this “league rule” so you avoid the painful experience – for everyone – of a child continuously swinging and missing. Work on making contact in practice, not during the games when all eyes are on a struggling child.) Coaches must keep games moving.
- Every batter and runner on base must wear a helmet at all times.
- Batters must drop their bat after hitting the ball. Each batter should be given one clear warning if he or she throws the bat – stop action to do so. On the second instance the batter loses the opportunity to run the bases (if the swing resulted in a hit) or is finished batting and does not run the bases that at bat.
- The batting team should have a coach at home plate to assist each batter. This coach should try and reinforce mechanics without undue delay of the game. This coach may also serve as the “catcher” to field the position for plays at home plate and catch pitched balls.
- The batting team should have at least one base coach who is a coach or parent, probably coaching first if there are not enough coaches / parents. If a player is coaching third, that player must wear a helmet.
- No head first sliding. Any runner that does so is declared out and must leave the bases.
- Coaches should shorten base paths to 50 feet (instead of the customary 60 feet for Little League). Teams should employ the rubberized bases for this purpose.
III. Safety Rules
- CORI forms are required for every adult in contact with the children, regardless of practice or game.
- Make sure you have the following in your bag for each practice and game: player medical forms; working cell phone; adequate first aid kit, and ice. Require one parent to bring ice to each game.
- Inspect the field before practices and games to remove any dangerous items (large rocks, glass, etc.), and make sure bases, home plate and the pitcher’s rubber are not dangerous. (Report any dangerous conditions to the WLL Field Coordinator.)
- Teach kids playing first base not to position their foot on top of the base when fielding a throw and trying to make an out, in order to avoid having their ankles stepped-on by a base runner.
- Teach players to tag runners below the shoulder.
- Make sure spectators, especially siblings, are kept a safe distance from the field of play and away from the bench area, which should be reserved for players, coaches and parents who are fulfilling a bench coach role.
- Please be sure to remind all players and parents to be careful chasing stray and foul balls at fields that are close to streets, so that they mind traffic and avoid running into the street.
- WLL policy is for there to be at least 2 adults at each practice and game. Please be sure to adhere to this policy.
IV. Coach Resources
|
