Coaching Guide
BASEBALL
updated 3/14/12
i9 Sports…an Experience Beyond the Game!
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Table of Contents
Introduction/Thank You
3
i9 Sports Core Principles
4
i9 Certified Coaching Standards
5
Positive Coaching Behaviors
6
Coaching Responsibilities
8
Parental Pledge/Lystedt Law
8-9
Game Day Operations
•
Opening Day/Reg. Season/i9 Series Tourney
11
•
How to Post Team News & Photos
11
Baseball Rules
•
The Basics/Field Layout
13
•
The Team/Player Attire
14
•
T-Ball Rules
14
•
Coach-Pitch Rules
15
•
Weekly Sportsmanship Values
17
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First and foremost, THANK YOU for volunteering to become an i9 Sports Coach. This
league can only thrive with the involvement of parents and friends such as yourself.
Whether you know it or not, you will play an enormous role in the development of the i9
participant both on and off the court. We have heard countless success stories of how
players have grown due to caring coaches. This responsibility can and will be very
rewarding to you!
Sound daunting? Don’t worry; being a great coach is not as difficult as you may think. Are
you still a little apprehensive because you think that you don’t know the difference between
a slant and a post? Do you think you're not qualified? Excellent! Your willingness to
question your own knowledge shows that you possess one of the key elements for
success; you care enough about others to honestly evaluate yourself. This sign of good
character combined with the right resources of knowledge will enable you to provide your
team with a great experience.
Some think in order to effectively coach you must have an extensive knowledge of
technique and tactics for the specific sport. Quite simply, this is not true. It is much more
important to have the appropriate coaching mentality when it comes to youth sports.
This theory was utilized when we developed the i9 Sports Core Principles and Certified
Coaching Standards. Please review the following pages to familiarize yourself with our
philosophies. We are sure that you will agree that these philosophies will help create the
ideal environment for total participant enjoyment.
In an effort to make your job as an i9 Sports Certified Coach more enjoyable, we have
created this manual to use as a resource. In the following pages you will find game day
procedures, a sample playbook, practice exercises and our end of season awards
description.
Once again, we must say that your participation in our league is invaluable and we
appreciate your time and energy. We hope that you enjoy this experience as much as we
do!
The i9 Sports Baseball Staff
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Core Principles
1. Fun. We believe that the primary reason children play sports is to have fun. They
love mastering new skills, developing friendships, and healthy competition. We
avoid spoiling the fun by focusing more on skills development and enjoyment of the
game than on the score or outcome.
2. Inclusivity. That’s our word for everyone’s right to play and have fun. Our program
is for everyone, regardless of race, gender, religion, or ability level. No child will
ever be excluded by a try-out, be made to feel like they aren’t good enough
because of a league draft, or be cut from a team. We endeavor to play every child
at least half of every game.
3. Safety. We believe your child’s safety is paramount. As such, we background check
each of the adults supervising your children and hire trained officials for each game
to ensure that “safe play” is enforced.
4. Good Sportsmanship. We believe that learning to play the game is only half the
equation. Helping children develop character is the other half. The value of teaching
children teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship goes far beyond the game.
5. Everyone is a Winner. Competition is a natural instinct. However, the “win-at-allcosts” mentality so prevalent in youth sports today is not only destructive to team
morale, it severely undermines individual self-esteem. We believe everyone is a
winner and should be both encouraged and given the opportunity to make the most
of their abilities.
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Certified Coaching Standards
Thank you for your interest in becoming an i9 Sports youth coach. The league’s success
depends on interested parents and such as yourself to ensure that our children get the very
best experience possible while playing in an i9 Sports program.
As a coach of an i9 Sports program, we are far more interested in your ability to
communicate with the children on your team to effectively impart a positive sports
experience, than we are in your ability to teach the nuances of the double reverse.
Benefits of Athletic Participation for Kids
Research points out many benefits of getting kids to continue to participate in youth
sports, noting that, kids who stay in sports tend to, stay in school, get better grades and
have fewer behavioral problems.
It is extremely important that coaches remember that a successful youth coach is defined
not in terms of a won-loss record, but in terms of how many kids decide to return to play
again next year.
Equal Playing Time
The primary purpose of youth sports should be to teach fundamental sports skills in a nonthreatening environment. That is, children should have the opportunity to learn new skills
and improve previously learned skills and have fun doing it.
Coaches must create an environment both in practices and games where children are not
afraid to make mistakes. Using fear of failure as a motivational technique is unacceptable.
Mistakes happen as part of the learning process.
Children who hope to become better skilled so they can move on to more advanced levels
of competition have to be willing to take risks and experiment with more advanced skill
techniques and strategies. They will not do this if they are afraid of making mistakes. All
members of any team come to the team expecting equal opportunities. They have the right
to expect equal quality and quantity of coaching in practice. They all must be given the
same opportunity to try out what they learn in practices in game situations. In fact, games
should be considered an extension of practices, another opportunity to learn. An athlete
can not learn much by sitting on the bench. Sports involve movement, physical skills. They
are best learned by doing, not watching.
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As a helpful reminder here's a checklist of some behaviors
connected with positive coaching:
Kids deserve praise for participating/trying
The child chose to play a sport rather than hang out during free time. We need to credit
each player just for being there. The child and parent chose to sign up, come to practice
and come to the games. We need to remind ourselves not to notice and praise kids only
when they achieve. It's easy to praise the kids who do well in a sport. We also need to
praise the youngsters who don't shine but who stay with a sport day in and day out.
Make a BIG deal out of even the SMALLEST positives
Promoting a positive self-image in kids while they play sports is essential! Look for
positives and then encourage them with animated praise. At practices and games, a good
goal is to try and keep a healthy ratio of positives to negatives. The more positives to
negatives the better!
Additionally, you want to be specific in your praise. “Good job”, while a good effort won’t
go quite as far in building up kids as a more specific compliment such as, "I like the way
you kept hustling after that play."
Finally, it's equally important to "make a big deal" out of it, to praise with animation.
Kids respond to public accolades, so the more animated as a coach you are when
praising, the better. In fact, a good motto is: "Praise in public and criticize in private."
Stay calm when mistakes crop up, help kids learn from their mistakes.
Dealing with a child after a mistake has been made is one of the most critical issues facing
youth sports coaches. Ideally, youth sports offer kids great lessons in life: 1) it's OK to
make a mistake, 2) mistakes WILL happen and 3) mistakes are stepping stones for
learning.
When a young child makes a mistake in a sport, one of two things can occur: 1) the child
can learn from the mistake and try to improve the next time; or 2) the child can become
preoccupied with the fear of making another mistake. The coach is the focal point that
will help determine which path the child will travel.
If a coach stays calm and tries to instruct the child, there's a chance that the child will see
the mistake as an opportunity to learn. If the coach stays calm there's a chance that the
kid will stay calm, focus on the mistake and learn from it.
Unfortunately, as human beings, we often tend to have more animation in our reactions to
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negatives than in our reactions to positives. So it takes an extra effort on our part as
coaches to remind ourselves to do all in our power to try to stay calm when mistakes occur.
Have reasonable, realistic, and reachable expectations.
Trying to live up to expectations can be a major frustration for kids whether they are their
own expectations, or those of adults in their lives. Despite the fact that they may not show
it, kids have a strong desire for adult approval, the lack of which, can be a major source of
low self-esteem. Since a coach often plays a major role in the life of a youngster, it is
important to keep expectations reasonable and attainable. A good coach's skill
expectations are based on the knowledge that all youngsters are different in their physical
skills, skill development potential, and growth rate, all of which can affect their coordination.
A good coach's motivation expectations are based on the awareness that there are
three levels of motivation for kids in youth sports: 1) some kids, especially the entry-level
players, are playing because their parents enrolled them, 2) many playerz are playing
because it's a social event allowing them to be with their friends, 3) a smaller group of
players, beginning at about age 11 or 12, are playing because they enjoy sports for
sports' sake.
A good coach's dedication expectations are based on the knowledge that the level of
dedication to practice and mastery of skills depends upon the level of motivation in a
youngster. A good coach also knows that dedication wanes when playing the sport is no
longer fun.
Treat kids with respect. Do not tolerate put-downs, sarcasm, or ridicule.
When a player signs up to play sports, he/she deserves to be treated with respect. This
means no put-downs, no sarcasm and no ridiculing by the coach, or fellow players. Any
youth sports coach who volunteers to take on the job of guiding kids in any given sport
needs to be careful of how he/she comes across to the youngsters.
Remind kids not to get down on themselves.
A player making a mistake is going to happen, and kids can go from the top of the world,
to down in the dumps in a matter of moments. The key is not to let the child get down on
himself for an error, but rather make a positive out of the mistake whenever possible.
Remember not to take yourself too seriously during the game.
Remember, this is a volunteer position; nobody is being paid to pace the sidelines here.
You don’t need to make this your “life”, too many times in youth sports, the same person
who seems to have it all together away from the field, is a different person as a coach. Kids
will respond much more positively to a coach that does not look at mistakes on the field as
a poor reflection of his coaching ability and his team’s preparedness. Rather, mistakes can
be looked at by a coach as another opportunity to give encouraging feedback to a young
athlete.
Emphasize teamwork, and help kids think "WE" instead of "ME."
For these youngsters, self-esteem = a sense of belonging. Humans are a very social group
and even our youngest members need to feel as though they belong to a group. Youth
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sports offer an automatic sense of belonging. Coaches are pivotal in making the "team"
concept become a reality. The coach needs to ensure that ALL players are recognized, not
just the best players. Parents should be encouraged to praise all the players on the team,
not just their own.
Be a role model of good sportsmanship.
These days, sportsmanship has taken a distant back seat to the outcome of the contest.
Coaches have a responsibility to promote sportsmanship and:
1) Win without gloating,
2) Lose without complaining
3) Treat opponents and officials with fairness, generosity and courtesy.
Maintain a Fun is #1 focus, with lots of laughter and sense of humor.
The #1 motivator for kids to play sports in the first place?...FUN! If you ask a child his
motivation for playing a given sport, you are not likely to hear “to increase my selfconfidence” or “to learn sportsmanship”, or “to better prepare me for life”. Kids enjoy
competing, but the fun is the act of competing, the excitement of competing, not just the
winning.
The effective coach is the coach who learns what fun is for the kids by getting into their
shoes and seeing the world from their point of view, the world of fun. The effective coach
knows that fun, laughter, and humor are second nature to kids.
COACHING RESPONSIBILITIES
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Pass a criminal background check
Participate in a pre-season webinar
Support the i9 Youth Sports Philosophy & Coaching Standards
Regular Communication with parents of players
Being familiar with the weekly schedule of practices & games
Wearing your RED shirt every game
Be at the field a few minutes before programmed practice
Know your Sportsmanship Value for the week
Participate actively in all practices & games the entire season
Weekly feedback to i9 Sports
Have FUN!!
PARENTAL PLEDGE
Any coach or parent that acts in a manner outlined as inappropriate by i9 Sports will be given:
1. (1) verbal warning and 1 run will be given to their child’s opposing team.
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2. If behavior is repeated during any time during the season, i9 Sports may ask the parent to
leave the premises and not return. No refunds will be given for any remaining portion of the
season. In addition to their removal, their child’s team will be forced to forfeit the game during
that day. If this is a coach, i9 Sports will seek a replacement coach.
LYSTEDT LAW
“A youth athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game
shall be removed from competition at that time” and “…may not return to play until the athlete is
evaluated by a licensed heath care provider trained in the evaluation and management of
concussion and received written clearance to return to play from that health care provider”. Within
the soccer program, we strictly enforce a “No Heading” policy as well.
“When in Doubt, Sit Them Out”
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Game Day
Operations
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Opening Day
Week 1 (Opening/Picture Day): Check-In, Parent/Player Meeting, Pictures & Instructional
Clinic
Regular Season
Week 2 (Clinic): Instructional Clinic with short scrimmage game
Weeks 3-7 (Practice/Game): Instructor-Guided Coach Practice followed up by league game.
Week 3: Throwing/Catching
Week 4: Hitting
Week 5: Fielding
Week 6: Base Running
Week 7: All-Skill Review
i9 Series Tournament
Week 8: Coach-Pitch will participate in a series tournament. T-Ball will continue with
practice/games. All players will be rewarded at the end of their games!
How to Submit Team News Articles & Photos
Submitting Team News Articles
Any member who has a username and password can submit a team news article once per
week. For coaches, you can go to COACH’S CORNER and click “Submit Team News” and
you’re on your way. If you wish to include a digital photo with the article, please email it to
us with the article it should be matched up with. We will then review, approve, and post the
article. These articles can be viewed towards the bottom of the home page under "Team
News." We encourage all teams to have at least one volunteer to write a weekly article on
their game. NOTE: i9 Sports will monitor articles to make sure all teams are showcased
positively.
Submitting Photos & Videos
Kids get so excited when they are able to be recognized! Please remember that anyone
can submit digital photos by emailing them to [email protected] or submitting them
directly to:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-OFFICIAL-i9-SPORTS/88009728575
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Baseball
Rules
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THE BASICS
Division
Ages
Players
Ball
Officiate
Tee
T-Ball
3-5*
Coach Pitch
5*-7
Game Length
<7
RIF-1
Coaches
Yes
60 minute game
<8
RIF-1
Umpire
Avail.
60 minute game
*5-year olds can choose between T-Ball or Coach-Pitch
FIELD LAYOUT
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THE TEAM
T-Ball
• Teams must have a minimum of 4 players on each side to commence play.
• All games will be officiated by volunteer coaches
Coach-Pitch
• Teams must have a minimum of 4 players on each side to commence play.
• All games will be officiated by a trained i9 Sports instructor/umpire.
General
• League is Co-Ed
• Teams will consist of 5-8 players assigned* in the following order:
1. Grade
2. Age eligibility
3. Siblings
4. School
5. Buddy/Coach Requests
6. Height/Weight (will be considered to balance league)
7. Skill Level (will be considered to balance league)
8. Time of Registration (tiebreaker only)
*When balancing rosters, the program director will consider the # of kids on each team, particularly after the
initial rosters are announced. The team with the lowest amount of players will receive the next registered player
PLAYER ATTIRE
• Official i9 jersey and hat must be worn during instruction & game play*
• Rubber cleats are highly recommended. No metal spikes.
• Athletic baseball pants are recommended during instruction & game play.
• Protective cups are recommended (but not required).
• No jewelry (except medical bracelets)*
• No casts or any items deemed dangerous*
Please note that any player not wearing official i9 jersey or found to be wearing prohibited
equipment will not be able to participate in instruction & game play.
T-Ball Rules
GENERAL
1. All children shall play the entire game, in the field and at bat.
2. 90 minutes of playing time (30minute practice + 60 minute game).
3. Scores will not be recorded nor posted. All players will receive the same award at
season end.
4. All children will line-up and shake hands with opposing team immediately following the
game.
5. Weekly Sportsmanship medals must be provided each week ensuring that every child
has received one medal during the season.
BATTING
1. Batter and batter on deck must wear a protective helmet with hat underneath.
2. Every team shall bat until the entire line-up has hit each inning. No outs will be
recorded.
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3. All batters swing until they hit ball. Once the ball is hit, the batter will run to 1st base and
stop.
4. The ball must travel at least 8 feet from the tee in fair territory.
5. The last batter in the line-up will hit a grand slam. Thus, clearing the bases and the
teams will switch sides.
6. Instruct players to drop the bat after hitting the ball. Keep other players a sufficient
distance away from home plate.
7. There is no penalty for batting out of turn.
8. Any player arriving after a game has begun should be inserted in the batting order in the
last position.
BASERUNNING
1. The team at bat will continue to advance the runner one base per hit.
2. No leading off or stealing the bases. Run only upon a hit.
3. Runners may not advance to the next base on any over-throws.
4. Sliding is not permitted.
DEFENSIVE
1. All defensive players must stand beyond the infield arch-line when a child is at bat.
2. There is no catcher position for T-Ball (or any defensive player behind the batter).
3. All throws should be made toward 1st base.
4. 1st Basemen must wear a helmet with face-guard.
5. All players must rotate field positions each inning.
EQUIPMENT
1. T-Balls with a Reduced Injury Factor (RIF) Level 1 should be used.
2. Only non-composite regulation bats are allowed (24-25). Wooden bats are not allowed.
3. A batting helmet with a baseball hat underneath must be worn by the player at bat,
waiting on deck to bat next, all players running the bases and the first baseman.
4. Protective cups are only recommended for coach-pitch divisions.
VOLUNTEERS
1. All volunteer coaches are considered “assistant coaches” and must be certified to coach
or help with practice and games on the field.
2. All coaches must have their RED shirts visible to the instructors.
3. All coaches are allowed on the field as needed to assist.
4. Volunteers may not touch a batted ball in play.
5. No umpires will be used in T-Ball.
Coach-Pitch Rules
GENERAL
1. All children shall play the entire game, in the field and at bat.
2. 90 minutes of playing time (30 minute practice + 60 minute game).
3. Scores will be recorded and posted. All players will receive the same award
regardless of record.
4. All children will line-up and shake hands with opposing team immediately following the
game.
5. Weekly Sportsmanship medals must be provided each week ensuring that every child
has received one medal during the season.
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BATTING
1. Batter and batter on deck must wear a protective helmet with hat underneath.
2. Each team will bat through their entire lineup every inning. The end of the inning is
marked by all players having batted.
3. Outs will be recorded, but 3 outs does not end the inning.
4. The coach will throw 3 pitches to his own players. If unsuccessful, a tee is used until
that player hits the ball in fair territory.
5. The coach will pitch over-hand and is allowed to pitch from one-knee (like throwing a
dart to teach a level swing).
6. The ball must travel at least 8 feet from home plate in fair territory.
7. Bunting is not allowed.
8. There is no penalty for batting out of turn.
9. Any player arriving after a game has begun should be inserted in the batting order in the
last position.
BASERUNNING
1. Each batter can only advance 1 base at a time.
2. The base runner is out when:
i. A defensive player in possession of the ball tags the base (force play) or the tags
the runner before the runner reaches the base. (Coaches should instruct players
to tag runners below the shoulders).
ii. A defensive player catches a fly ball in fair or foul territory before it touches
another object or the ground.
iii. A base runner slides head first at any time (advancing or retreating to a base).
3. No leading or stealing the bases. Run only upon a hit.
4. Runners may not advance to the next base once a defensive player has possession of
the ball.
5. Runners may not advance to the next base on any over-throws.
6. Runners may not tag up on a caught fly ball.
DEFENSIVE
1. Defensive positions include: Pitcher, 1st Base, 2nd Base, Shortstop, 3rd Base, Left
Field and Right Field (8th player will play Center Field).
2. All fielders must stand beyond the infield arch-line when a child is at bat.
3. The defensive player listed as “Pitcher” may not leave the pitcher’s circle until the ball is
hit and must throw the ball to 1st base only (cannot tag the runner).
4. There is no infield fly rule.
5. All players must rotate positions each inning.
EQUIPMENT
1. T-Balls with a Reduced Injury Factor (RIF) Level 1 should be used.
2. Only non-composite regulation bats are allowed (24-25). Wooden bats are not allowed.
3. A batting helmet (with a baseball hat underneath) must be worn by the player at bat,
waiting on deck to bat next, and all players running the bases.
4. Protective cups are recommended.
VOLUNTEERS
1. All volunteer coaches are considered “coaches and/or “assistant coaches” and must be
certified to coach or help with practice and games on the field.
2. All coaches must have their RED shirts visible to the instructors.
3. All coaches are allowed on the field as needed to assist.
4. Volunteers may not touch a batted ball in play.
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5. Coach-Pitcher (pitch to own team) must use a baseball glove.
i9 SPORTS WEEKLY SPORTSMANSHIP VALUES
Each coach will be given up as many medals as players on their team. These will be used
to distribute every week based on the value being taught.
THE VALUE OF A MEDAL
Each medal symbolizes a teaching moment. Therefore, each is special and all kids should
feel very special when receiving one. Coaches should conduct a small awards ceremony
after each game in the presence of all the team parents.
We recommend that you distribute ALL medals by last week of regular season (week 7)! We also
recommend that you keep track of which players received medals and limit to (1) per player.
WHY?
 It dilutes the meaning of the value being taught
 i9 Sports will also provide every player with an additional award commemorating
their final day
WEEK 1(Opening Day): Enthusiasm
Is your player approaching practice and game play with excitement and passion? This is a
great value as it helps your child to socialize positively.
WEEK 2: Listening
Teach your players that listening is very important in order to learn a new sport. If you listen
to your instructor/coach then each player will hear what the coach is trying to explain what
to do during the drill.
WEEK 3: Communication
Teach your player to work on “how” they communicate. Can they communicate loudly and
clearly? Do they know their teammates, coaches and instructor’s names? Are they verbal
on the court? This is a great tool as they mature into adulthood. The best communicators
achieve the greatest success in life.
WEEK 4: Determination
This value is designed for tournament play. The difference between a good athlete and a
great athlete is persistence and a determined mindset to play to the best of their abilities.
This value should be given to your player that has the very best attitude during the
tournament.
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WEEK 5: Taking Turns
If you Take Turns on and off the field, you can hold your head high because you know
you’ve done your best to give everyone on your team a chance to play. It means that you
get to do something for a little while, and then its someone else’s turn to do the same thing.
WEEK 6: Hustle
This value needs no explanation! The players that work the hardest, approach the game
with enthusiasm and stay active and focused during the game will learn faster and become
a more effective athlete.
WEEK 7: Being A Good Buddy
You might think being a good buddy means having a best friend. But in order to be a good
buddy, it is important to be friendly with all of your teammates and your opponents.
WEEK 8: Good Sportsmanship
This value incorporates all the preceding values. A good sport is truly visible on the court.
He/she focuses on the team’s needs first and is a student of the game, playing
enthusiastically at every turn. This value should be given to your player that is the most
well-rounded member of the team that demonstrates most of the values on a weekly basis.
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