General Youth Sports Program Policies & Procedures:

INITIATED SEPTEMBER 1987

UPDATED FEBRUARY 2004

REVIEWED ANNUALLY

I.MISSION:

The mission of the Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation department is to enhance the lives of our citizens by providing a diverse package of recreation and park opportunities.

II.ORGANIZATION:

The Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation Department Youth Sports Program consists of:Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Soccer, and Softball.Youth Football is a collaborative effort of Fredericksburg and the Northern Neck and therefore, operates under the rules written by that coalition.The Fredericksburg Recreation Commission herein approves all policies.

Policies specific to each youth sport are attached as addenda as appropriate.

III.FEES:

Each Youth Sports registrant falls under one of three categories:

A.City Resident:any person living within the boundaries of the City of Fredericksburg, who works for the City Government, or who owns a business in the City.

B.Non-City Resident:All those who do not meet the definition of City Resident.

C.Waivered Resident:Those who meet the definition of City Resident and who qualify for a full fee waiver with the Department of Social Services:Applications are available at the Dorothy Hart Community Center.

IV.COACHES:

A.Each team is allowed three coaches, 1 head coach and 2 assistants.The head coach prior to player placement may select one assistant coach.One assistant coach may be selected after player placement but may not carry with him/her a child to be placed on that team.Exceptions may occur for teams whose coaches are recruited after the team placement occurs.Although this situation will be avoided, it is likely that all coaching positions will not be filled by player placement. All coaches must be approved by the Parks & Recreation Department before being officially designated as such.Football teams will be permitted a third assistant coach.

B.Youth Sports Program coaches are considered volunteer agents of the city and will not receive remuneration for their time or personal expenses.All youth sports team needs must be processed through the Department of Parks and Recreation.

C.All persons wishing to be a head coach or an assistant coach for any youth sports program team under the auspices of the Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation Department must complete an Authorization for the Release of Information to the Police Department for a background check.Persons who have been determined to have an adverse police record will be withdrawn from consideration as a youth sports coach.Individuals who fall into this category may be reconsidered by submitting a written and signed appeal to the Director of Parks and Recreation.The appeal document should contain any information relevant for reinstatement.However, because of the extreme care taken to protect our youth, reinstatement is unlikely.Additional appeal may be made through the Recreation Commission, which meets monthly at the Dorothy Hart Community Center.

V.GENERAL COACHING DUTIES:

A.To meet with team parents to review areas identified by the Recreation Department.This meeting may be a short review at the first team practice.

B.To keep the Parks & Recreation Department informed of player injuries and withdrawals, and to communicate to players.Official withdrawals are accomplished only when both player and coach have notified the department.

C.To safeguard all equipment issued by the Department and to be responsible for its return.

D.To supervise the conduct of team members, assistants, and team followers.

E.To organize team practice schedules in accordance with department guidelines.

F.To keep team members and parents informed of schedules, policies, changes and other information.

G.To coach team members on the fundamentals and strategies of a given sport as appropriate to the age of the participants and the recreational nature of the Youth Sports Program.

H.To carry forth the Recreation Department´s philosophy of a recreational sports program designed for team involvement, fun and excitement, and the development of self esteem as well as sports skills.

VI.INCLEMENT WEATHER:

A.The Recreation Department has a cancellation line that should be called for information at 372-1086 ext. 2 for Parks and Recreation then 1 for the cancellation line,

or visit our website at www.fredericksburg.va.us and look for Cancellations.You

mayalso check www.fredericksburg.com and listen to local radio stations.

Postponements will be announced over WBQB/WFVA (101.5 FM) and WFLS (93.3

FM) radio stations on game day. No one should call the radio stations. If weather

conditions are questionable and participants do not hear an announcement, they should

report for their game.

B.The Recreation Department will re-schedule postponed games as necessary.The Department will also cancel games when appropriate due to weather or otherwise.Schedule changes will be disseminated to the affected team coaches as soon as reasonably possible.In turn, coaches are expected to inform team members in the same manner.

C.The cancellation of team practices is left to the discretion of the Head Coach.The Recreation Department will not have this information.

VII.SEVERE HEAT PRECAUTIONS:

During conditions of unusually high temperatures, the following provisions will be in effect at the discretion of the on duty Sports Supervisor.This is to insure the safety of all youth sports participants and coaches:

T-BALL, COACH PITCH, Rookie & CO-ED SOFTBALL:

a. Morning games will conclude no later than 11:00 a.m.,

b. Evening games will start at no earlier than 6:30 p.m.,

c. A one hour time limit for each game will be in effect,

d. Coaches will check each player´s physical condition between each inning,

e. Coaches will require mandatory water intake between each

inning for each player.

T-BALL:Games will consist of 2 innings only.

COACH PITCH:Games will consist of 3 innings only.

ROOKIE SOFTBALL & ROOKIE BASEBALL:Games will consist of 4 innings only.

JUNIOR BASEBALL:

a. Morning games will conclude no later than 12:00 noon,

b. Evening games will start no earlier than 6:00 p.m.,

c. All games will have a two-hour time limit,

d. Coaches will check each player´s physical condition betweeneach inning,

e. Coaches will require mandatory water intake between each

inning for each player.

Under the most severe conditions, the Director of Parks and Recreation or designee may find it necessary to cancel all youth sports activities until conditions moderate to a safe level.

VIII.UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT:

A.Any player or coach found guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct on the field or adjacent to the field towards officials, players, or participants will be subject to at least a penalty enforced by officials.Ejection from a given game or suspension for the balance of a given season could result from more serious offenses.

B.Any player or coach ejected from the game by an official shall automatically be suspended from the next game to be played by his/her team.If a player or coach deviates from this ruling, it will constitute an immediate suspension from the remainder of the league games.

C.When a coach or team follower is ejected from a ball game, he/she must leave the playing area by a distance of at least 100´ and he/she is prohibited from any contact (direct or indirect) with the team for the remainder of the game.Failure to comply will result in termination of the game.A substitute coach will be named as a replacement for the ejected coach.

IX.PROTESTS:

Protests of a game or of an official´s call are discouraged.The philosophy behind the Department’s Youth Sports Program is for the recreational benefit of our youth.Protests which may change the outcome of a particular game due to an oversight or an official´s ruling will most likely be rejected.Coaches who still feel the urgency to file a protest will receive a review.Protests should be submitted to the Parks and Recreation Department.The Head Official and the Director of Parks and Recreation will jointly make a final decision.Any coach who submits a protest with an accompanying threat of any kind will have the protest automatically rejected, and will not serve as a youth sports coach for the City of Fredericksburg in the future.

X.GENERAL TEAM POLICY:

A.Games will begin as scheduled.A five minute grace period will be allowed for all games beginning at their specified times.

B.A maximum of three hours of practice may be scheduled per week.

C.Coaches should ask players and parents to wait in their cars during lightning storms until an official rules on game continuance.

D.All coaches and parents must remain off the playing field/court area during games. Designated coaching areas should be observed.

E.Coaches, players, substitutes, team assistants, parents, or team followers shall not coach or address any players from the opponent’s side of the field/court.

F.If an ineligible player is used, the game will be declared a forfeit.

G.The team appearing second on the game schedule will be considered the home team.This will be noted on all schedules.

H.Game and practice schedules will not be modified for the convenience of individual team members.

I.In the event a game must be suspended because of conditions, which make it impossible to continue play, the head referee shall declare it an official game if one complete half or more has been played. If less than one half has been played, the game may be rescheduled. This rule does not apply to playoffs or baseball/softball.Playoffs will pick up at the point at which the game was suspended.For baseball, please see baseball/softball rules.

J.Casts and splints are prohibited during games.

K.No jewelry, earrings, or hard hairpieces may be worn during games.Soft hair bands are permitted.Medic Alert or religious jewelry must be taped to the body.

L.Players who wear external hearing aids should have them fastened securely, with tape if necessary.

M.Players who wear eyeglasses shall wear a safety strap to keep them in place.

N.The use of tobacco products by coaches and players is prohibited in the proximity of the playing field/court area during games and/or practices.

O.After the completion of a game, both teams shall form two lines to congratulate each other and show good sportsmanship.

P.Standings in each league, when appropriate, will be determined by:a) League record, b) Head-To-Head competition between tied teams, and c) Parks and Recreation staff.

Q.Any player bleeding must leave the ball game until medical attention has been performed, bleeding has stopped, and affected area has been adequately covered with a bandage.

XI.PLAYER PARTICIPATION:

A.REGISTRATION:A youth is not considered registered unless: 1.) all applicable forms are fully completed and signed, 2.) the youth´s birth certificate has been reviewed and documented, 3.) all relevant fees have been assessed and a receipt issued to the parent or guardian.

B.PLACEMENT:A youth is placed on to a team only by the Department of Parks and Recreation.Registered youths will be placed on team rosters.Coaches will be provided their respective team’s roster.Coaches will then contact team members or their parents.

C.WAITING LIST PLACEMENT:Individuals who are taken from the waiting list and who have subsequently completed the registration process explained in A above, will be placed on a team only when the following two procedures have taken place:1.) the registrant has been contacted by Parks and Recreation and given information about the team on which he/she has been placed, and 2.) the coach has been contacted by Parks and Recreation and given information about the youth being added to his/her team, and subsequently issued a revised roster containing the registrant in question.

D.TEAM VACANCY:A vacancy does not occur on any team until there is formal communication between the parent of a player in question and Youth Sports personnel from the Department of Parks and Recreation.Players will not be removed from team rosters until the above takes place.Coaches are advised to contact parents of team players about whom they have concerns.

E.Any member of the Youth Sports Program who is suspended, expelled, or serving an in-school suspension will not be permitted to participate until the suspension is lifted.Non-compliance is subject to forfeiture.

F.ALL players MUST participate in at least one half of the total game time.If a coach does not play a player the required amount of time, a warning will be issued, followed by a suspension for subsequent violations.A suspension is defined as a specific amount of time and includes the conditions of: no coaching or interacting with team members during suspension period to include practice sessions, and no conduct during suspension period which may be perceived as conduct typical of a coach. Non-adherence to these conditions may facilitate additional suspension time. Championship games will be monitored for participation in all cases and subject to automatic forfeiture for a violation.

EXCEPTION: Players who miss practice or games or who fail to observe team rules, etc., may have limited playing time depending on the ruling by the team coach.However, for such situations, the coach must inform the participation recorder or a game official.Failure to do so may result in a forfeiture.

XII.PLAYER PLACEMENT: For a complete copy of Player Placement description please click here orsee the Downloads section of our website and click on General Youth Sports Program Policies under the General Forms heading.

XIII. DRAFT PLACEMENT PROCEDURE: For a complete copy of Draft Placement Proceduredescription please click here or see the Downloads section of our website and click on General Youth Sports Program Policies under the General Forms heading.