Instructional Rules
Coach Responsibilities:
The objective of the Mahwah Youth Baseball Instructional League is to teach the basic fundamentals of baseball, encourage improvement and have fun. Coaches must set an example of good sportsmanship and ensure that good sportsmanship is shown by their players. Players should be encouraged to cheer FOR their team, but not AGAINST the other team.
¨ The game can be stopped at any time to give corrective instruction to the players, with care taken not to overuse this to the point of delaying the game.
¨ Players should play a variety of positions in the field, but coaches should keep the safety of the children in mind, based on a child’s skill level, when setting positions in the field.
¨ Players must remain on their respective benches when their team is at bat. Only the batter should have a bat in his hands. Coaches must assign a “safety coach” to enforce this rule to avoid injury.
¨ Home team is responsible for removing bases and equipment from the field equipment boxes, and replacing them in the proper box when play has ended. Please take care to ensure that equipment is kept together so the next team to use it has everything it needs.
¨ Coaches must ensure that proper equipment is being utilized.
¨ Coaches should inform the league director when first aids kits and cold packs need to be replenished.
¨ The lightning detection systems at Airmont and Continental Soldiers Park have a five-mile radius. When there are lightning strikes within five miles of the system a siren will sound and a strobe light will be activated. The initial siren will go off only once for 18 seconds, while the strobe light will stay on for 30 minutes after the last strike. If the strobe light is on it means there is lightning in the area. When all is clear, a horn will sound for 18 seconds and the strobe light will turn off. Only at that time may players and coaches take the field.
The Game ¨ The core objective is to teach, therefore scores aren't kept.
¨ There are no umpires for Instructional games. Coaches will serve as umpires during the games.
¨ Each game will last no more than 90 minutes.
¨ The first 30 minutes of each game will consist of drills, with an emphasis on fun and fundamentals. It’s recommended the teams do the drills together. Once the 30 minutes are up, the teams can separate and play a game of either one, two or three innings, but keeping within the 90-minute limit. Each team should have an equal numbers of turns at bat.
¨ Coaches will pitch to their own team, while the opposing team plays the field. Coaches of the team playing the field should position themselves on the field to provide instruction to the fielders during the inning.
¨ In each inning, each team will have all the players get one turn at bat until all players on the team have batted. Therefore, it's not necessary to keep track of outs during an inning.
¨ If a batter makes contact and hits the ball into fair territory, the batter and baserunners must run the bases accordingly. If a player is forced out, tagged out, or flies out, he must return to the bench. (Standard rules apply).
¨ Each batter will be given no more than five pitches with which to put the ball in play. If a player fails to hit the ball by the fifth pitch, the batter will automatically go to first base. (Coaches are allowed a little flexibility with this but should ensure to maintain a proper pace of play). If the batter is awarded first base, all existing baserunners will move up one base if forced. (Standard rules apply).
¨ All players on a team will play the field each inning. Field positions should be filled as follows:
o One player at first base.
o One player at second base.
o One player at third base.
o One player at shortstop.
o One player on the pitching mound next to or near the coach who is pitching.
o One player at the catcher position. The catcher must wear a protective cup.
o The balance of the players should be spread evenly in the outfield.
¨ Defensive players should be rotated so kids get a a chance to play all positions during the course of the season.
¨ Players in the field should be instructed on what the appropriate play is in order to record an out.
This includes forcing a player at a base, catching a fly ball, or tagging a runner out.
¨ No sliding is allowed.
¨ No throwing of helmets, bats or any equipment is allowed. Any issues involving players, coaches or parents that are disruptive to the objectives listed should be reported to the league director.
Practices and Games ¨ Each team will have the entire field for practices on days/times they’ve been assigned.
¨ It is recommended that all teams show up 15 minutes prior to scheduled starting times. This ensures that games will be completed before the next game is scheduled to begin and allows for both teams to get the same number of at-bats before it gets too dark.
Equipment ¨ Wood bats aren't allowed.
¨ Bats should bear the legend “LL Approved."
¨ Steel spikes are not allowed.
¨ Catchers must wear a protective supporter in addition to full catcher’s gear. This applies during play and in warm-ups before an inning starts.
¨ Batters must wear protective helmets while batting, on-deck, or as base-runners.
Make-up Games ¨ Game postponements or cancellations will be made by the commissioner prior to the game or the coaches at the field because of inclement weather or unsafe field conditions.
¨ If a game is postponed or canceled, the home team’s coach must notify the league director so that the game can be rescheduled.
The objective of the Mahwah Youth Baseball Instructional League is to teach the basic fundamentals of baseball, encourage improvement and have fun. Coaches must set an example of good sportsmanship and ensure that good sportsmanship is shown by their players. Players should be encouraged to cheer FOR their team, but not AGAINST the other team.
¨ The game can be stopped at any time to give corrective instruction to the players, with care taken not to overuse this to the point of delaying the game.
¨ Players should play a variety of positions in the field, but coaches should keep the safety of the children in mind, based on a child’s skill level, when setting positions in the field.
¨ Players must remain on their respective benches when their team is at bat. Only the batter should have a bat in his hands. Coaches must assign a “safety coach” to enforce this rule to avoid injury.
¨ Home team is responsible for removing bases and equipment from the field equipment boxes, and replacing them in the proper box when play has ended. Please take care to ensure that equipment is kept together so the next team to use it has everything it needs.
¨ Coaches must ensure that proper equipment is being utilized.
¨ Coaches should inform the league director when first aids kits and cold packs need to be replenished.
¨ The lightning detection systems at Airmont and Continental Soldiers Park have a five-mile radius. When there are lightning strikes within five miles of the system a siren will sound and a strobe light will be activated. The initial siren will go off only once for 18 seconds, while the strobe light will stay on for 30 minutes after the last strike. If the strobe light is on it means there is lightning in the area. When all is clear, a horn will sound for 18 seconds and the strobe light will turn off. Only at that time may players and coaches take the field.
The Game ¨ The core objective is to teach, therefore scores aren't kept.
¨ There are no umpires for Instructional games. Coaches will serve as umpires during the games.
¨ Each game will last no more than 90 minutes.
¨ The first 30 minutes of each game will consist of drills, with an emphasis on fun and fundamentals. It’s recommended the teams do the drills together. Once the 30 minutes are up, the teams can separate and play a game of either one, two or three innings, but keeping within the 90-minute limit. Each team should have an equal numbers of turns at bat.
¨ Coaches will pitch to their own team, while the opposing team plays the field. Coaches of the team playing the field should position themselves on the field to provide instruction to the fielders during the inning.
¨ In each inning, each team will have all the players get one turn at bat until all players on the team have batted. Therefore, it's not necessary to keep track of outs during an inning.
¨ If a batter makes contact and hits the ball into fair territory, the batter and baserunners must run the bases accordingly. If a player is forced out, tagged out, or flies out, he must return to the bench. (Standard rules apply).
¨ Each batter will be given no more than five pitches with which to put the ball in play. If a player fails to hit the ball by the fifth pitch, the batter will automatically go to first base. (Coaches are allowed a little flexibility with this but should ensure to maintain a proper pace of play). If the batter is awarded first base, all existing baserunners will move up one base if forced. (Standard rules apply).
¨ All players on a team will play the field each inning. Field positions should be filled as follows:
o One player at first base.
o One player at second base.
o One player at third base.
o One player at shortstop.
o One player on the pitching mound next to or near the coach who is pitching.
o One player at the catcher position. The catcher must wear a protective cup.
o The balance of the players should be spread evenly in the outfield.
¨ Defensive players should be rotated so kids get a a chance to play all positions during the course of the season.
¨ Players in the field should be instructed on what the appropriate play is in order to record an out.
This includes forcing a player at a base, catching a fly ball, or tagging a runner out.
¨ No sliding is allowed.
¨ No throwing of helmets, bats or any equipment is allowed. Any issues involving players, coaches or parents that are disruptive to the objectives listed should be reported to the league director.
Practices and Games ¨ Each team will have the entire field for practices on days/times they’ve been assigned.
¨ It is recommended that all teams show up 15 minutes prior to scheduled starting times. This ensures that games will be completed before the next game is scheduled to begin and allows for both teams to get the same number of at-bats before it gets too dark.
Equipment ¨ Wood bats aren't allowed.
¨ Bats should bear the legend “LL Approved."
¨ Steel spikes are not allowed.
¨ Catchers must wear a protective supporter in addition to full catcher’s gear. This applies during play and in warm-ups before an inning starts.
¨ Batters must wear protective helmets while batting, on-deck, or as base-runners.
Make-up Games ¨ Game postponements or cancellations will be made by the commissioner prior to the game or the coaches at the field because of inclement weather or unsafe field conditions.
¨ If a game is postponed or canceled, the home team’s coach must notify the league director so that the game can be rescheduled.