Instructional Leagues - 2007
Compiled by : Al DeFazio
Eric Weber
Contact Numbers
1. Bill Cervenak, Chairman VLL cell phone 703-966-9566
2. Nottoway Park field ops 703-938-7532
3. Glyndon Park field ops 703-255-6360
4. VLL Voice Mail use website first!! 703-573-3339
5. Yeonas Snack Bar 703-573-4285
6. Single A Director see www.vll.org
7. Rookie Director see www.vll.org
8. Tee Ball Director see www.vll.org
2007 Instructional League Handbook Page 1 of 26
VLL Instructional League’s Manager Handbook (2007)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Overview - VLL Instructional League’s Handbook 5
2. VLL Instructional Leagues 5
3. Managers/Coaches Section: 5
Managing a Team 5
VLL Process for Team Formation (see detail section for each league) 5
Tee-Ball: 5
Rookie: 5
Single A: 6
Local Rules (also website and details in league specific sections): 6
Spring Training (Pre-Opening Day) - Administrative Duties 6
3.1 LEAGUE ORGANIZATION 6
League pre-season meeting: 6
Confirm Rosters 6
3.2 TEAM COMMUNICATION & ADMINISTRATION 6
Team Welcome Letter: 6
Team Roster: 6
Pre-Season Team Meeting(s): 6
Team Parent: 6
“Volunteer Forms” and “Medical Forms”: 7
Field Permits: 7
Practice Schedule: 7
Opening Day Program: 7
Opening Day: 7
Picture Day: 7
Volunteer Status: 8
3.3 EQUIPMENT & UNIFORMS 8
Equipment: 8
Uniforms: 8
3.4 Regular Season: Practice / Game Management and Organization 8
Game Day Procedures: 8
Field Assignments: 8
Field Closure Communication Process: 8
Officer of the Day (OOD) Duties 8
Post Season - Administrative Responsibilities: 9
Manager’s Responsibilities - Details 10
League Descriptions – Detailed 10
Single A Overview 10
League Format: 10
League Level Rules: 10
Game and Practice Schedule: 11
League Director: 11
Rookie League Overview 11
League Format: 11
League Level Rules: 11
Game and Practice Schedule: 11
League Director: 12
T-Ball 12
League Format: 12
Game and Practice Schedule: 12
League Director: 12
4. Practice: Management and Organization 12
90 Minute Practice Example: 13
Explanation and Definitions of practice format: 13
5. Manager/Coaching Development: 14
Managing / Coaching – Clinics / Information Resources 14
League Specific Manager/Coaches Clinics: 14
3rd Party Manager/Coaches Clinics and Workshops 15
Managing / Coaching Information Resources: 15
6. Player Development: Recommended Skills for Instructional Leagues 16
Single A - Skills: 16
Single A: Mental Aspects 16
1) Understand how the game is played—basics 16
Single A: Physical Aspects 16
1) Running 16
2) Hitting 16
3) Fielding 16
4) Throwing 16
5) Catching 16
Tee Ball and Rookie Ball - Skills (ages 5-7) 17
Mental Aspects: 17
Physical Aspects: 17
1. Hitting 17
2. Base running 17
3. Fielding 17
4. Throwing 17
5. Running 17
7. Manager Administration 17
Preseason Team Letter 17
Preseason Team Meeting 18
Roster & Team Contact List 18
Recommending proper equipment 18
8. Game Day Procedures - Summary 19
PRE GAME 19
General: 19
Preparing the Field: 19
Dugouts: 19
Ground Rules: 19
Locks & Access: 19
DURING THE GAME 19
Inning Transition: 19
Dugout Management: 19
POST GAME 19
Field Maintenance & Clean Up: 19
Locks & Access: 20
SAFETY RULES THAT YOU MUST OBSERVE! 20
GAMES AT YEONAS – SINGLE A 20
Appendix A: Officer of the Day Responsibilities 21
Appendix B: Samples and Examples 23
Sample Introduction Letter to Parents: 23
Sample Line-Up Card: 25
Appendix C: Adding Material to the Handbook 26
2007 Instructional League Handbook v5 EDW.doc Page 3 of 26
VLL Instructional League’s Manager Handbook (2007)
1. Overview - VLL Instructional League’s Handbook
The purpose of this handbook is to provide managers, coaches and volunteers a reference point to assist them and their team throughout the Vienna Little League (VLL) season. This handbook will provide information that has been collected from past and current volunteers that has proven helpful based on experience.
VLL would like to thank everyone who volunteers to help make VLL one of the premier Little Leagues anywhere. Thanks for time and remember if you have suggestions please provide them to your League Director.
2. VLL Instructional Leagues
Vienna Little League (VLL) maintains 3 instructional leagues. They are:
· Tee-Ball
· Rookie
· Single A
Instructional leagues are dedicated to the development of players’ skills and advancement of their understanding of baseball. To help facilitate this and ensure all players receive adequate opportunities, no scores or standings are kept in any of the instructional leagues. Each instructional league also has its own set of modified rules to help facilitate the best overall experience for each player with a strong emphasis on their skill development.
3. Managers/Coaches Section:
The Managers and Coaches section of the handbook is focused on providing general outline of a manager’s responsibilities and serve as a general guide for managing a VLL team in the instructional leagues.
Managing a Team
If you want to volunteer to manage a team, inform the appropriate league Director. You can find the active director for any given league by going to: http://www.vll.org, select Contacts on the left hand menu and then select Board of Director (BOD).
Selection of Managers and Team assignments cannot be confirmed until registration has closed and higher-level leagues (Majors, AAA, AA, etc.) have completed their drafts and confirmed their rosters. Familiarize yourself with the Local Rules, League Information, and safety rules (vll.org.; forms; league information). The assignment of team names, practice times and all other operational logistics of a league will be administered by the League Director in conjunction with the League scheduler.
VLL Process for Team Formation (see detail section for each league)
Tee-Ball:
Teams are formed by neighborhood and by special requests (carpooling, same school). You can assist the Tee Ball Director by helping to form your own roster: if you have a group of boys from a particular neighborhood or school, submit their names to the Director, indicating that you would like them all to play together.
Rookie:
Teams are formed by neighborhood and by special requests (carpooling, same school, same Tee Ball team). Rookie Managers can assist the Rookie Director by helping to form your own roster: if you have a group of boys from a particular neighborhood or school, submit their names to the Director (when requested), indicating that you would like them all to play together. Best attempts will be made to honor all requests made from managers and parents, but based on volunteers, logistics and the number of players and teams some request my not be able to be met. The director will complete and finalize rosters based on registration information following the formation and finalization of Single A teams.
Single A:
Managers may retain up to 7 players from their previous year’s Single A or Rookie team; the Director fills rest of your roster, aiming for balance among all teams.
Local Rules (also website and details in league specific sections):
Team formation is fully described in the Local Rules (see vll.org “forms”)
Spring Training (Pre-Opening Day) - Administrative Duties
3.1 LEAGUE ORGANIZATION
Each league has an appointed League Director. Each League Director has full authority over the league and is responsible for representing the needs and status of the league to the VLL Board of Directors. You can see the Directors for all VLL Leagues on the VLL website at http://www.vll.org.
League pre-season meeting:
Attend your league’s pre-season meeting. At your leagues’ pre-season managers’ meeting(s) you will receive rosters; review local rules; review skills appropriate for your league; sign your Coach’s Code of Conduct. The Coach’s code of conduct can be found on the VLL website and MUST be signed prior to any team Practices or other team functions. Please note that there may be multiple manager meetings if determined necessary to by the league director to ensure a well organized and effective season.
Confirm Rosters
All managers MUST CONFIRM THEIR ROSTERS WITHIN 48 HOURS OF INITIAL RECEIPT and provide confirmation via email to their respective League Director
3.2 TEAM COMMUNICATION & ADMINISTRATION
Team Welcome Letter:
Issue a “Welcome to the Team” letter or email (see samples).
Team Roster:
Develop a team roster and contact sheet with emails and phone numbers
Pre-Season Team Meeting(s):
Hold a pre-season team meeting with the parents. Make equipment recommendations.
Team Parent:
Select a “team parent” who will handle your snack schedule, end of year party, any other team social events, etc.
“Volunteer Forms” and “Medical Forms”:
Instruct parents to complete “Volunteer Forms” and “Medical Forms”. These forms can be found on the VLL website (http://www.vll.org) in the forms section. All volunteers (manager, coaches, team mom, etc. must complete a copy of the volunteer form and provide a photocopy of a driver’s license or passport. Forward the completed Volunteer Forms and copies of all IDs to the League Director. Collect the completed Medical Forms for each of your players and keep this on hand throughout the season. You should bring them to all scheduled team events including all games and practices.
Field Permits:
All county fields utilized by VLL require a permit for their use. VLL works with Fairfax County to acquire the permits for fields assigned to VLL from the county. You should keep a copy of all field permits with you at all times; for from time to time county officials will police the field and request a permit. Field Permits (i.e., documentation of county field assignments) will be provided from the VLL Chairman.
Practice Schedule:
Tee Ball & Rookie:
Tee Ball & Rookie are assigned the fields at Stenwood Elementary School as their primary location for all practices and games. The Tee Ball and Rookie director will work with the manager to formulate a practice schedule among the teams to coordinate the use of Stenwood and prevent field conflicts. Please work with your league director if you have any special needs.
Single A:
Opening Day Program:
When asked, submit the confirmed roster of your team to the volunteer who is compiling the Opening Day Program. What you submit is what will be printed in the program, and the MUST BE ON TIME to be included in the program. All players and their families in VLL will receive a copy of the program. Managers are responsible for the distribution of the program to their respective teams.
Opening Day:
Distribute the Opening Day schedule and other information to your team promptly.
As a manager you should plan to attend Opening Day and prearrange a meeting spot for your team. Typically managers pick up and distribute photo-order forms and Opening Day Programs/Yearbooks at Opening Day. If you cannot attend Opening Day, ensure photo-order forms and Opening Day Programs/Yearbooks are distributed to all players/parents within 1 week of Opening Day.
Remember Parking is a challenge for Opening Day due to number of attendees. Please inform your teams of this and plan accordingly.
Dates and times will be available on the VLL website.
Picture Day:
Distribute the picture day schedule and other information to your team regarding Picture Day. Each team will be allocated a single time slot and it is imperative that you have your team in uniform and ready with picture forms completed 10 minutes prior to your scheduled picture time. This will allow the day to run smoothly and allow the photographer to keep on schedule.
Dates and times will be available on the VLL website.
Volunteer Status:
The League Director will provide you with the volunteer status each family provided when they registered. Please ensure all are doing their part and fulfilling their commitments.
3.3 EQUIPMENT & UNIFORMS
Equipment:
Pick up your gear from the Quartermaster. Use S5 “safety balls” for all instruction leagues.
Single A Managers: remember to ask the Quartermaster for an “A1 Key” so that you can open field locks at Yeonas Park.
Uniforms:
Collect shirts/hats from your league’s Director and distribute
3.4 Regular Season: Practice / Game Management and Organization
Game Day Procedures:
These are written with the Majors, AAA and AA in mind. Your Director will high light the procedures that apply to you. Instructional leagues play only a few games at Yeonas and do not use the batting cages.
Field Assignments:
Field assignments are designated by the league and league scheduler. Tee-Ball and Rookie ball typically practice and play at Stenwood Elementary. Each Tee Ball and Rookie team will be schedule for at least one game at Yeonas Park.
Single A typically practices at Westbriar and plays at Flint Hill, Nottoway, Glyndon, and Yeonas Park.
Field Closure Communication Process:
Please do not practice on the field if it is closed.Designate one person to call the relevant hotline number and then communicate with the rest of the team.
a.Closure at Yeonas is indicated by:
a) the red flag is flying on the flagstaff at Nance Field OR
b) the “red light” next to the field name on the web page.
If Yeonas Park is closed, then games are cancelled at Southside, Glyndon, and all school fields.
b. Closure at Nottoway is indicated by:
a) the “red light” next to the field name on the web page OR
b) the link to Fairfax County Field Closures http://s51b209.co.fairfax.va.us/parks/fieldstatus.asp?Closed_OPER=EQ&Closed=1&SUBMIT=List+Closed+Fields OR
c) the field closure hotline for Nottoway (703) 324 – 5264.
Officer of the Day (OOD) Duties
Note: see specific responsibilities in Appendix A.
Post Season - Administrative Responsibilities:
a. T-Ball Managers:
§ Return gear to quartermaster promptly! (Within 1 week of season end)
§ Notify Director when gear is returned.
§ Pick up/distribute your trophies.
b. Rookie Mangers:
§ Return gear to quartermaster promptly! (Within 1 week of season end)
§ Notify Director when gear is returned.
§ Promptly submit your Player Evaluations (by June 30th).
§ Notify Director when Player Evaluations are complete.
c. Single A Managers:
§ Marshal your team through our end-of-season Field Day,
§ Distribute Field Day trophies/medals to participants;
§ Encourage boys to consider fall ball;
§ Return gear to quartermaster promptly! (Within 1 week of season end)