West Metro Miracle League
Coaching Program: What you need to know!

If you’ve signed up to be a Coach…..thanks!  You are a HUGE part of our team and are helping out tremendously!  THANK YOU THANK YOU!  Here is the scoop.  Once you do one game - this will be a piece of cake!

Both a head coach and an assistant coach will be assigned to each of the teams.  At least one of the coaches need to be at each game.  If you can not make the game, please coordinate with your other coach to ensure someone is there or call Lisa Adzick at 952-474-1452 or 612-865-4621.

The head coach is responsible for sending communications out to the player parents on a weekly basis.  Communications might include:
 

• First phone call  / introduction e-mail to each player parent including:
  • Head coach and assistant coach names, phone numbers  and their background
  • Name of team and names of kids on team. Point them to the website 
     www.westmetromiracleleague.org as it has all the information you need. 
     
• Weekly e-mails that showcase the Team Captain for that week (rotate among the kids).  Each player (you might have to double up some games) get to be a Team Captain which means they get to play either catcher or pitcher, represent the team to do the coin toss, bat first, say “1 -2 -3 Go Team” before the game and be just plain old special.  

Rain delay calls to the player parents (check out the weather line on the website to see what the conditions are – also you can call Lisa Adzick at 612-865-4621 who lives minutes from the field and can recommend what you do). 

The games are on Field 3 at Bennett Family Park.  Check out the schedule on www.westmetromiracleleague.org. Coaches should come prepared wearing your team hat and team jersey.  Please bring a cooler of ice water with some paper cups on those hot, hot days.

Coaches need to get there 15 minutes early to:
 

• Get introduced to the Director of the Day....this is another volunteer who is there for the day and will help you get situated. Most likely they will have a clipboard with them and look "in charge".
   
• The Director of the Day will get your equipment from the black and white equipment box (combination lock = 0-0-0).   Equipment includes – helmet holder, bats, catcher gear, whiteboard and marker (to write the line-up rotating week to week) and first aide kit. 
   
• Write your line up on the whiteboard and the position your player will play.
   
• We are institutine a new "Player Drop Off" area which is right at the opening of the park (before the concession stand).  We are telling our buddies to meet the players there and get paired up and then walk them to the field.  We are hoping that parents can drop off their players and then park in an attempt to alleviate the parking congestion. Go to the player drop off area and meet the buddy team and coach there.  Start buddying up your players and write the buddy names down on the whiteboard.
   
• The buddies should walk the players to the field to warm up.
   
• During the warm up, you need to tell the buddy team which player they get to hang out with!
  Do a little speech to the buddies to go meet their player and make sure they introduce themselves, ask their players name and their grade and where they go to school.  Their parents will most likely be there and they might give them some special tips on how to work with their child.  Remember – they love baseball too, they just need a little extra help. Explain that there number one job is to keep their player safe, close second is to have FUN with their player.  They should either help their player toss the ball to another player or toss it to them.  They can also help them  hit off the Tee or do some fielding.  Or just sit and talk baseball if the player is unable to hit or toss easily.
   
• The announcer will “announce” the players and buddies name from the whiteboard.  
   
• The Director of the Day will get the treat tickets at the concession stand  for you – 1 for each player and 1 for each buddy , the announcer and the singer(s) 
  
  

• All players need to be in the dugout for safety purposes.  Buddies can be in there too, if there is room.
   
• The Team Captain for that week is the first batter – make a big deal.  Everyone will get to be the Team Captain.  You may need to do 2 Team Captains a game if we have 8 games for spring ball.
   
• Make sure the batters are ready to go as per the line up.  When a player is up, the buddy should make sure they have a  helmet on and have a bat.  Let them do as much as possible, but some may need help batting off the tee.
   
• When they hit the ball, encourage them to run to first base.  Even if they get out – they stay on the base.  If they want to take more bases, let them steal.  No one gets out, we simply run through the entire line-up for an inning.  
   
• When your team is out in the field – determine whether you have a person that can pitch.  If you do, let them.  If not – we hope that you can throw some balls. Give them 5 tries and then go to a tee.  Oh and the Team Captains get to be the Pitcher and the Catcher.  Make sure that positions are rotated.  Even kids in wheelchairs like to play catcher – so make sure to rotate.  With the buddies help any position is possible.
   
• Assist, root for your team and PROTECT THE PLAYER FROM GETTING HIT BY ANY HARD HIT FLY BALL.  Some kids don’t have the coordination to protect themselves from a hard hit, fly ball – so be on the look out and step in.
   
• If a player starts to cry or have behavioral issues – try to calm them down.  If that does not work – go get the parent.  We want this to be a positive experience for the whole team.  If one child needs to go regroup or go for a walk – it is the parent who is responsible.  Don’t be shy about asking for help from a parent.

After the game, we do the line-up and high fives.  We play the chicken dance on teh  CD player.  Give each player and buddy a treat ticket.  Encourage the player to say thanks to the buddy.
Put the equipment back in the black and white box if there is not another game that day and lock up!  If you find any items left behind (which you will!), simply bring them into the concession stand to the lost and found box.   Any questions, contact       Lisa Adzick at 612-865-4621
    THANK YOU!