4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
SUMMER 2016 PARENT MEETING: 10u RED 1. 10U COACH CONTACTS
Head Coach
Assistant Coaches
Blue: Tammy Galvin
Brad Currier
651/592-2365
[email protected] 952/292-2414
[email protected] Red:
Mark Musta
Jason Kalin
Dennis Rouland
Tiffanny Goehner
Black: Bob Lindberg
Paul Hadjuk
Chris Comeau
Silver: Rick Seitz 612/868-6281
[email protected] Mark Mercer 612/743-9323
[email protected] 612/819-6877
[email protected] Greg Westendorf
952/454-0245
[email protected] White: Jill Lawrence
612/201-4606
[email protected] Karla Torp
952/484-6059 650/533-6883
[email protected] [email protected] Andy Jeschke
952/833-0048 612/386-4553 612/437-0257
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 952/388-4793 952/884-5004
[email protected] [email protected] 952/942-1874
[email protected] David Rau
612/414-0080
[email protected] 2. 10U TEAM GOALS a.Team building, relationship building, and having fun b.Teach girls to honor the game through respect c.Enhance the girls’ passion for the game through a structured and fun environment which leads to on field success (let the game teach; let the players explore the game) d.Learn and improve on the fundamentals of the game e.Build self confidence and a can-do/will-do attitude (help foster emotional stability of each player; mistakes are ok; Perfection is not the goal.)
How we handle/learn from our mistakes is the key. f.Return all players next year or in the fall (plus friends) g.Help foster a competitive environment (girls role: attitude + effort every game/practice; Coaches role: attitude + effort = structured and organized practices breaking down fundamentals.) h.Encourage parents and coaches to remember what girls value (fun, friends, exercise, learning in a safe environment.
Girls tend to PLAY good when they FEEL good. Boys tend to FEEL good when they PLAY good. i. Win games (notice how far down the list)
Note: Winning is not everything. It is a byproduct of hard work,
positive attitude and practice. Winning is not worth sacrificing
a player or a team’s confidence j. BOTTOM LINE: Softball is the platform, life is the lesson
3. PLAYER/PARENT HOMEWORK – GOALS, PREFERENCES & VOLUNTEERS
a. b. c.
Please complete the player and parent surveys (emaild). Please sign up to help our team in some way. It takes a village to successfully run a team. The more involvement we have from parents, the more fun it will be for the girls.
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4. EQUIPMENT a. b.
Please have girls prepared for every game and practice for anything (sliding, hot/cold weather, bugs, rain). Please sign up to help our team in some way. Items needed for every practice/game: • Glove, cleats, water bottle, helmet with face mask, fielding mask (required for infield positions, recommended for outfielders), visor or sunglasses, LONG PANTS (if they won’t slide or dive for a ball in practice because they are wearing shorts, they won’t do it in a game), bat if she has one (the team has a few very nice bats and we are allowed to share); sliding shorts will save some skin if the pants don’t protect enough on a slide. •
Other items recommended for player’s bag: extra pair of socks, pony tail holders, suntan lotion, bug sporay, Miscellaneous money, small plastic bag or containers for miscellaneous stuff, long sleeve shirt, rain poncho, extra shoes for between games
5. WEEKLY SCHEDULE (varies depending on school/games; see Team webpage) a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h.
i.
Double headers GAMES on Tuesdays beginning May 10th-: Warm-ups at 5:30, 1st game at 6:15 (65 minutes), 2nd game at 7:30 (65 minutes). Please call one of the coaches if you cannot make a game or will be late for warm-ups. Positions and batting order is predetermined so unexpected missing players throws one of the coaches into adjust mode dealing with paper instead of working with the girls in warm-ups. Team practices – Attendance is important. We will plan to practice 1-2 nights a week in addition to our Tuesday night games. There may be times when an additional practice or scrimmage is added in preparation for a tournament or if weather has restricted scheduled practices to occur. We will also hold optional practices throughout the season. Each practice is planned ahead of time. Please let us know if you will not be there so we can plan accordingly. Practices will be 90 minutes – daylight and field use permitting. Please be on time for practices and games, we stress TEAM and this concept works better if we can start warm-ups with all players. We will work on fundamentals all year long and that will be our main focus early in the season. Throwing and receiving, ground balls, fly balls, hitting, bunting, base running and sliding. Ideas for drills: If you have ideas please let us know, we enjoy learning new and fun drills every year, that’s part of what keeps the game fun. Bring YOUR GLOVE to practices and games. Extra hands to run stations are ALWAYS welcome.
6. TOURNAMENTS (visit Team webpage) a. b.
c. d. e.
Wayzata Warm-up: May 21-22 Bloomington Bash: June 10 - June 12
NOTE: Just a reminder to all parents, that the BASH has been our biggest fundraiser and each parent is responsible to work a 3-4 hour shift at the BASH this year. As always, we need to collect a $50 check from each parent ($100/family) to hold onto until the BASH and/or 10U NAFA is over. If you choose NOT to work, your $50 check will be cashed to pay for the workers that will help fill our slots over the course of the weekend. You can elect to work these hours during the 10U NAFA tournament in lieu of the BASH. Suburban League Tournament /State Qualifier: June 24-26 MMFL State Tournament: July 8-10 NAFA Nationals: July 28-31 (Bloomington) PLEASE NOTE: We will need to pay for a gift exchange and any pins the girls want to trade. ALSO: This is a Thursday – Sunday Tourney
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
7. PLAYING TIME a. b.
Batting: We bat all players present and will always start the 2nd game of our weekly double headers in the spot in the order where we left off for the first game. The batting order may change from game to game and is not necessarily #1 to #11 in order. Fielding: We have 11 players so everyone should get plenty of time, and we will do our best all year to play everyone as equally as possible. However there will be some growth as a team and as individuals. By the end of the season, there will be some players who receive more playing time based on their ability or position (pitchers and catchers). The coaching staff will follow the association’s policy on playing time (70% of the average) for innings played. We will also use the “Playing time triangle” as follows:
Qualifier, State and Nationals: Probably have a batting order and more specialized defensive strategy
Mid Season: We may scale down to 3 or 4 positions and possibly develop a batting order.
May: As equal as possible, infield/ outfield and batting
! c.
d.
e.
f.
Pitchers: In order to pitch in games, a pitcher must be able to pitch strikes most of the time. Limited pitching practice will be allocated during team practices. BFA offers low cost pitching clinics to 10Us and pitchers are expected to practice pitching outside of team practices if they want to pitch in games. All pitchers who can throw more strikes than balls and have shown dedication to this additional skill will get innings in league games. Tournament pitchers will be those that are more effective while still maintaining attendance, attitude, and respect for others. Missing practices or games: We understand there are other family events or circumstances that will pull girls away from our practices and games. If your daughter misses many practices and/or games, it may result in less fielding time in future games to be fair to those committed players. If you daughter is late for pregame warm-ups, she may not start and may be at the bottom of the batting order. Family Vacations: Please let us know as soon as possible. With a fairly short roster, we may need to borrow a player from another team if possible Other factors that will influence play time include attitude and effort.
8. PLAYING RULES (high level) a. b. c. d. e. f.
Games are played rain or shine (unless lightning); you will be asked for a cell phone number(s) in the beginning of the season. This will ONLY be used to provide text (preferably) updates regarding time-sensitive delays/reschedules. Otherwise, all parents will be expected to check the website on a routine basis. Continuous batting of entire roster in attendance Unlimited defensive substitutions Five run maximum per inning Time limit of 65 minutes per game; all league games are double headers Stealing on the release of the ball is allowed, including multiple bases and home—and we will be stealing A LOT!
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
9. PARENT RULES a. b. c. d. e.
f. g. h. i. j. k.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE … in all you say and do. This is the single biggest contribution you can make to our team and it includes the car rides to/from practices/games, dinner time discussions, and knowing not only when it is an appropriate time to share your opinions/thoughts/reactions with your athlete but also how to do so. Remember that they are kids who play sports to have fun and to learn -- With learning comes mistakes; Traits like grit and determination happen when kids get the chance to struggle, figure out solutions on their own, and overcome obstacles. Give them the space, and the quiet from the yelling, to figure it out themselves. No parents or siblings on the bench or milling around the side/back of the dugout during the game. No yelling at the umpire. If you have an issue with the ump, keep it quiet. Inform the coaching staff in an appropriate manner and let the coaching staff communicate with our umpires. Do not “coach” your daughter from the stands. Your idea of the correct play or batting stance may be different from what we have taught them or are trying to tell them. If there is really something you think your daughter needs to hear, let us know!! Much has changed in the instruction of hitting and fielding, so please know that what YOU might have learned may no longer be valid (the most common examples of this are “keep your elbow up” or “squish the bug” in batting. Those are no longer used. Please remember your coaches are parent volunteers with full-time jobs, families and a love for the sport. They give much of their time. Work together with coaches for a fun environment for ALL. Refrain from addressing concerns in front of the girls; rather show your coaches respect by taking your concerns directly to them. You will find very open and attentive ears. Understand that your coaches are also coaching their daughters, and this can be tricky. Please support their children as you would yours and know that the coaches are holding equal expectations for all…sometimes even higher for their own. Get involved in the team but voluntee in a role that you are comfortable in. It really helps!! Play catch with your daughter away from the field. If your daughter is injured, please do not come running on the field unless we call for you. Resist the urge to “break down: what you saw following a game or practice. Instead, start with “I LOVE watching you play?” Then bring in the questions, not statements: “What was the most fun part of that game?” “What was your favorite play?” “What did you learn from that game?” Always end with…I LOVE WATCHING YOU PLAY and I HOPE YOU HAD FUN!
10. PLAYER RULES a. b. c. d. e. f.
g. h. i. j.
Be responsible and remember their equipment! Coaches will NOT do a “dugout sweep” following each game/practice. The girls will be expected to keep track of their own equipment. No equipment throwing: Player will be pulled from the game/practice. Players must remain on the bench at all times during games. When in the dugout, always have your equipment organized and ready to go. Players must be on time to practice and games. This is extremely important as it fosters the team spirit beginning with warmups. Players must respect themselves, teammates, coaches, parents, umpires, and the other team. We will follow a One-Warning Policy. A player displaying a bad attitude toward another player or even themselves following a strike out or an error will be given a warning. If the attitude isn’t immediately turned around after that warning, they will sit on the bench for the next inning. (We will work on sulking this year!!) On the first occurrence, the coaching staff will speak directly with the player. If it happens again at any time throughout the season, we will have a conversation with the player and parent. All girls will be made aware of this policy at the beginning of the season. Respect the field and the community hosting events! Clean up after ourselves following games and practices. No cell phones during practices or games. Give 100% effort on everything: Run out every ball, hustle on & off the field. NEVER walk on the field! Have fun!
11. BFA WEBSITE a. Get in the habit of checking the BFA website, specifically our team page, on a daily basis. It will be updated regularly. b. Our team page will include schedules, games, practices, photos and updates c. If you have a smart phone, consider downloading the Sport Ngin app which will provide you with instant notifications of schedule updates, field locations, etc. See a coach if you have questions how to install this app and follow the appropriate team.
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
12. PHOTO RELEASE FORM a. Make sure you sign this if you haven’t already. BFA will be increasing its presence on social media this year (with a controlled group of followers), and we want to ensure that we abide by your wishes to the best of our ability regarding photographs that are posted.
13. PREFERRED COMMUNICATION a. b.
Group text is easiest for quick, time-sensitive information such as a rain delay, cancellation, etc. Be sure when you respond, however, that you do not respond to the group. Simply text the coach back acknowledging receipt. Group email is the second preferred form of communication. If you do not have Internet access or a smart phone, simply let a member of the coaching staff know and provide us with the appropriate phone numbers.
14. VISUALS FOR PLAYERS AND PARENTS
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT
4 As OF SUCCESS:
ATTENDANCE
ATTENTION
ATTITUDE
ACHIEVEMENT