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"LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL IS A VERY GOOD THING BECAUSE IT KEEPS THE PARENT OFF THE STREETS."
Yogi Berra, Yankees Catcher 1947-1963
I shall not criticize the umpire unless I am ready to assume his duties.
I shall not complain about anyone unless I, have labored more hours on the Little League Program.
I shall not be a "Grand Stand" Manager.
I shall remember that only nine players can play at one time.
I shall set an example of sportsmanship for my child to follow.
I shall not be critical unless willing to put out the necessary effort to correct my criticism.
I shall remember that all managers, coaches and league directors are volunteer workers.
I shall remember that all officers and other personnel must earn a living and cannot work on Little League full time.
I shall offer my services for work whenever possible.
I shall encourage my child to follow the Little League Pledge.
COMMON QUESTIONS CONCERNING EQUIPMENT
Bats
Until a player reaches adult leagues most coaches will tell you that lighter is better. Studies show
that aluminum bats actually provide a 16% increase in hitting distance. Off the tee those tiny T-Ball
bats will actually hit a ball much farther that a regular bat. Frank Thomas uses one of the lightest
bats in the Major League!
For young players in organized baseball the specifications are very exacting: for example, the bat
may be no more than 2 1/4 inches in diameter and not more than 33 inches long. Most teams use
bats in the 30 inch 22 ounce length/weight range. Young softball players often use hardball bats
because of the size and weight.
Wood or Aluminum?
Wood is preferable in order to groove a proper swing. Aluminum bats allow the child to drag the
bat through the zone with the forward hand only. Wood forces a back hand push, tighter swing.
Many batting instructors prefer wood in practice and aluminum in the game.
Batting Gloves
Once the player arrives at competitive levels don't leave home without a pair. The purpose for these
gloves is to protect the hands, not just at bat, but when running the bases requires a slide or brings
on a slip or fall. As the level of play advances the player often wears a batting glove inside their
fielding glove. Pitchers cannot usually wear a batting glove when pitching and should not even have
them in their pocket on the mound.
Cleats
Cleats are one of the most important safety factors in a player's clothing. A recent study in
California showed that most ankle, knee and leg injuries in organized youth baseball occurred with
players not wearing cleats. Baseball shoes provide the firm 360 degree support players need. All
outside edges of the shoe have the ability to support the entire weight of the body as it moves. The
player does not run faster, the player runs safer.
You should consider buying cleats the moment your child begins to move to the ball, hit or run the
bases aggressively. The time is easy to recognize because you will notice the player reacting to the
play as it unfolds and beginning to charge the ball. For some players this occurs at six years old
while others it happens years later. Certainly by competitive levels all players should be wearing
cleats. Little League does not permit METAL CLEATS.
Cups & Supports
Our league requires the player at all levels to wear a protective cup or similar device. Common sense
says every player should wear some form of protection. At the youngest levels this is often not a
concern but a good coach will insist. Above the introductory level the league will insist the player
wear a protective device.
Face Masks on the Helmet
Several players wore face masks on their batting helmets last year, you might have even noticed the
professional players who started wearing them. In many districts all helmets must have a special
face protector. They are becoming available for more helmet styles and over the next few years
you might expect to see more and more.
Gloves
One of the biggest mistakes seen each year are young ball players with too small gloves. There are
may quality youth model gloves that will last your child for many years. The smaller models are
often indicated as I0 1/2 or 11 inch gloves. Any young child should be able to handle some of these
very flexible models.
Several players show up with the opposite extreme, too large. Most youth leagues do not allow the
use of a glove longer than 12 inches from the base of the thumb crotch to the tip of the glove. Last
year one local store had a sale on gloves measuring 13 1/2 inches. One key to this oversized glove
are the words "Designed for Softball".
An expensive "professional" glove will be very difficult for a young player to properly break in.
The glove will last for many years but without careful work it may be too much for the younger
player.
Colored gloves are not a problem unless your player becomes a pitcher. Once on the mound the rules
require the glove to be "of one solid color, not gray or white."
One suggestion: Buy an inexpensive ball and a small belt or strap. After each use wipe the glove
clean, put the ball in the pocket, secure it loosely with the strap and put the glove away. You will
add years to the glove's life and increase its play remarkably. And - you don't have to buy
expensive glove oils. "Neats Foot Oil" is available at hardware stores for considerably less. Gloves
need only be oiled sparingly, once or twice a season, and often only in the hinge areas.
Helmets
Helmets must be worn anytime the player is at bat, on base or in a base coaching position. Some
league rules require the chin strap to be in place. The helmet must fit properly. The chin strap need
not be tight but should not be so loose as to permit the helmet to flop off the head. An improperly
fitted helmet is dangerous. At Holbrook, the chin strap is optional
Sun Screen and Sunglasses
Do not send your child out without a high quality sun screen, even on a cloudy day. The baseball
field tends not to have high amounts of shade and children often suffer from the effects of the
relentless sun.
Sunglasses: I am going to give you my personal opinion on an often hot topic. As a parent it is my
decision whether or not my child wears proper sports sunglasses. Anytime there is a chance my son
or daughter could be making a play facing into the sun they have the option of flipping down their
glasses and increasing their chance at seeing the ball. I would not personally go on the field
without mine, why should my children be any different?
Sweat Bands
White bands are for tennis, other colors are permissible in baseball. Pitchers generally cannot
wear a sweatband regardless of the color.
Uniforms
The league does supply a uniform top, pants and hat for each player. No player, at any time, at any
temperature, at any level will be allowed on the field wearing shorts. Baseball pants are light, don't
restrict air flow and cost less than a new pair of sweatpants each game.
Work with your child. There really is little more satisfying than going out at least a few evenings
a week and playing ball with your kids. This gives quality time, and helps your child improve his/her
skills (and, trust me, the better your child can play, the more she/he will enjoy the Little League
experience!). Some day, your child will look back on the summer evenings spent playing catch
with mom and dad.
Get involved in your local League. Holbrook is run on a volunteer basis, and they can use all
the help they can get. Anything you can do to pitch in will make the League run more smoothly, and
will help all the kids, from helping out at tryouts, to scorekeeping or field preparation, to umpiring.
If your child sees that Little League is that important to you, he/she will learn that it is important
to the kids, too. Holbrook will provide all of the training anyone needs. Some people worry
that they are not qualified--I say if you make a mistake, you can offer to give back the money you
earned that day (remember--it's volunteer work!!). Besides, even coaches and players make
mistakes...the point is to learn and to have fun, and to teach kids that you care!!!
Different coaches have different philosophies. Some believe in having players play all positions,
some want players to become good at one. Some coaches place more emphasis on winning (and I can
tell you, from experience, that players have more fun when they are winning). It is IMPORTANT to
remember that your child's coach is not being paid, he is working for the love of the game and
the kids. Let him be the coach! Don't argue and criticize if you think your child is being treated
unfairly (as parents, it is natural to be very protective, but most coaches aren't discriminating). If
you think there is a problem, discuss it with the coach AWAY from the ball field; chances are that
you will see his point of view. The important thing is not to make an issue in front of the players;
along with baseball, they are learning to work as a team and to respect authority and
experience...work not to ruin this teaching.
For heaven's sake, show up for the games AND the practices. In today's busy world it is
sometimes hard to juggle schedules, but this is your child! I cannot begin to tell stories of kids I've
seen who never tried to excel at Little League, and invariably these kids were dropped off at
practices and picked up afterwards, without the parent(s) ever watching a single practice. It's only
a couple of times a week, a couple of months out of the year! The most irritating are the parents
who don't ever watch practice (and, therefore, never understand the coaches philosophy),
but will question (yell!) at a coaches decision during the game. Most people wouldn't dare to
not show up for work and still tell the boss what's wrong with the company, but they will turn
around and do just that with their child's' coach.
Respect the rules! This is what the kids should be learning. If you don't agree with an umpires
call, keep it to yourself. If there is a team rule that bothers you, well, its their team...not yours. If
you think there is a serious problem, take it up with the coach or a League official on your own
time, not your child's'. Rule of thumb: during practice or games, don't speak unless spoken to
(except, of course, to cheer on ALL the kids).
Don't create pressure. Just about every father dreams of his son becoming a major league star,
but they are only children. Don't expect more than they can deliver. Give positive encouragement,
and be there when they need you. Besides, often a child in early years will lack certain skills, and
blossom later on. Don't fight nature, or the kids.
No one likes to lose, but the nature of a team sport is that one team will always lose.
Teach your child that he/she didn't lose, the team lost. And they lost to a team that just happened
to play better that day. There is always next time, and the important thing is to learn from the
defeats. It's okay to analyze why someone lost, and how they can do better next time. It's never
okay to place blame!
Have Fun!!!!! Little League should be a positive experience for everyone: kids, coaches, support
staff, and parents. Winning is nice, but losing is inevitable. Being a star is fun, but being a bench
player is just as important. Take the opportunity to enjoy your child's' childhood, and to teach
some important life lessons!!
(This suggestion is from a Mom) Although baseball is considered a 'non-contact' sport, there are
occasions when players collide, or non-contact injuries occur. We are all concerned about our
children's safety, but if your child suffers an injury, remember: kids are able to sustain a lot more
than adults; and, coaches are trained in dealing with injuries. Let the coach handle the situation...he or she
doesn't need a panicked parent to deal with.
I can't stress this enough: VOLUNTEER...they need you. One of the biggest irritants I see is
those who will not give their time, but are quick to criticize. If you can't be part of the
solution, don't be part of the problem. If you think that something needs to be changed, get
involved so that you can change it.
(This suggestions is from a manager) One of the most frustrating things for a manager is to have a
parent come up after the season and say," great season, but you kept doing something that bothered
me..." A manager/coach cannot change problems if they don't know the problems exist. Most managers/coaches welcome input.
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