Coconut Creek Little League
	Safety Manual 2005 Play Hard - Play Safe League ID Number: 309-10-25
Duties & Responsibilities

A Manager is the person responsible for the team’s actions and safety on the field.  They are accountable for the conduct of all team members, coaches, and parents.  As such, the following is a list of managerial requirements that Coconut Creek Little League Baseball (CCLLB) is enforcing to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

·   Complete Little League Volunteer Application form and pass mandatory background check.

·   Attend mandatory Coaching Clinic(s) and First Aid training session(s).

·   Take possession of the Safety Manual and the First-Aid Kit, each supplied by CCLLB, before the first practice.

·   Cover the basics of safe play with all team members, coaches, and parents before starting the first practice.

·   Encourage players to always:

·   eat before coming to the field.
·   bring a full water bottle, and drink often.
·   wear sun screen.
·   wear mouth protection.
·   wear the proper uniform and, if required, wear a cup.
·   leave watches, rings, pins or metallic items at home.
·   refrain from climbing fences and standing on dugout benches.

·   Encourage parents to:

·   observe all posted signs.
·   remain alert at all times for foul balls and errant throws.
·   refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, or profanity in the parking lot, field, or common area.
·   dissuade all horseplay on bleachers, common areas, or parking lots.
·   Make sure every parent completes and returns a mandatory Medical Release Form during the first practice.

·   Have access to the Safety Manual, Medical Release Forms, and First-Aid Kit during all practices and games.  In addition, it is strongly recommended every team have access to a cell phone during practices and games.

·   Spare First-Aid Kits will be available at the concession stand.  Please be aware however, that a concession stand is not present at every field, and those fields that do have a concession stand may not have corresponding hours of operation.

·   Inspect all equipment, both supplied by the league and personally owned by team members, before every practice or game.  Make sure it is in working order.  Damaged equipment should be prevented from being reused.  Return damaged league owned equipment directly to CCLLB.

·   Helmets:

·   Cracks  Any crack in the helmet (typically develop first over the ear flap) significantly reduces the strength of the helmet.
·   Paint  Paint makes the plastic helmet brittle, and susceptible to shattering.
·   Chin straps  Each helmet should have a strap to ensure a proper fit.

·   Gloves:

·   Loose or broken stitching  A thrown or batted ball will not be stopped by a glove with broken stitching.

·   Bats:

·   Cracks A crack in either a wood or aluminum bat is a precursor to the bat shattering on impact with a thrown ball.

·   Field:

·   Lighting  Poor lighting significantly reduces the players ability to see a batted or thrown ball.
·   Mud, holes, rocks, glass, fire ant hills, and other foreign objects  Either remove the debris, or notify the CCLLB Director of Fields of the hazards.  Position the players away from any hazards you observe on the field.
·   Bases  Should be anchored (except for sliding practice).  Home plate should be flush to the ground. 

·   Only players, managers, coaches, and umpires are permitted on the playing field or in the dugout during games.

·   Stay alert.  Maintain discipline at all times.  Do not lose focus by engaging in conversations with parents and/or passers by.

·   Enforce the “no on-deck” rule for batters.  No player should handle a bat on the field unless under the direct supervision of a Manager, Coach, or approved Assistant.  Handling of a bat in the dugout is strictly prohibited.

·   All warm-up drills should be performed within the confines of the playing field, and not within walkways or common areas frequented by spectators.  Players should be spaced so that no one is endangered by wild throws or missed catches.  No player should be behind another.

·   Make sure catchers wear helmet, mask, throat guard, long model chest protector, shin guards and protective cup with athletic supporter (males) for all practices and games. The catcher may wear only a helmet and mask with a throat guard to warm a pitcher up (applies between innings and in the bullpen).  Managers and Coaches may not warm up pitchers before or during a game.

·   Make sure players carry gloves, bats, helmets, and other equipment off the field, to the dugout or behind the screen.  No equipment should be left lying on the field, either in fair or foul territory.

If a child is ill or injured, do not continue to play that child.  Rather, attend to them.  Notify parents if a child has been injured, no matter how small or insignificant the injury may appear to be.

·   CCLLB rules for pitching are based on innings pitched.  The American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) however, recommends pitch count as a measure of a players daily endurance. The following is the ASMI suggested pitch counts based on age: 

·   Do not leave the field until every team member has been picked up by a known family member or designated driver.

·   Inform a League representative of any safety problems.

·   If there is an injury, make sure an accident report is filled out and turned into to the CCLLB Safety Officer.

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