SYC Youth Club

Information for Coaches

We need volunteers to serve as coaches to make our program successful!

Being a coach is a tremendously rewarding experience that can have a huge impact on the lives of the children of our community. You don't need to be an expert in baseball or a former major leaguer to be a great baseball coach. Our best coaches are those who have a passion for working with children, lead by example and motivate their young players to give their very best effort both on the field and off it. We have training resources available, from experienced coaches to provide mentoring and advice to formal training through PA District 14 and Little League University's online courses. If you're interested in being either a head or assistant coach, contact Matt Shue at [email protected].

NOTICE TO COACHES AND PROSPECTIVE COACHES:

Please plan on attending the Positive Coaching Alliance's Double-Goal Coach Training (FREE OF CHARGE):

Date / Time: TBD

Location: Gettysburg American Legion, 528 E Middle St. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325

This training may be completed online but there is a fee of $20.

Background Clearance Check

SYC Little League is fully committed to the safety and protection of all children enrolled in our programs. We will therefore comply with all Little League policies and regulations and Pennsylvania state laws regarding background checks for all our coaches and volunteers.

2018 Little League Volunteer Application
Little League requires that all volunteers submit an application annually. The 2018 application can be found here:
2018 SYC Little League Baseball New Volunteer Application
2018 SYC Little League Baseball Returning Volunteer Application

2018 Little League requires and Annual National Criminal Check.

In addition to the 2018 Little League Volunteer Application, coaches and other volunteers must comply with PA state law. All clearance checks which were performed prior to September 1, 2013 must be renewed for the 2018 season! Here are the requirements:

New clearance requirements if the volunteer has been a resident of PA continuously for the past 10 years:
1) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check (FREE)
https://epatch.state.pa.us/
2) Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance through the Dept. of Human Services (FREE)
https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
3) Signed disclaimer affirming no charges in other states that would prohibit selection as a volunteer
http://www.pastatell.org/Background%20Check%20Signature%20Form.pdf

New clearance requirements if the volunteer has NOT been a resident of PA continuously for the past 10 years:
1) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check (FREE)
https://epatch.state.pa.us/
2) Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance through the Dept. of Human Services (FREE)
https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home
3) FBI Criminal Background Check (fingerprint check) for federal criminal history records ($22.50)
https://uenroll.identogo.com/

If you are unsure of the service code, please use service code for PA Dept. of Education School Districts: 1KG6XN

Once you have completed these checks, print/save the results and give to Matt Shue directly. Coaches must have all these documents approved before they can supervise any children associated with SYC Little League.

For questions related to the new clearance requirements for volunteers or the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, please contact the ChildLine Verification Unit at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422.

To read more about the law, visit the Little League website referencing PA-specific background check requirements:
http://www.littleleague.org/learn/programs/childprotection/state-laws-bg-checks/pennsylvania.htm

10 Positive Coaching Tips

Applaud effort and attitude more than performance.
Look for positives, and make a big deal out of them.
Stay calm when my kids make mistakes, helping them learn from their mistakes.
Have reasonable and realistic expectations.
Treat players with respect, avoiding put-downs, sarcasm, and ridicule.
Remind players not to get down on themselves.
Remember not to take myself too seriously during the game.
Maintain positive attitude, with lots of laughter and a sense of humor.
Emphasize teamwork, and help my kids think "we" instead of "me."
Be a role model of good sportsmanship:
(a) Winning without gloating
(b) Losing without complaining
(c) Treating opponents and officials with fairness, generosity, & courtesy

Communication Tips

Contact your team as soon as possible. Your players’ parents will have instant confidence in you once they read this letter informing them what to expect. And while this is specifically written for baseball, it can be modified for other sports as well.

Example Welcome Email from Head Coach

CoachDeck Baseball Drills Inside this deck you will find 52 color-coded baseball drills. Your players will never get tired of the same old practice. Each deck includes instructional cards and a card holder.

Concussion Awareness

HEADS UP Concussion in Youth Sports is a free, online course available to coaches, parents, and others helping to keep athletes safe from concussion. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics and interactive exercises, and compelling storytelling to help you recognize a concussion and know how to respond if you think that your athlete might have a concussion. For more information, follow this link: http://www.cdc.gov/HeadsUp/youthsports/training/index.html