a.  Print out the Board of Directors contact sheet and be sure you know how to contact your league commissioner, the VP-Baseball/VP-Softball and the league president.  Your first contact should always be your commissioner followed by the VP if you need additional help.

b.  Consider being a league commissioner or board member - the league can not operate with volunteers at all levels!   We open nominations for board positions at the beginning of each May.  Attend a board meeting and let us know if you might be interested!  

a.  Registration fees basically pay for all practice slots, lights and all costs related to games (fields, umpires, team equipment, tournaments, trophies, etc.).   Team sponsor money pays for jersey top and a cap.   Additional fundraising and concession stand profits go to field maintenance / repair costs.  The city aborbs some costs but many of the field maintenance costs are paid by the league.

b.   This season we worked with the city to accomplish the following:  installed additional fencing beside each field to provide pitching areas, additional fence work on the purple field, laser grade and recondition the Blue field, recondition the Green and Purple fields.

c.  SPONSORS:   It is the responsibility of all teams to secure a $250 team sponsor for your team.   This sponsorship covers the cost of your team uniforms.   Please encourage your parents to support our sponsors.   Please look through the "Sponsor" link on the league web site to see who our major sponsors are and ask our parents to support those companies!

a.  Check the league website weekly for changes the schedule especially during seasons when whether is a problem.  The calendar link to the left provides the schedule for the season.   Be sure to brief your parents on the plan and keep them informed of updates.

b.  We usually plan between 10-16 games per spring season (8-12 in fall) including league tournaments.   We will makeup rainouts wherever possible, but we will consider the season complete if all teams have played the minimum number of games.   We have limited field space and can not control the weather so stay flexible and patient.

a.  Keep your parents informed.   Coaches are responsible for the conduct of the parents and the best way to keep parents from getting out of control is the make sure that they understand what you are trying to accomplish as a coach and what your expectation are of them.  Make sure you are communicating with them!

b.  Arrive early enough and be ready to prepare your own fields prior to your games especially if you are the first game of the day.   League officials / "Red Hats" will be assigned to open and close but DO NOT depend on them the have your fields ready.  Know how to open the locks on the fields and how to set up the pitching mounds, bases and scoreboard controller.   If you are the last game of the day, learn how to shut down the fields and turn off the lights.

c.   Protect our fields and equipment and do not abuse the privelege of using the city fields.   Do not turn on the lights and do not use the fields unless it is authorized.   Individual parents / players are not allowed to use the fields for their own use unless authorized by the league.

a.  Practice slots and locations will be assigned to each baseball team starting approximately one month prior to the beginning of the season - Unity Park, Copperas Park and Brazos Park will be used for practices.   For baseball, your league commissioners will notify you of the practice slots and locations.  For softball, the VP-Softball will assign practice slots using Unity Park Blue Field first with Copperas Park Blue Field as the overflow field.

b.  Coaches should try for two events per weeks - e.g. two practices or one practice and one game.   Batting cages can also be used as a practice event.  The coaches number one responsibility in rec ball is to train the players.

a.  Baseball uniform orders are due on February 20th.    We will post additional details soon and you will be contacted by your commissioner concerning uniforms.

b.  Softball uniform orders are handled differently than baseball.   The VP-Softball will distribute the uniform policy for softball at the beginning of each season. 

a.  Coaches, especially on younger teams, should assign a Team Mom or Team Parent.   There is a "Team Mom" link to the left that will provide the details that the Team Mom needs to know for this season. 

b.  Due to the City Easter Egg Hunt, there will NOT be an opening day parade / ceremony this year.

c.  Team photos will be handled by Dave Stock Studios on April 10.   Please have your team at the photo site at the assigned time.   All teams will go through on the same day.

d.  Dug Out Days is our membership appreciation day where we provide a free lunch to our members and have activities for the kids.   It is planned for May 15 this season, but check the website for more details as we get into the season.

a.  Print out the handout above.   Page 1 of the handout provides your coaches code of conduct and consequences for violations that you need to know.   Page 2 of the handout provides the player and parent code of conduct - make copies of this page and distribute them to your parents.   It will make our games much more enjoyable if  everyone follows the code of conduct.

b.   In addition to the code of conduct, make sure you know the rules.   The number one rule is "DON'T ARGUE WITH THE UMPIRES".   You can question rules, but you can not question judgement calls.  If there is a conflict, the league policy is that the umpire has the final word!

c.   Don't forget that coaches are responsible for the actions of your parents.  Remind them to enjoy the game, stay calm with problems arrive and that it is NEVER the parent's responsibility to coach your players from the stands or to criticize the umpires.

a.  Print the Red Hat Duty handout above and read it.   All coaches will be expected to serve as a Red Hat during the season.

b.  Please tell your parents that Red Hats are there to provide assistance, but NOT to get involved in field disputes.   On the field, the umpire makes the final call.   The Red Hat can simply show you how to file a complaint.   Or if the coach or parents get out of line, the Red Hat will call 9-1-1 for help.   They also maintain a contact list so they can contact a duty expert if a problem does arise.

a.  All coaches will receive a user name and password from Sportability so you can manage your own team site.   Please watch the video below for instructions on how to manage your team site.

To view the video in full screen, hit the button with the four arrows in the lower righ hand corner.  Then hit escape when you are done.

a.   You can click the "Game Rules" link to the left to review the last set of rules but be sure you receive a copy of any modifications / updates that have been made since the lasts et was published.  There is a link for both baseball and softball rules.

b.  No protests or appeals are allowed.   The Red Hats will NOT overturn or interfere with an umpires ruling on the field.

c.  This is a rec program so Coaches, Parents and Players ARE NOT ALLOWED to berate the umpires.  Coaches are responsible for the conduct of players and parents so head off problems by talking with them in advance of games and remind them of the conduct that is expected and that is NOT allowed.

d.  Only four coaches are allowed in the dugout and only two on the field.   Umpires will enforce this rule.    Parents should not be allowed in the dugout!