THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League

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THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Spring 2023                          BATTER UP!
 Volume 28, Issue 1
                           Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League

                      THE ONE CONSTANT…
                                                                          Registration Opens
                                                                             January 31

                                                                            Practices Begin
                                                                           (b/u final # teams)

                                                                          Green Hat (& older)
                                                                           Week of April 10

                                                                      Coach-Pitch/Tee-Ball
                                                                        Week of April 17

                                                                             Season Ends
                                                                                July 9

With the new year comes a new WYBSL season and we’re ready to get the ball rolling! Most
would agree, recent times have brought much change and many challenges. Communities and
families are working harder than ever to navigate these times, especially for the sake of
children which the WYBSL can assist with.

In our favorite baseball movie, James Earl Jones speaks of the role our sport plays in our
history and as a remedy to what ails us. The WYBSL has been a proud “constant” in
Westerville for 72 years as an all volunteer, non-profit organization serving our youth and
their families.

Baseball and softball help teach our youth the value of sportsmanship, teamwork and respect
while providing development of athletic skills for players age 4-18. Thanks to our partnership
with the City of Westerville and Westerville City Schools, we also play on arguably some of the
best recreational league fields in the area and where parents, players and siblings can spend
quality family time together!

In 2023, we will continue to invest in field, equipment and other program improvements
including the return of tournament teams in Red Hat softball and baseball. These teams will
play in a limited number of local “rec” tournaments in July. Please read on to find all the
information you’ll need to register your young player(s) for the spring/summer leagues.

As Terence Mann so eloquently stated, if you build it, “people will come” and now we’re ready
for you to join us for another great season!
                                                                          See you at the fields!
                                                                             Ken Sahlin, Editor
                                                          Weather
    Website                   Email                       Hotline
                                                                                      Twitter
 www.wybsl.org           wybsl@wybsl.org             (614) 523-6220                @WYBSLalerts
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                      Spring 2023                                                Page 2

              SPRING OVERVIEW                                                 IMPORTANT DATES
 LEAGUES - The WYBSL offers 10 leagues in tee-ball,
                                                                                Activity                      Date
 baseball and softball. Practices start in mid-April; games
 begin in May. The regular season ends at the end of
                                                                 On-line Registration OPEN @                  1/31
 June. In all leagues, except tee-ball, post-season league
 tournaments begin in late June. Each player receives a          www.wybsl.org
 team shirt and cap or softball visor if desired.       The
                                                                 Regular Registration, Scholarship &          3/20
 league supplies all fields, balls, batting and catcher  2 of   17“Play with a Friend” (Tee-Ball &
 equipment.     Players supply gloves, shoes, socks and
                                                                 Softball Coach-Pitch) deadline
 baseball pants or shorts (depending on the league).

 PLAYING AGES & FEES - As a result of proactive steps
                                                                 Withdrawal w/full refund deadline            3/31
 to mitigate the impact of inflation last year and in 2023,      (see p. 8)
 there will be NO increase in league fees this year!
 See p.3 for a complete list of fees by league.                  Play-Up & Skill Assessments                   4/8
                                                                 Rain Date: 4/15 (see pp. 4 & 7 for
 Playing age is determined by age on 4/30/23. Fees               more info)
 include a league registration fee and a $24 Fields Fund
 fee. In exchange for the Fields Fund fee, each player           Practices Begin*                         Wk of:
 receives 12 - $2 raffle tickets which they may sell to          Green Hat & older leagues                 4/10
 defray the costs or simply put their parent’s name on           Coach-Pitch & Tee-Ball                    4/17
                                                                              * Based on weather and final # teams
 them for entry in our All Star Saturday raffle.                 * pending assessments

 REGISTRATION - Registration will once again be done             Final Withdrawal deadline (see p. 8)          4/30
 through the online application on our website
 (www.wybsl.org) and begins January 31st.
                                                                 Games Begin**                              Week of:
 CALENDAR - Please reference the league calendar on              Coach-Pitch & older leagues                   5/8
 page 4 for league deadlines, schedules and events. Be           Tee-Ball league                              5/15
 sure to check our website for updates throughout the
 season.
                                                                 Spring/Summer Season Ends                     7/9
                   NEW IN 2023
RED/BLUE HAT SOFTBALL - after testing last fall, new
                                                                                WYBSL UNIVERSITY
playing ages for Red (11-13) and Blue Hat (14-17) are in
place this Spring.
                                                                  Volunteer coaches are essential to our program.
                                                                  and “WYBSL U” is an important for new coaches
SUMMER TOURNAMENT TEAMS - assuming sufficient
                                                                  and especially head coaches in our Tee-Ball and
commitment and availability, the WYBSL hopes to field a
                                                                  Coach-Pitch leagues.
team in Red Hat Softball and Baseball to play “local”
recreational league tournaments. Tournament play is
                                                                  Recognizing many such volunteers
anticipated to occur in July with tryouts in late May/early
                                                                  may not have experience or want to
June. More information will be available in May.
                                                                  improve their skills, this program will
                                                                  help coaches in areas such as:
COACH-PITCH BASEBALL - as done in the fall, we will
                                                                        • League rules
be consolidating the “A” & “B” leagues into one coach-
                                                                        • Pre-season preparation
pitch league for players age 7 & 8 as of 4/30/23.
                                                                        • Planning & conducting practices
                                                                        • Coaching games
PITCH LIMIT UPDATES - in our continued efforts to
                                                                        • Communicating with parents
ensure player safety and development, new pitch limits
are in place in both softball and baseball (see p.5).
                                                                  This spring, “class” will be April 16th (time &
                                                                  location TBA) with lunch also being provided. We
BLACK/BLUE HAT BASEBALL METAL CLEATS - the
                                                                  hope you’ll volunteer as a coach in these important
WYBSL has decided to ALLOW metal cleats in the Black &
                                                                  entry level leagues and become a graduate of
Blue hat baseball leagues in 2023 while it continues to
                                                                  WYBSL U!
evaluate the portable mounds installed last spring.
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                           Spring 2023                                      Page 3

              LEAGUE AGES / FEES                                    REGISTRATION ELIGIBILITY

                                                               We’ll assure a place for every family who lives,
     League          Baseball   Softball    Registration
                                               Fee             works or attends school within the boundaries
                                                               of the Westerville City School District and
  Co-Ed Tee-Ball       4-6        —            $85             applies by the regular registration deadline.

  Coach-Pitch          7-8        7-8          $97         3 of 17
                                                                 We will accept other applications at any time
                                                               on a space available basis. In all past seasons,
  Green Hat            9-10      9-10          $102            we have placed 100% of all applications
                                                               received by the regular registration deadline
  Red Hat             11-12      11-13         $108            date of March 20th.
  Blue Hat            13-14      13-17         $113            All players who did not play in the WYBSL
                                                               during 2022 must provide a birth certificate
  Black Hat *         15-18       —            $118            copy that can be uploaded via our online
                                                               application.
                Player age as of 4/30/23.

  * To play at age 18, a player must be a full-time
                                                                             SCHOLARSHIPS
  high school student at the beginning of the playing
  season.

                  FIELDS FUND FEE
 Each player must add a $24 Fields Fund fee to the
  above registration amount. Players will receive
twelve $2 raffle tickets which they can sell to defray
   the cost. Our Fields Fund goes to maintaining,              The WYBSL would like to thank Dick’s Sporting
         improving and building new fields!                    Goods, Lake Shore Cryotronics and Westerville
                                                               Local 3480 Firefighters for their generous
                     FAMILY PLAN                               support that helps fund our scholarship program
 (Calculated from the highest to lowest registration fee)      to help assure that more eligible players (who
                                                               reside within the Westerville City School
   First two players @ Full Fee + Fields Fund Fee              District) can participate in our league,
      All other players @ Fields Funds Fee only                regardless of financial circumstances.

               LATE REGISTRATION                               Depending on the individual situation, this
                                                               program may allow deferred payments and/or
              AFTER MARCH 20, 2023
                                                               full or partial fee grants to provide assistance
                Additional $30 per player.                     with Registration and Fields Fund fees, up to
                                                               $118 per year per child.
              VOLUNTEER IN 2023
                                                               Full information and the scholarship application
    Coaches and Staff are needed at all age
                                                               can be found within our online registration.
      levels! Use the online application to
     volunteer or contact Lauren Swihart                       PLEASE NOTE, all scholarship applications
               (secy@wybsl.org)                                must be submitted by March 20th for
                                                               consideration.
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                           Spring 2023                                                       Page 4
                                                    CALENDAR
                       JANUARY                                                        APRIL (continued)

   Tue 31st         Online Registration Opens                                           SKILL ASSESSMENTS (continued)
                          www.wybsl.org
                                                                                            Baseball - Huber Village
                                                                                                 Green Hat (9-10)
                       FEBRUARY                                                      Last Name / Time   Last Name / Time
                                                                                        A-D / 10:00A         M-P / 1:00P
                                                                                        E-H / 11:00A         Q-Z / 2:00P
   Sat 25th     Walk-in Registration/Open House             4 of 17                     I-L / 12:00P
                        Time/Location TBA                               Sat 8th
                                                                                                   Red Hat (11-12)
                                                                                        A-H / 11:30A         S-Z / 1:30P
                                                                                        I-R / 12:30P
                         MARCH
                                                                                          Baseball - Highlands Park
                                                                                             Blue Hat (13-14) - 9:00A
               Regular Registration, Scholarship &
                                                                                            Black Hat (15-18) - 10:00A
   Mon 20th       “Play with a Friend” deadline
                  (Tee-Ball & Softball Coach-Pitch)                                     Baseball & Softball League Drafts
                                                                                             Rain date: week of 17th
    Fri 31st   Deadline for Withdrawal w/Full Refund
                                                                        Week of        Green Hat & Older League Players
                                                                         10th            Notified of Team Assignment
                          APRIL                                                                After completion of drafts

                                                                                      Green Hat & Older League Practices Begin
   Week of      Baseball & Softball Coaches Meetings
                   Green/Red/Blue/Black Hat Leagues                                            Rain date: Week of 17th
    3rd
                                                                        Sun 16       “WYBSL-U” for Tee-Ball & Coach Pitch Head
                      PLAY-UP ASSESSMENTS                                                 Coaches; Location/Time TBA
                          Rain date: 4/15
                                                                                      Tee-Ball & Coach-Pitch Coaches Mtg’s
                      Softball - Huber Village                          Week of
                 Coach-Pitch Play-ups for 6 y/o's: 8:30A                 17th        Tee-Ball & Coach-Pitch League Players
                 Green Hat Play-ups for 8 y/o's: 9:00A                                   Notified of Team Assignments
                 Red Hat Play-ups for 10 y/o's: 11:00A
    Sat 8th      Blue Hat Play-ups for 13 y/o's: 12:00P                              Tee-Ball & Coach-Pitch Practices Begin

                       Baseball - Huber Village                        Sun 30th            Final Deadline for Refunds
                 Green Hat Play-ups for 8 y/o's: 10:00A
                  Red Hat Play-ups for 10 y/o's: 11:30A
                                                                                              MAY
                 Coach-Pitch Play-ups for 6 y/o's: 10:30A
                                                                      Week of 8th    Coach-Pitch & Older League Play Begins
                       Baseball - Highlands Park
                  Blue Hat Play-ups for 12 y/o's: 9:00A
                                                                        Sat 6th         Team Photo Day (rain date: 5/13)

                        SKILL ASSESSMENTS                             Week of 15th        Tee-Ball League Play Begins
                           Rain date: 4/15

                                                                                             JUNE
                      Softball - Huber Village
                            Green Hat (9-10)
                                                                                        Post Season Tournaments Begin
                           Last Name / Time
                                                                      Week of 19th              (except Tee-Ball)
    Sat 8th                  A-M / 9:00A
                             N-Z / 10:00A
                                                                        Fri 23rd        Last Day to Turn in Raffle Tickets

                      Red Hat (11-12) - 11:00A
                      Blue Hat (13-15) - 12:00P                                              JULY
                                                                        Sat 1st           All Star Saturday (see p. 13)

                                                                        Tue 4th          Independence Day Parade
         Look for Fall Ball
    registration information in                                         Sun 9th          Spring/Summer Season Ends

             mid-June!                                                 Sat 15th         Fall Ball Registration Open House
                                                                                              12P-2P; Location TBA
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                              Spring 2023                                                  Page 5

                                                      LEAGUE OVERVIEW
We offer young boys and girls the opportunity to spend many years in our program. Although skills and
competition increase as players advance, the focus at all levels is on learning and fun. Continuous
batting orders are used and all players must play a minimum number of innings in the field. Although
we base our rules on National Federation of High School standards, there are modifications for each
league to provide a careful evolution and recreational focus as summarized below:

  Co-Ed        No scores or standings are kept, ten players5bat    each inning regardless of outs and ten defensive
                                                               of 17
 Tee-Ball      players with coaches in the field for instruction. Players placed in different field positions each inning.

 Coach-        Coaches pitch to their own team, scores and standings are kept but not emphasized, batters receive
  Pitch        up to 7 pitches, there are no walks. Ten fielders are used with coaches teaching from the field.
               Fielders must play 3 defensive innings and must play both infield and outfield.

  Green        Players are pitching, bunting and stealing (see specific rules). Coaches pitch once 4 “balls” are called.
   Hat         Baseball teams play with 9 players in the field and pitch count limits are in place.

   Red         Competition increases but focus on instruction continues. Stealing of all bases is allowed and dropped
   Hat         3rd strike is introduced. In baseball, field size increases, limited balk rules & pitch counts are added.

   Blue        Generally a middle school age league, certified OHSAA umpires are used, pitchers can pitch complete
   Hat         games subject to pitch count. In baseball, field size increases and lead-offs are allowed.

  Black        For baseball, generally high school young men playing on “major league” field size.
   Hat

                                            Baseball Overview By League
                 Baselines    Pitch Dist.   Innings     Ages       Days        Balls       Umpires               2                 2
                                                                                                       IP/Game             IP/Wk

   Co-Ed           45’           n/a          4          4-6      TuWTh        RIF1       Volunteer       n/a                n/a
  Tee-Ball

 Coach-Pitch        60'          46'          6          7-8       MWF         RIF5       Volunteer       n/a                n/a

  Green Hat         60'          46'          6         9-10       MWF        League      Trained      55 pitches        100 pitches

  Red Hat          70’           50’          6         11-12     TuWTh       League      Trained      65 pitches        120 pitches

  Blue Hat         80’           54’          7         13-14      MWF        League      Certified    75 pitches        140 pitches

  Black Hat        90’          60’6”         7         15-18     TuWTh       League      Certified    85 pitches        150 pitches

                                            Softball Overview By League
                             Pitch Dist.    Innings     Ages       Days         Balls      Umpires                         IP/Wk2
                 Baselines                                                                                           2
                                                                                                        IP/Game

 Coach-Pitch        50’          30’           6         7-8       MWF        11” RIF1    Volunteer        n/a               n/a

 Green Hat          60'          35’           6        9-10       MWF          11”        Trained          2                n/a

  Red Hat           60’          40’           6        11-13     TuWTh         12”        Trained          3                n/a

  Blue Hat          60’          46’           7        14-17      MWF          12”        Certified        4                n/a

  1 Reduced Injury Factor Ball                                                                  2 Innings Pitched Limits
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!   Spring 2023   Page 6

                6 of 17
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                            Spring 2023                                       Page 7

            SKILL ASSESSMENTS                                                   PLAYING UP

Skill assessments are only conducted for certain               A player’s “Playing Age” is his/her age on 4/30/23
leagues.                                                       and we urge parents and guardians to consider that
                                                               children play in the normal league for their age.
• Blue Hat Softball: these assessments help
  league staff balance team selection.                         We realize that skills develop faster for some and
                                                                the17WYBSL provides a way for boys and girls to
                                                              7 of
• Green/Red Hat Softball: assessments are used                 “play-up”. To do so, parents must complete a
  for coaches to draft teams.                                  Play-up Application with their registration and
                                                               pay the appropriate fees for that age level. Players
• Green/Red/Blue/Black Baseball: assessments                   must also attend a mandatory play-up
  are used for coaches to draft teams.                         assessment.

Players who cannot attend their skill assessment               Players may play-up one age year – NOT one
are assigned to teams using a “blind draw”, or                 league. For example, a six year old may request to
“age and alphabet” assignment, or by Staff.                    play Coach-Pitch instead of Tee-Ball – a five year
                                                               old cannot. In summary, play-up eligibility is:
Skill assessments are not mandatory, but highly
encouraged in order to balance team formation.                  • For SOFTBALL Playing Ages of 6, 8, 10 or 13
Please see the calendar on p. 4 for times and                   • For BASEBALL Playing Ages of 6, 8, 10, or 12
locations for each league.
                                                               Players will be considered in the chronological order
                                                               in which their registration(s) are received and space
 PLEASE NOTE, INTERSCHOLASTIC                                  must be open after regular registration ends.
 PLAYERS are prohibited from participating in
 WYBSL activities (excluding Photo Day) until                  Players must either:
 the school season is complete.                                • Have played in the same WYBSL higher age
                                                                division before (2022 Fall or Spring), or
 This includes all types of WYBSL assessments,                 • Attend a mandatory play-up assessment session
 practices and clinics. Affected players will be                on April 8th. Make-up dates, times and
 assigned to teams by draw or by Staff.                         locations are listed on the calendar on p.4.

                                                               The WYBSL staff must agree that the player is
             “CALL-UP” PLAYERS                                 able to safely and competitively play at the
                                                               requested level.
A “Call-Up” player is one that is asked to play a game,
in the next higher division when a team may be short           If the player does not meet the above criteria, the
players on a given day (e.g. a 10-year-old Green Hat           parents will be contacted and given the option of
player filling in on a Red Hat team). Call-up players are      playing at the normal age level, if space is
used in Green Hat and older baseball and softball              available.
leagues.
                                                               If parents are not completely confident of
Head Coaches in these leagues will be asked to                 their daughter or son’s ability to play-up, we
identify potential players on their current roster that are    recommend not applying.
capable of being a Call-Up player and would have an
interest in becoming a Call-Up player. Upon the                The WYBSL reserves the right to evaluate a play-up
parent’s completion of league permission and release           participant at any time, before or during the
forms, the player will be added to the call list.              season, and take appropriate action to ensure the
                                                               safety of all participants. Please note, “play-down”
Forms and additional requirements and restrictions             requests to a younger level can not be honored.
regarding call-up players are available on our website.
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                    Spring 2023                                          Page 8

                                          TEAM SELECTION

 Team selection is a very time-consuming task for         In Green and Red Hat Softball and Green,
 your League administrators. Regardless of the             Red, Blue and Black Hat Baseball leagues,
 age group involved in all leagues, the first players      players are selected in a “skill assessment” and
 to be assigned are:                                       “draft” procedure. If a player is new to a league
                                                           or wishes to play on a different team than last
 • Sons/Daughters of Head and Asst. Coaches 8           of s17
                                                             pring, he/she should go to the Skill
 • Returning players in the same league as last            Assessment Session listed for the appropriate
   year, unless they ask to be reassigned                  league in the WYBSL calendar on page 4.
 • Siblings in the same league are automatically           Coaches then participate in a Player Draft. At
   placed on the same team, unless otherwise               the end of this draft, any players who could not
   requested                                               attend their skill assessment session are
                                                           assigned to teams using a “blind draw” or “age
 We also balance the playing ages on each team,            and alphabet” assignment (except in Green/
 so that no team has a disproportionate number             Red Softball which is done by staff).
 of older or younger players (but no continuing
 team is penalized because all potential returning       In Blue Hat Softball, players should attend
 players wish to return to their team)                   the appropriate Skill Assessment (see calendar
                                                         on page 4). These are used to help the league
 Requests for specific coaches or “car pooling”          staff assign girls to teams by balancing skill
 groups unfortunately cannot be honored.                 level, age, pitchers, catchers and “play with a
                                                         friend” requests.
 In Co-Ed Tee-Ball & Softball Coach-Pitch,
 teams are selected by General Managers based            “Play With A Friend Requests” (Tee-Ball &
 upon “play with a friend” requests and                  Coach-Pitch Softball): In order to be put on a
 neighborhood.                                           team with one friend or be paired with another
                                                         coach, both players must list each other as 1st
 In Baseball Coach-Pitch leagues, remaining              Friend Requests on their registration. We will
 players are assigned to teams by General                not necessarily honor requests of more than
 Managers. Players are grouped together by               one person who lists the same friend and will
 neighborhood, although some teams might be              not allow “chaining”, where one player lists one
 composed of multiple neighborhoods and some             friend who lists another friend and so on.
 neighborhoods may be divided.                           Lastly, requests must be made by March
                                                         20th to be guaranteed.

                                                                            REFUNDS
                                                            We understand unforeseen circumstances
                                                            may arise that might cause a player to
                                                            withdraw from the league. In order to request
                                                            a refund, a parent or guardian must SEND
                                                            AN E-MAIL to WYBSL@WYBSL.ORG
                                                            reporting the player’s name, league, date and
                                                            reason for withdrawal.

                                                            If the withdrawal is reported by March 31, a
                                                            full refund will be given. If reported by April
                                                            30, a $25 processing fee will be charged. If
                                                            reported on/after May 1, there shall be no
                                                            refund.
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                       Spring 2023                                       Page 9

                                  WHEN DO WE PRACTICE & PLAY
                                                                                   MAKE-UP GAMES
                      Practices                    Games
                                                                             Make-up games are scheduled
     Start            Mid-April                   Early May                  throughout the season as
                                                                             needed. Schedules will be
                                                      9 of 17                posted on the league website
     Days         See p.5 by league          See p.5 by league               generally on Friday mornings.

                                                                             Games are traditionally
  Frequency        2 weeknights &          2 weeknights per week.            scheduled on Saturdays
                 Saturday each week          Make-up games on                (starting @ 10a) & Sundays
                 before games begin         weekends as needed.              (after 12p).

    Time(s)          Weeknights:          Weeknights: 6:15p/6:30p
                   5:30p-7p or 7p -          Saturdays: vary
                        8:30p              Sundays: after Noon
                   Saturdays: vary

             WEATHER HOTLINE: 614-523-6220                                        MAKE-UP WEEKS
        The hotline is updated for GAMES & EVENTS ONLY.
                                                                             The “make-up week” is Friday
      Weeknights: by 4:30p     | Saturdays: 8a      Sundays: 11a
                                                                             thru Thursday. For example, a
Field changes are sometimes necessary & posted (even for non-weather).       Thursday rain-out will be made
                                                                             up 2-3 days later on Saturday/
Generally, there will not be further updates on weekdays. On weekends, if    Sunday. A Friday rain-out will
         time allows, alerts regarding later games may be made.              be made-up 8-9 days later on
                                                                             the following Saturday/
 Updates also available on Twitter (@WYBSLalerts) & Facebook.                Sunday.

                                       WHY WYBSL TEE-BALL?

 WYBSL’s Co-Ed Tee-ball program offers            Practices      Separately scheduled practices for better
 superior value, convenience and more                            skill development.
 continuity than other programs. It all
 starts with a sense of community – we            Games          12 game schedule; emphasis on skills and
 are an all volunteer, non-profit                                sportsmanship. No standings or stats.
 organization. All fees go directly to a
                                                  Coaches        Parent volunteers who complete
 program with over 70 years of tradition
                                                                 mandatory Concussion Training and
 and service to the Westerville
                                                                 Background checks.
 Community.
                                                  Fees           $85 (plus Field Fund Fee)
 As Westerville’s officially recognized
 youth tee-ball organization – our                Fields         Huber Village Park & Towers Park w/ full
 partnership with the City of Westerville                        Amenities restroom & concession services
 provides access to the newest and best                          (pending guidelines).
 facilities right here in our community.
                                                  Equipment      Jersey, Hat/Visor & participation award for
                                                                 all players. League supplies bats & balls.
THE ONE CONSTANT BATTER UP! - Westerville Youth Baseball & Softball League
Batter Up!                                  Spring 2023                                     Page 10

                              UMPIRES                             SPORTSMANSHIP
                                                  Good sportsmanship is held in the highest regard in
                       The WYBSL schedules
                                                  the WYBSL. It is the responsibility of all of us –
                       over 800 games each
                                                  especially the examples set by coaches and parents.
                       season using the
                       following classification
                                                  We expect all players, coaches and fans to respect
                       of Umpires by league
                                                  the work of our umpires. Understand that our
                       level:                   10 of 17
                                                  younger and less experienced umpires officiate in
                                                  the Green and Red Hat leagues and may make
                       Green and Red Hat:
                                                  mistakes while learning.
                       The Umpire Director
                       schedules WYBSL
                                                  We need everyone’s help to make sure that the
                       trained and paid
                                                  WYBSL experience is a great one for all players.
                       umpires.
                                                  Please direct your “enthusiasm” toward positive
                                                  encouragement.
                       Blue and Black Hat:
                       OSHAA Certified
                                                  If you observe negative conduct, excessive
umpires are used to officiate all games at this
                                                  “intensity” or willful violations of the rules on the
level.
                                                  part of anyone – speak to your coach or, if
                                                  appropriate, email the League (wybsl@wybsl.org).
All umpires must complete concussion training.
                                                  The league will review the basis of your concern in a
                                                  confidential manner and, if warranted, deal with
Tee-Ball and Coach-Pitch: Adult volunteers
                                                  such conduct fairly, but swiftly.
are asked to count pitches, call foul balls and
safe/out at bases. Please speak to your coach
to help out!                                           SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY

Become a “Blue” - Contact Bob Albert at
umpires@wybsl.org if you’re interested in
umpiring!

Upon completion of paid training/evaluation,
compensation varies by experience and can be
a great first job for high school students age 14    The WYBSL uses social media platforms
and above.                                           primarily to communicate  league updates in a
                                                                          V
                                                     timely and consistent fashion. It is also a
                                                     conduit for parents and participants to ask
                                                     questions and share feedback with the league.

                                                     While these platforms are an effective means to
                                                     communicate, they can also be used in negative
                                                     ways. Please know that the WYBSL’s conduct
                                                     and sportsmanship policies also pertain to the
                                                     use of social media.

                                                     Lastly, please remember we are all members of
                                                     the same community participating in a
                                                     recreational program for our young people. If
                                                     you have significant concerns with the actions
                                                     of individuals or league operations, please email
                                                     us and we’ll be happy to assist!
Batter Up!   Spring 2023    Page 11

                 11 of 17
Batter Up!                                  Spring 2023                                      Page 12

               EQUIPMENT                                       BATS - IMPORTANT!
At all levels, the league supplies all team
equipment necessary to play the game –               One of the most distressing things
bases, balls, helmets, bats, batting tee (tee-       that a parent or player can be told
ball) and catcher’s gear (coach-pitch and            is that a personal bat can’t be used
older). WYBSL also provides each player with         because it is “illegal” – especially
a team shirt, a cap in baseball and visor (if      12after
                                                       of 17 it was just purchased last
desired) in softball. Optional items, such as        year! In order to avoid costly
heart protectors or special masks, are not           mistakes, here are some simple
required and, if chosen, are the family’s            guidelines (generally for safety):
responsibility.
                                                    1. In ALL softball leagues, bats must be factory
Each player must supply a fielder’s glove,          marked with the ASA 2004 and USSSA logos as
shoes and shorts or baseball pants (at the          shown below:
Green Hat baseball level and older, baseball
pants are required). Your coach may ask that
all players wear the same color of shorts or
baseball pants. We ask that, if at all possible,
you follow the request of the coach.

Regarding gloves, we suggest a generic              2. In Tee-Ball, bats must be factory-marked
infielder or outfielder glove be your first         “USABaseball” or “Tee-Ball” or a softball bat with
purchase. Most importantly, make sure it is         ASA 2004 and USSSA logos as shown above. Tee-
the right size for your player! In older            Ball only bats are only legal for play in the Tee-
leagues, pitcher’s gloves cannot include white      Ball league.
or gray. Softball glove panels cannot match
the color of the ball.                              3. In Coach-Pitch, Green Hat and Red Hat
                                                    baseball, the bats must be factory-marked
For our Tee-Ball and Coach-Pitch leagues,           “USABaseball”.
gym shoes or baseball/softball shoes are fine.
As players grow, we recommend baseball/             4. In Blue Hat baseball, bats must have a BBCOR
softball shoes with molded rubber “cleats.”         -3 or USABaseball -5 marking, which must be part
Metal spikes are permitted in Blue/Black Hat        of the manufacturer of the bat (see below).
Baseball only. Please note: pitcher’s can NOT
wear meetal spikes while pitching on portable       5. In Black Hat baseball, bats must have a BBCOR
mounds.                                             -3 marking, which must be part of the
                                                    manufacture of the bat.
We suggest strongly that parents
consider that all boys wear cups
for protection as they grow in the
program. Catchers at Green Hat
and older levels must wear one.

            BE SURE TO VISIT                        6. Wood bats shall not exceed 2 3/4” and be 36”
         WWW.WYBSL.ORG FOR:                         or less in length
        Practices/Game Schedules
                Standings                           And remember, the WYBSL provides each team
                                                    with non-wood bats that meet the above
             Event Schedules                        requirements!
             Announcements
               League Rules
Batter Up!                                    Spring 2023                                   Page 13

                                                                     ALL STAR GAMES
                                                                    HOME RUN DERBIES
                                                                Don’t miss our traditional All Star
                                                                games and Home Run Derbies on July
                                                     13 of 17   1st (make-up 7/2) at Huber Village
                                                                and Highland Parks for Coach-Pitch
                                                                and older leagues!

                                                                Schedules and details will be posted
                                                                on the website prior to the event.

                PHOTO DAY
                          All    teams      and
                          individual players are                               AWARDS
                          encouraged to take
                          part in WYBSL’s Photo                      All Tee-Ball and Coach-Pitch
                          Day, which will be on                      players receive a trophy at the
                          Saturday, May 6th. In                      end of the season. In all leagues,
                          case of rain, photos                       trophies are awarded to league
                          will be taken on May                       champions and runners-up,
                          13th.                                      tournament champions and
                                                                     runners-up.
                         Even if you don’t wish
to purchase a photo, your teammates would
like a picture of the whole team as a
remembrance. Coaches will provide order forms
and time for this event.

             RAFFLE TICKETS
After practices start, each player receives a
bundle of 12 raffle tickets which were paid for
as part of his/her registration. This is WYBSL’s
only fundraiser and proceeds go into our
Special Fields Fund for maintenance, renovation
and construction of facilities and playing fields.

Players can sell each ticket for $2 each and
keep the proceeds to offset the fee paid to
the league or put their name on the tickets.

Either way, be sure to turn the tickets in at a
concession trailer by June 23rd – and don’t
forget to pull the staple out!

Winning tickets will be drawn on All-Star
Saturday at Huber Village Park and you don’t
have to be there to win!
Batter Up!                                       Spring 2023                                       Page 14

                                                                              COACHES
                                                            Without the help of our volunteer coaches, we
                                                            would not be able to have a successful program.
                                                            To support new and returning coaches, the
                                                            league offers resources
                                                            and programs including a
                                                            New Coaches Meeting,
                                                         14 of 17
                                                            NYSCA Certification,
                                                            Coaching Clinics and
                                                            League Meetings during
                                                            the season.
Each year, hundreds of dedicated volunteers help the
WYBSL operate our program. No matter how little or         L a s t l y, c o a c h i n g i s a
much time you have available and no matter what            challenging responsibility that is acknowledged
skills or passion you have – we have place on our          by the league. And as safety and security of our
roster for you! Some areas of service you might            participants is paramount, our league policy is to
consider:                                                  conduct criminal background checks on ALL
                                                           coaches and league managers. Additionally, per
League Coordinators: Work with the Program
                                                           Ohio law, ALL coaches must complete concussion
Director to ensure communication between the
                                                           training and Lindsay’s Law requirements.
league and coaches is clear and efficient. Coordinate
uniform and equipment distribution, ensure
schedules are shared in a timely manner, and               You can indicate your offer to coach using our
generally be a conduit between teams and coaches           online registration application!
and the league.

Concessions: Work with the Concession Director to
schedule managers & volunteers and maintain stock
in the concession trailers. Ideal for someone who has
available time during the day!

Field Crew: Help check field conditions on weekends
for make-up games. Work with the Fields Director to
prepare fields for All Star Saturday and other special
events.

Equipment Crew: Assist the Equipment Director in
organizing inventory, preparing team bags and
maintaining field boxes throughout the season!

Fall Ball Committee: Volunteers looking to learn
and help the league in important operations – and
possible greater, future responsibility – are
encouraged to explore this opportunity. Help with
registration, team selection, scheduling or day-to-day
operations throughout the fall season.

             VOLUNTEER TODAY!

  Please use the online application or contact
 Lauren Swihart at secy@wybsl.org to discuss
              how you can help!
Batter Up!   Spring 2023    Page 15

                 15 of 17
Batter Up!                                     Spring 2023                                     Page 16

                                         WEATHER POLICY

The safety of our players and damage to                  In the case of practices, Head Coaches are
fields should be primary concerns of all                 responsible for following the weather
WYBSL participants. Below is the Weather                 policy. For all Coach-Pitch and Tee-Ball
Policy:                                                  games, Head Coaches are jointly
                                                         responsible for following league policy.
Rain - Prior to a scheduled game, only the WYBSL16       of 17
Fields Director (or other WYBSL designee) has the        Make-Ups - If a game cannot be played or
authority to cancel a game. If timing is possible,       completed, the League will reschedule it as
the league will announce the day’s field conditions      soon as possible, with final confirmation by your
on the Weather Hot Line (614) 523-6220 and               Umpire Coordinator. Usually, your make-ups for
Twitter page @WYBSLalerts. However, if conditions        the week will be played on Saturday or Sunday.
are marginal, or if rain occurs after one and one-       Once scheduled, the make-up game will be
half hours before game time, teams should go to          played or considered a forfeit.
their field. At that point, and throughout the game,
the authority to stop play rests with the umpires
and WYBSL staff. Games may be resumed at any
time within 30 minutes of stoppage, if fields are
playable.

Lightning/Thunder - If lightning is sighted or
thunder is heard, umpires will immediately clear
the field and dugouts; if sighted by one umpire in a
multiple diamond location, all fields will be cleared.
Games may resume no less than 30 minutes after
the last lightning sighting or thunder is heard, if
fields are playable.

Playability - If a game is stopped during play,
players and fans should move to shelter or cars
and wait for a notice from the umpire or WYBSL
staff. The final decision regarding playability rests
with the umpires (in a multiple diamond location,
umpires may consult each other if field conditions
are marginal).

                                    WEATHER FORECASTING
We don’t do it. Even the TV pros mess it up. A frequent frustration among parents is the changing
weather and its effects on our game scheduling and weather hotline. Challenges may occur after
Weather Hotline updates. From experience, we’ve learned the weather can be very different in one
part of Westerville vs. another. We also don’t try to predict conditions based on forecasts (we always
guess wrong). Make-up games are tough, so we always try our best to keep schedules, but are at the
mercy of Mother Nature!

Based on the above, and knowing families are “moving” towards the fields after the 4:30PM hotline
updates, we seldom make hotline changes that can’t be quickly & confidently made. We don’t mean to
drag families to games only to see them canceled, but with the uncertainty of weather, it’s sometimes
best to leave it to those at the fields to decide whether to play or not. We appreciate your
understanding of our efforts to maintain this balance – and, if you’re a weather savant, let us know –
we’ve got a spot for you!
Batter Up!                                        Spring 2023                                             Page 17
                                             CONDUCT RULE
Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated in the league. Team coaches are responsible for their conduct and
the conduct of their players and fans. A coach, player or fan can be ejected from a game and/or removed from the
playing field area by order of an umpire, Fall Ball Committee Member or WYBSL Trustee if they violate a league rule
of conduct, as follows:

A. In a game, no coach may utilize any player(s) not currently assigned to his/her team roster by the League.
Violation of this rule will result in automatic permanent suspension of the coach(es) involved.

                                                        17altercation
B. No coach, player or fan shall ever engage in a physical of 17      with any player, umpire, coach or fan.

C. No coach, player or fan shall intentionally violate or refuse to follow any league or game rules.

D. No coach, player, umpire or fan shall come to the playing field under the influence of alcohol or an illegal drug;
and no coach, player or umpire shall use tobacco products at the playing field during a game or practice.

E. No coach, player or fan shall engage in grossly unsportsmanlike conduct, including, but not limited to, throwing
equipment, use of profanity, arguing with an umpire over a call or directing remarks to a player, umpire, coach or
fan which are of a degrading or distracting nature.

F. Only the Head Coach, or his/her designee in the Head Coach’s absence, may leave his/her designated area to
dispute a judgment call by an umpire. This infraction may be penalized by either restriction to the dugout for the
remainder of the game or ejecting the Head Coach and/or the offending coach.

G. After each game, in the practice of good sportsmanship, all coaches and players shall form two opposing lines
and proceed through a modified “handshake line” to maintain State guidelines. No coach or player shall avoid
participation in this line or exhibit unsportsmanlike conduct in the line.

H. No coach, player, parent or fan shall, at any time, threaten, intimidate, attempt to intimidate, harm or attempt
to harm, any umpire, player, coach, WYBSL official or fan. Any person who violates this rule may immediately be
banned from all WYBSL sites and activities for a period of time to be determined by the Board of Trustees, up to
and including a permanent ban. This rule shall be applied regardless of where and when the offending conduct
takes place.

If a coach, player or fan is ejected from a game and/or removed from the playing field area for conduct as
described above (or in the case of G. above, does not participate as described), the person shall provide a written
statement describing his/her version of the events and/or other explanation to the Committee within twenty-four
hours of the incident, and may not attend or participate in any practice or game until doing so.

The Committee or Program Director shall review the statement and gather any other information from other
parties that they deem necessary to determine if a further penalty should be assessed. Such further penalty, if any,
shall be assessed before the team’s next scheduled game.

Any coach who violates the above guidelines may be immediately removed from his/her position by the
Committee. In the event of such an occurrence, each coach would be provided with the opportunity to appear
before the Board of Trustees at its next scheduled meeting in order to describe for the Board his/her version of the
events which may exist for reinstating the coach.

                                                     CONCESSION CAPTAINS WANTED
                                   The WYBSL operates concession services at Huber Village, Metzger and
                                   Towers Park to help busy parents get food and drinks conveniently during
                                   scheduled games. Training is provided and duties include opening/closing
                                   the trailers, cooking, taking inventory and stocking. A friendly, service
                                   oriented personality is required! Concession Captains must be at least 18
                                   years old and start earning $10 per hour. Please contact Concessions
                                   Director Stephen Naumann at food@wybsl.org for more information.
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