Middle School Baseball

Baseball for McCall Middle School Babe Ruth Players

Baseball for the Middle School! After a long absence, 2010 brings baseball to the middle school students! A motivated group led by Dave Errico and Brian Carroll and supported by SYBS have brought together a great program for middle school baseball players which will dovetail with the SYBS Minuteman Babe Ruth Prep and Babe Ruth spring programs.

A. Structure

The team will operate as a Babe Ruth team, under the umbrella of SYBS. This structure covers insurance cost, uniform cost (use, not ownership), umpire assignment through SYBS contacts, baseballs (supply and cost), registration structure and management, information flow through SYBS website (schedule and information updates)

The middle school team will be overseen by the VP of Baseball 13+. Manager will be recommended and confirmed jointly by SYBS and WHS A.D. Coaching staff recommendations will be provided by the manager, pending approval by SYBS and WHS A.D.

All personnel involved in helping with the middle school team must be CORI certified through SYBS prior to any activity. This includes any volunteer, including parents, who help in any way, including supervising bus rides.

Manager and coaching performance will be reviewed annually by SYBS and WHS A.D. to ensure performance in the categories of on field activity as well as program conformance.

VP of Baseball 13+ and team manager will be available to respond to any inquiries regarding middle school baseball.

B. AD Responsibilities

Organize schedule to coordinate with WHS freshman, JV and Varsity schedules, as well as SYBS spring league

Schedule any necessary bus reservations (transportation invoice to WHS, with A.D to invoice SYBS for transportation cost)

Contribute to the evaluation of the middle school baseball program and staff

Coordinate connecting activity between WHS baseball program and middle school baseball program in conjunction with SYBS VP of Baseball 13+

C. SYBS / VP 13+ Responsibilities

Organize registration details with SYBS website coordinator and player agent

Assure CORI compliance by manager and coach staff and volunteers

Communicate umpire requirements with local assignor, shared with WHS A.D.

Update information on SYBS website

Assure compliance by players (SYBS policy)

Open communication with middle school principal, through the WHS A.D.

Coordinate purchase of hats with SYBS equipment coordinator

Coordinate distribution and tracking of uniform shirts, belts and pants with team manager and SYBS equipment mgr.

Coordinate availability of SYBS catching equipment (2 sets), bases, team bag, baseballs and scorebook with team manager and SYBS equipment mgr.

Coordinate return of SYBS owned uniforms and equipment at the end of the middle school season

D. Registration

Online registration through SYBS website

Paper registration through SYBS PO Box and middle school

E. Player Cost

The registration fee to be paid by each player's family will be $100.00 (in addition to the prerequisite fee of $125.00 for spring Babe Ruth or Babe Ruth Prep)

The above costs include player insurance through Babe Ruth Baseball.

F. Team Structure for 2010

The goal of this program is to provide a school based baseball experience which will be instructive, developmental and inclusive (within guidelines).

There will be one middle school team. Team roster size will be limited to 18 players. Roster decisions will be determined primarily by the number of registrants, with priority given to 8th grade players who are academically and age eligible. Open roster slots will be filled with interested 7th grade players who are academically and age eligible by way of a 7th grade tryout procedure.

G. Equipment Notes

Consistent with SYBS Babe Ruth Prep and Babe Ruth guidelines, players will use either wood bats or -3 MIAA compliant metal bats. Additionally, players may use baseball footwear which includes metal spikes or plastic spikes.

H. Guidelines (2010)

1. Players must be McCall Middle School students or students who are home schooled in Winchester and make themselves known to the program through the middle school principal or WHS A.D. All eligible players are welcome to register for the middle school baseball team.

2. Players wishing to play on the middle school team must also be registered to play in either Babe Ruth Prep or Babe Ruth spring leagues through SYBS.

3. Players wishing to play on the middle school team must be 13 years old or older (though not older than 15 years old) as of April 30, 2010.

4. Manager and coaches will be approved by SYBS in conjunction with WHS A.D.

5. Manager, coaches and volunteers will be CORI certified by SYBS prior to any middle school baseball activity

6. Schedule will be Organized by WHS A.D.

7. All costs will be confirmed in advance by SYBS in conjunction with WHS A.D. and will be paid by SYBS

8. Uniforms and equipment provided by SYBS will remain SYBS property, and will be returned to SYBS at the end of the school year season.

9. MIAA guidelines for student participation will be the benchmark for determining academic, attendance and school based disciplinary actions as regards inclusion on the middle school baseball roster. These decisions will be driven by the middle school principal and the WHS A.D., and communicated

to SYBS. SYBS or the WHS A.D. will communicate any academic, attendance or school based disciplinary decisions to the manager.

10. At no time will players not rostered with the middle school team or WHS be allowed to participate in practices or games for the middle school team.

11. Failure to comply with program guidelines by any party may result in the decision by SYBS and WHS A.D. to exclude that person or persons from involvement in the middle school baseball program

12. While it is preferred the manager join the team on all bus rides, it is mandatory that a CORI certified adult join the team on all bus rides.

I. Schedule

Currently, the A.D. has games set with BB+N and Belmont Hill. Additional possibilities include Bedford, Austin Prep, Lexington, St. Sebastian's and Boston Latin.

A.D. is working to establish parallel schedules for baseball and softball in order to combine bus costs and develop both programs together.

Generally, the season looks to kick off during the week beginning April 26, and concluding by June 11. For 2010, this is a 7 week period. Practices will be scheduled by the team manager to begin when approved by the WHS A.D. Frequency of one practice and one game per week for middle school baseball players.