PTBA: Sportsmanship & Conduct

Sportsmanship & Conduct

Y.E.S. Initiative | Parents | Players | Coaches

Y.E.S. Initiative

Youth Exemplifying Sportsmanship

The Peters Township Park & Recreation Department implemented the Youth Exemplifying Sportsmanship (Y.E.S.) initiative in 2002.

The Peters Township Park and Recreation Board of Directors feels strongly that the purpose of its recreational sports programs is to encourage and develop in children a love for sports in a safe and positive environment, while teaching skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

The 3 major goals of recreational youth sport programs are:

1.	To address the physical, social, and emotional developmental needs of children.
2.	To encourage participation in sports as a means to developing a healthy lifestyle, learning sportsmanship, and having fun.
3.	To learn and master the fundamentals of the game. Learning and participation are to be emphasized over winning.

The operating policies of the PTBA and the associated recreational program offerings have been and will continue to be consistent with the overall goals and objectives of the YES program.

Parents

PTBA Parental Responsibilities and Guidelines

PTBA, along with the Peters Township Park and Recreation Department, is committed to adhering to the principals of the Y.E.S. initiative. We believe that better communication, coordination, and cooperation will greatly benefit all of the constituents of youth sports in the community, including children, parents, coaches, and other volunteers.

One of the most common questions that the PTBA Executive Board receives each year is how and why a particular individual was selected as a team manager. Volunteers for manager positions are solicited at the time of player registration. All manager candidates are screened in advance by the PTBA Executive Board. Every effort is made to ensure that the volunteers ultimately selected are the most qualified candidates to fill the required number of manager positions.

We encourage your participation and volunteer efforts for your child's team in any capacity. However, we must require that all parents assist the PTBA with managing the concession stand at Peterswood Park. Concession stand revenue is the largest contributing fundraiser to our program and requires the assistance of everyone to ensure its continued success. Your team Manager or his assistant will coordinate scheduling a convenient time (or times) with you to work the concession stand on those days assigned to your team. If you cannot meet the concession stand work requirement, you will be obligated to pay the appropirate rate for PTBA to hire help for your scheduled time (or times).

Chain of Communication

If you do have a question or a complaint regarding your team’s manager, coaches, players or any other issue you believe needs to be addressed, PTBA encourages you to follow this “Chain of Communication”:

1.	Team Manager
2.	League Director
3.	VP of PTBA Board
4.	PTBA Executive Board
5.	Peters Township Parks & Recreation Department

Your team manager will provide you with the names and phone numbers of each of these contacts at the first team meeting or practice. If you are uncomfortable discussing an issue with your team manager (again, we encourage you to do so), you may contact the League Director first. Both the League Director and VP of the PTBA Board can be reached via the PTBA Information Line (724-942-5116).

What You Can Do:
Guidelines for Parents From The Positive Coaching Alliance

Before the game:

1.	Tell your child you are proud of him/her, regardless of how well he/she plays.
2.	Tell your child to play hard and have fun. Remind him/her that it’s okay to be nervous.
3.	Make a commitment to yourself to Honor the Game no matter what others may do.

During the game:

1.	Let the coaches’ coach. Avoid giving your child (or other players) advice during the game.
2.	Fill your child’s (and teammates’) Emotional Tank.
3.	Cheer good plays and good efforts by both teams.
4.	Mention good calls by the officials to others. (Honor the Game – be silent on “bad” calls).
5.	Remember to have fun! Enjoy the day.

After the game:

1.	Thank the officials for doing a difficult job.
2.	Thank the coaches for their effort.
3.	Let your child tell you about the game (avoid giving your post-game analysis unless asked).

Players

Players' Standards of Conduct

Support, respect, and cooperate with your teammates and coaches.

Be honest, be fair, and do the right the thing.

Think before you act, take responsibility for your actions, and keep your promises.

Try your best.

Respect the umpires, the other team, and all coaches.

Never argue with the umpire or your coach.

Always ask your coach questions if you do not understand what to do or if you need help. Tell your coach if you are hurt.

Pay attention to your coach and be courteous to your fellow players and coaches; do not interrupt them while they speak.

Be on time for practices and games with all your equipment.

Be alert on the field and never turn your back to the ball unless you’re making a play.

Fighting and bad language are not allowed.

If you have a problem, tell your coach.

Cheering during a game should be for encouraging your teammates only – not against the other team.

Practice at home whenever you can - it is the only way to improve and have more fun.

Attend instructional sessions sponsored by your coach and our organization.

Coaches

What is expected of a PTBA Coach?

The following excerpt is taken from the Little League Baseball Operating Manual. It is the criteria that Little League Baseball Inc. recommends that local leagues consider while selecting managers and coaches.

"The Little League Manager must be a leader. All managers must recognize that they hold a position of trust and responsibility in a program that deals with a sensitive and formative period of a youngster’s development. It is required that the manager have understanding, patience and the managers must realize that they are helping to shape the physical, mental and emotional development of young people. The Little League Manager must be something more than a coach. Knowledge of the game is essential, but it is not the only badge of a Little League coach or manager. While an adult with training and background in the game is desirable in a candidate for manager or coach, league screening committees should look for other important qualities.

Managers must be adults who are sensitive to the mental and physical limitations of children of Little League age and who recognize that the game is a vehicle of training and enjoyment, not an end in itself. It has been stated many times that the program of Little League can only be as good as the quality of leadership in the managing personnel. New leagues particularly, should make a determined effort to enlist the best adults in the community to serve as managers."

PTBA Manager Responsibilities and Guidelines

In keeping with the philosophy described above, Peters Township Baseball Association (PTBA) has established the following minimum requirements to be considered as a manager for one of our teams. These Guidelines will apply to all PTBA sponsored recreational baseball teams. We require that each manager read and sign these requirements as acknowledgement of PTBA’s expectations.

1.	Attend a minimum of 4 monthly PTBA meetings during the fiscal year (Nov – Oct) and other scheduled league meetings.
2.	Attend mandatory PTBA sponsored coaches clinic.
3.	Attend tryouts and drafts for your respective league.
4.	Distribute and collect equipment and team uniforms at scheduled times.
5.	Distribute league literature and notices.
6.	Handle the distribution and collection of PTBA fund-raiser.
7.	Participate in field maintenance as required.
8.	Coordinate with team players and parents for participation in Picture Day.
9.	Coordinate the staffing of the concession stand with your team parents on days that you team is scheduled to work.
10.	File league approved Accident Forms with the League Director in the event a player is injured on the field and requires medical assistance.
11.	Perform “Player Evaluations” at season’s end to be collected by League Director at a scheduled time.
12.	Conduct a parents meeting at or prior to first team practice so that all league parents are informed as to the rules and expectations of them and their children. Each manager will distribute and read the “PTBA Parental Responsibilities and Guidelines” letter and have all parents sign the letter acknowledging their receipt. The signed letters will be collected by the League Director.
13.	Select a qualified coaching staff. Managers are ultimately responsible for the actions and behavior of their coaches at all times. All managers must inform all of their coaches and assistants of the “PTBA Manager Responsibilities and Guidelines” and ensure that they abide by them. Disputes should be brought to the attention of the League Director or the VP of the PTBA executive board.
14.	All managers and coaches should conduct themselves appropriately during the time they are with their team. Managers should lead by example. Restraint and good judgement should be used when discussing problems with umpires or opposing coaches and managers while with your team.
	The use of profanity will not be tolerated.
	The use of any tobacco product is strictly prohibited in the dugouts and on the field.
	Once the game starts, the umpire is in charge.
	Criticizing any player, manager, coach, or umpire will not be tolerated.
	Use of alcoholic beverages is not permitted at any baseball facility and is prohibited by law.
15.	Managers are responsible for providing new game balls (distributed by PTBA) for each home game. The field and dugouts are to be maintained at the end of the game to ensure that the field is usable for the next game. If your game is the last scheduled game of the day, be sure all field equipment is returned to the shed and that the field is groomed, weather permitting.
16.	Follow all league rules and responsibilities established by the PTBA executive board. No alterations of league rules will be accepted without prior approval from the executive board. It is the manager’s responsibility to know the rules of the game and to abide by them.
17.	Report any problems to the League Director as early as possible.
18.	All managers are required to record basic statistics for each player during the regular recreational baseball season. Such statistics will include, but may not be limited to, times on base, number of at-bats and number of strikeouts. These statistics will be collected at the end of the season and will be used as a criterion for the travel team selection process, established by PTBA.
19.	PTBA Executive Board wants to remind all managers and coaches that no batting practice or base running is to take place without helmets being worn and that all players playing the catcher position must wear a protective cup. In addition, all catchers who are “warming up” pitchers must wear appropriate helmet/facemask.

Complaint Process

Often times it seems that a volunteer position is a thankless job. No matter how many hours you put in, it’s likely you won’t be able to satisfy all of the people all of the time. PTBA will support your efforts as a manager as long as you adhere to the stated responsibilities and guidelines. In the event that a complaint is reported related to your conduct, the following guidelines will be in effect:

1.	The manager will be made aware of any verbal or written complaint that has been made in order to obtain his/her feedback and input.
2.	The manager may be asked to take steps to address any identified problems.
3.	The manager may be placed on probation.

Should you need to file a complaint against another manager, player, coach, umpire or parent, the following “Chain of Communication” must be followed:

1.	Team Manager
2.	League Director
3.	Vice President - PTBA
4.	PTBA Board of Directors
5.	Peters Township Parks & Recreation Department

Goals of PTBA

Play fairly by the rules of the game and the league.

Make our managers better teachers and positive motivators by understanding what to do and how to teach it. Only the use of positive reinforcement is considered appropriate.

Improve our players’ athletic skills, their knowledge of the game, their physical condition, their ability to control their emotions, their feelings of positive self worth, and their understanding of the importance of sportsmanship.

Make the experience for our players fun, while at the same time teaching them the skills and strategies of the game and how to be respectful teammates and opponents.

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