THANK YOU TO: FONTBONNEUNIVERSITY

“PRACTICE MADE PERFECT” COACHES CLINIC

Rules & Respect For The GameBy: Greg Pohl

February 9, 2014

PERSONALLY, I AM EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COACHES

Coached HS Wrestling For Several Years.

Currently A Middle School Hlth/PE Teacher

Know The Importance Coaches Make In Young People’s Lives!

As an “Official” of various sports, and specifically an “Umpire” for softball, I’m aware of the importance of coaches & umpires working together in order to provide these opportunities for student athletes to play their game.

PERSONALLY, I AM EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COACHES (CONT.)

My objective today is to share a perspective of the game as an official, or as “the umpire” and help coaches be aware of some things “I believe” they should consider about the game.

PERSONALLY, I AM EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH COACHES (CONT.)

Not everything I say today will always hold true, but hopefully, I can help you think from another perspective when you’re out coaching your team.

COACHES RESPONSIBILITIESDURING THE GAME

Team’s Actions

Primary Communicator

MUST BE IN THE COACH’S BOX (WHEN THE PITCHER RELEASES THE PITCH)

MAY HAVE SCOREBOOK (ELECTRONIC OR PAPER), PEN, PENCIL, OR ELECTRONIC MARKER AND AN INDICATOR.

MAY NOT USE LANGUAGE THAT REFLECTS NEGATIVELY UPON PLAYERS, UMPIRES, OR SPECTATORS.

MAY ONLY ADDRESS THEIR OWN TEAM MEMBERS.

MAY NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING CELL PHONES, PAGERS, ETC., ON THE PLAYING FIELD.

MAY NOT (INTERFERE) TOUCH A RUNNER OR HELP MOVE A RUNNER, MAY NOT LEAVE BOX TO DISTRACT PLAYERS OR DRAW A THROWLIKE RUNNING HOME ALONGSIDE A RUNNER TRYING TO SCORE

BaseCoach

Taken From Rule Book

APPEAL PLAYS: COACHES SHOULD KNOW

Types: • Missing base• Leaving a base early on a caught fly

ball (before the ball is first touched)• Attempting to advance to 2nd after

making turn at 1st

• Batting out of order.

APPEAL PLAYS: COACHES SHOULD KNOW

Live Ball Appeals: • Having your player (in possession of

the ball) tag either the runner, or the base where the violation took place and indicating they want an appeal.

APPEAL PLAYS: COACHES SHOULD KNOW

Dead Ball Appeals: • EASIEST TYPE OF APPEAL – Get

“Time” then have any infielder, with or without the ball, may make a verbal appeal on the violation. The umpire(s) should let the offensive team complete their runner responsibilities before ruling.

APPEAL PLAYS: COACHES SHOULD KNOW

When Appeals must be made:

a.Before next pitch, legal or illegal

b.At the end of an inning – before pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory.

c.On the last play of the game, until the umpires have left the field.

“CONSULTING”: (THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL TERM)

THERE ARE SEVERAL SITUATIONS DURING A GAME WHERE COACHES WOULD LIKE UMPIRES TO “GET TOGETHER” AND DISCUSS A PLAY.

THESE ARE NOT APPEALS IF COACHES REALLY WANT THIS TO OCCUR, THEN THEY SHOULD DO SOME SPECIFIC THINGS:

REQUEST “TIME” AND COME OUT OF THE DUGOUT

APPROACH THE UMPIRE RESPECTFULLY (OR A LEAST CALMLY AND UNDER CONTROL)

TALK IN AN EVEN TONE OF VOICE.

ASK THEM WHAT THEIR CALL IS, THEN IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED…

CREATE DOUBT IN THE CALLING UMPIRE.(REALIZE THERE MAY NOT BE ANY)

Q: DOES IT MATTER WHICH UMPIRE YOU ASK HELP FROM OR SHOULD YOU ALWAYS TAKE IT TO THE HOME PLATE UMPIRE?

NO PROMISES!! – BUT,IF THERE IS DOUBT, OR THE UMPIRE IS MISSING SOME INFORMATION, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO “CONSULT” WITH THEIR PARTNER(S) IN ORDER TO GET THE CORRECT CALL.

IT MAY GO YOUR WAY, IT MAY NOT, BUT IN EITHER CASE, COACHES SHOULD ACCEPT THE RULING AND MOVE ON.

EXCEPTION: IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE A PROTEST-ABLE SITUATION. IF SO, THEN STATE YOUR PROTEST TO THE PLATE UMPIRE.

COACHES MAY NOT PROTEST ANY JUDGEMENT CALLS – EX. BALLS/STRIKES, SAFE/OUT, ETC.

CONFERENCES: MANY SUMMER SOFTBALL CODES – HOWEVER, NOT ALL ARE THIS WAY – SO KNOW DEPENDING ON YOUR GAME

1) OFFENSIVE: 1 PER INNING. ANYTIME A COACH DELAYS THE GAME TO CONFER WITH A BATTER, ANOTHER TEAM REPRESENTATIVE, AND/OR RUNNER(S) IN AN INNING.

A. EFFECT: UMPIRES SHOULD NOT ALLOW ADDITIONAL CONFERENCES. EJECTION OF OFFENDER.

CONFERENCES: MANY SUMMER SOFTBALL CODES – HOWEVER, NOT ALL ARE THIS WAY – SO KNOW DEPENDING ON YOUR GAME

2) DEFENSIVE: 3 PER 7 INNING GAME. (EXTRA INNINGS: 1 PER EXTRA). ANYTIME A TEAM REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DUGOUT DELAYS THE GAME TO CONFER WITH A DEFENSIVE PLAYER(S).

A. EFFECT: THE 4TH AND EACH ADDITIONAL, THAT VIOLATES THE RULE SHALL RESULT IN THE REMOVAL OF THE PITCHER FROM THE PITCHING POSITION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME. (OR EFFECT FOR THE RULES YOU’RE PLAYING UNDER)

CONFERENCES MAY NOT BE CHARGED FOR ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER IF THE TEAM IS READY TO PLAY AND DOES NOT FURTHER DELAY THE GAME.

DP / FLEX – ADDITIONAL HANDOUT PROVIDED: USE THESE “CHEAT SHEETS” THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

DUGOUT CONDUCT: PARTICIPANTS (COACHES) MAY NOT SMOKE OR USE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES INSIDE THE DUGOUT OR ON THE PLAYING FIELD.

INJURED PLAYER: COACHES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DETERMINING WHAT COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR AN INJURED PLAYER. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME AREAS, PARTICULARLY WITH CONCUSSIONS, WHERE RULES AND SAFETY CONCERNS TAKE PRECEDENT.

OBSTRUCTION: VIOLATION BY THE DEFENSIVE TEAM (DOES NOT REQUIRE CONTACT). UMPIRES DELAY THEIR CALLS (DELAYED DEAD BALL) UNTIL PLAY HAS STOPPED. IF A PENALTY NEEDS TO BE ENFORCED, IT IS DONE AT THE END OF A PLAY.

INTERFERENCE: VIOLATION BY THE OFFENSIVE TEAM (IE. COACHES OR PLAYERS) OR BY UMPIRES, OR SPECTATORS. MOST CASES OF INTERFERENCE RESULT IN A DEAD BALL, BUT THERE ARE SOME WHERE THE BALL REMAINS LIVE.

PROTESTED GAME: COACHES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING THE RULES.

WHEN A COACH BELIEVES THERE HAS BEEN A MISAPPLICATION OF A RULE BY AN UMPIRE, THEY SHOULD DETERMINE WHETHER THEY WANT TO PROTEST THE GAME.

COACHES SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO DISCUSS THE GAME SITUATION WITH UMPIRES FIRST. USE THIS TIME TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS ACTUALLY A MISAPPLICATION OF THE RULE. IF SO, THEN PROTEST!

BE “PROFESSIONAL” AND STATE WHAT YOU BELIEVE THEY HAVE MISAPPLIED. ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL OF THE UMPIRES IS TO GET THE CALL CORRECT. IF IT TAKES A PROTEST TO DO IT, THEN STEP UP AND PROTEST.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH PROTESTS.

SAFETY OF PARTICIPANTS: MANY RULES ARE IN PLACE TO KEEP PARTICIPANTS SAFE. COACHES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THEIR PLAYERS FOLLOW AND USE THOSE RULES TO STAY SAFE.

ENCOURAGE PLAYERS TO WEAR THEIR UNIFORM CORRECTLY. USE APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE GEAR. USE CERTIFIED AND LEGAL EQUIPMENT.

SPORTING BEHAVIOR: COACHES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF THEIR PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR SPECTATORS. (SUMMER SOFTBALL)

THERE ARE NUMEROUS SITUATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR IN A GAME, AND COACHES MUST HELP MAINTAIN GOOD SPORTING BEHAVIOR. FAILURE TO DO SO HAS MANY EFFECTS; INCLUDING OUTS, EJECTIONS, AND FORFEITS.

STRIKE ZONE: EVERY PITCH SEEMS TO BE CRUCIAL DURING THE GAME.

ARGUING BALLS AND STRIKES IS NOT PERMITTED, BUT COACHES CAN TALK WITH THEIR CATCHERS TO FIND OUT INFORMATION.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CATCHERS TO GIVE YOU ACCURATE AND REALISTIC FEEDBACK RATHER THAN TELLING YOU WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR. THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT, BUT ULTIMATELY IT’S WHAT SHOULD OCCUR.

COACHES CAN AND SHOULD TALK WITH BOTH THEIR PITCHERS AND CATCHERS DURING THE GAME ABOUT “CLOSE” PITCHES.

DIRECT YOUR POSITIVE COMMENTS TO THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP COMPETING FOR “THAT PITCH.”

STRIKE ZONE (CONT): EVERY PITCH SEEMS TO BE CRUCIAL DURING THE GAME.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN A COACH CAN EVEN APPROACH AN UMPIRE ABOUT THE STRIKE ZONE, BUT DO SO INCONSPICUOUSLY.

TAKE A CUP OF WATER OUT AND SHARE IT WITH AN UMPIRE.

KEEP A CALM DEMEANOR AND USE APPROPRIATE TONE AND VOLUME.

ASK THEM (POLITELY) WHERE THEY’RE SEEING THE PITCHES?

ONCE FINISHED – LEAVE ON A POSITIVE NOTE, AND REFRAIN FROM NEGATIVE “JABS” AS YOU’RE LEAVING.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

TAKE THE TIME TO GO OUT AND MAKE THE CHANGE WITH AN UMPIRE.

REFRAIN FROM SHOUTING IT FROM THE DUGOUT.

DO NOT ASSUME THE UMPIRE KNOWS WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO.

CARELESSNESS WITH YOU LINE-UP MAY COST YOU LATER IN THE GAME WITH AN APPEAL BY THE OTHER TEAM.

IT IS WISE TO USE THE UMPIRE, AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME TO ENSURE YOU HAVE CORRECTLY MADE YOUR SUBSTITUTION.

THIS IS RECOMMENDED FOR OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE CHANGES.

ASA’S SAFETY AWARENESS GUIDE:GREAT RESOURCE FOR COACHES!

SOFTBALL SAFETY

RECOMMENDATIONS

EQUIPMENT

FIRST AID

YOUTH SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS

ADULT SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS

FIELD CONDITION ISSUES

• ASA’S SAFETY AWARENESS GUIDE:GREAT RESOURCE FOR COACHES!

LIGHTNING SAFETY GUIDELINES

PHYSICAL & SEXUAL ABUSE INFO & PREVENTION

RECOMMENDED TRAVEL POLICY

MEDICAL CONDITION ISSUES

CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

CDC CONCUSSION AWARENESS

USOC SAFE SPORT INITIATIVE & RESOURCES