Northampton Little League

With the help of all volunteers, our goal is to keep all players and spectators free to feel safe and enjoy a good little league baseball game. We strive to create safety awareness through education and information. WE NEED TO THINK SAFETY FIRST AND FOREMOST AT ALL TIMES. Please help keep our fields and surrounding areas a safe place to have fun for the entire season.

This plan will be distributed to all managers and any other who wish to have a copy. A copy will be kept in the Concession stand at each field.

2023 Safety Officer: Bryce Kiser

NORTHAMPTON LITTLE LEAGUE

SAFETY CODE

Responsibility for safety procedures should be that of an adult member of the local league.
Managers, coaches and umpires should have training in First Aid. First Aid kits shall be provided to each team and brought to each practice and game.
No games or practices shall be held when the weather or field conditions are not safe. Particularly when lighting is inadequate. (Lightning policy pg. _)
Play area should be inspected frequently for damage such as holes, stones, glass and other foreign objects.
Dugouts and bat racks must be positioned behind the fence. There are no on deck circles or cages allowed in major league and below. See rule 1.08.
Only players, managers, coaches and umpires are permitted on the playing field during games and practices. No parents, with the exception of the team mom, are allowed in the dugout.
Responsibility for keeping bats and loose equipment off the field of play should be that of the players and coaches.
During all practices and games, all players should be alert and watching the batter at each pits. During warm-up drills, players should be spaced so that no one is endangered by wild throws and/or missed catches.
Equipment should be inspected regularly, made sure it fits properly and is not damaged.
Batters must wear approved protective helmets during batting practice as well as in games.
Each male child Minors and above must wear a protective cup.
Catchers must wear catcher’s helmet, mask, throat guard, shin guards, chest protector and protective cup at all times while on defense.
Catchers must wear catcher’s helmet and mask with throat guard when warming up pitchers between innings, in the bullpen and while doing infield drills.
Except when a runner is returning to base, head first sliding is prohibited.
Parents of players that wear glasses are recommended and encouraged to provide children with “safety glasses”.
Players are not permitted to wear any jewelry at ANY TIME. This includes watches, rings, earrings, and any other metallic items.
Players are not permitted to wear shorts to practice or games.
Players should not wear their names on their uniforms at any time.
All managers will be required to attend a coach’s clinic which will give training on the fundamentals of baseball. These include hitting, pitching and base running. Coaches are encouraged to attend.
All managers, coaches and players will abide by all rules as outlined in the 2023 Little League Baseball and Softball Rule Books, the local rules of Northampton Little League and Interleague Rules published by District 7.

SEX OFFENDER BACKGROUND CHECK

All volunteers who are in regular contact with the children of Northampton Little League are required to submit a 2023 volunteer form accompanied by a pictured form of ID. The Information Officer will check each individual on the National Sex Offender Public Registry (www.nsopr.com). If an individual is found to have a criminal history, they will not be approved to work in direct contact with the children in our league.

NORTHAMPTON LITTLE LEAGUE FIRST AID

TRAINING AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

All managers and coaches will be required to attend the safety meeting Northampton Little League holds.
Each Manager will be furnished with a first aid kit and incident reports. If at any time the first aid kit is in need of replenishment or additional ice packs, the manager will contact the safety officer.
Managers must carry medical release forms for each child with them at all practices and at all games.
Incident reports will be filled out by the manager if there is an incident where a player is injured during a game or practice regardless of the severity. The incident reports must be filled out and returned to the Safety Officer within 24 hours.

Safety Officer:Bryce Kiser

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Permission to give care:

If the victim is conscious, you must have his/her permission before giving first aid. To get permission you must tell the victim who you are, how much training you have and how you plan to help. Only then can a conscious victim give you permission for care.
Do not give care to a conscious victim who refuses your offer to give care. If the conscious victim is an infant or child, permission to give care should be obtained from a supervising adult when one is available. If the condition is serious, permission is implied if a supervising adult is not present.
Permission is also implied if a victim is unconscious or unable to respond. This means, you can assume that if the person could respond, he/she would agree to care.

Treatment at Site

***Some Important Do’s and Don’ts***

Do…

Access the injury. If the victim is conscious, find out what happened, where it hurts and watch for shock
Know your limitations
Call 911 immediately if a person is unconscious or seriously injured
Look for signs of injury (blood, bruising, deformity of bones/joints, etc)
Listen to the injured player describe what happened and what hurts if conscious. Before Questioning ensure the child is calm.
Feel gently and carefully the injured area for signs of swelling or grating of a broken bone
Talk to your team afterwards about the situation if it involves them. Often players are upset and worried when another player is injured. They need to feel safe and understand why the injury occurred.

Don’ts…

Administer any medications
Provide and food or beverages (other than water)
Hesitate in giving aid when needed
Be afraid to ask for help if you’re not sure of the proper procedure (i.e. CPR, etc.)
Transport injured individual (except in extreme emergencies)

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS AND PHONE ACCESS

Northampton Rescue Squad

757-825-4598

Hampton Police – Non Emergency

757- 727-6111

Sheriff’s Office

757-757-6201

Little League Baseball

717-326-1921

NHLL Safety Officer –Bryce Kiser

NHLL BOD President –Brent Gainer

Managers are expected to have a cell phone available at all practices and games

NORTHAMPTON LITTLE LEAGUE

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President:Brent Gainer

Vice President: Tiffany Fortune

Secretary: Brenda Garlick

Treasurer: Tabatha Brown

Safety Officer: Bryce Kiser

Umpire In Chief: Brent Gainer

Player Agent: Berta Kiser

Info Officer: Shelly Carson-Gainer

Coaching Coordinator: Steve Spivey

Sponsorship and Fundraising: Kate Pike

CONCESSION STAND SAFETY

Always wash your hands with soap and hot water before each food preparation, especially after using the bathroom or taking out the trash.
Wear food prep gloves while serving and preparing all food.
Avoid handling food when you are ill.
Bandage small cuts on your hand.
Avoid handling food if you have cuts or sores on your hands.
Keep concession counters, cutting surfaces, dishes and utensils clean before and after preparing food.
Check refrigerators temperature and keep it between 35 and 40 degrees and the freezer at 0 degrees or lower.
Have a large first aid kit in each concession.
Have a phone available at each concession.

FIELD SAFETY

All managers, coaches and umpires are required to walk the playing fields and dug outs to check for hazards such as rocks, glass, holes or any other objects that may cause a safety problem.
Team managers and coaches shall not leave the practice field or game field until every child has left.
Ask parents to retrieve foul balls during the games.
Please ask players and spectators to keep their fingers out of the fences at all times.
Please make sure that you have your first aid kit with you at all practices and all games.
During hot weather, be sure to provide plenty of water to drink.
Please do not allow glass containers in the dugout or playing field at any time.
Please do not allow batters to warm up at any time until they get to the batter’s box. See rule 1.08
Managers, coaches and umpires are required to inspect all equipment before each game and repair any defects.

DECKED OUT - RULE 1.08

THE ON-DECK POSITION IS NOT PERMITTED FOR MAJORS AND BELOW

Juniors and above WILL have on deck circles.

ALL on deck circles, cages and other designated warm-up areas are prohibited for majors and below.
The batter will be required to go from the dugout to assume the batters position in all majors and minors divisions.

Players swinging bats with other people around have resulted in injuries that prompted the change, said Joe Losch, Chairman of the Little League Rule Committee. Players in on-deck circles were also susceptible to foul balls.

Even with on-deck cages you’ve got one kid going out with a bat and one kid going in, said Losch. Next thing you know, you have an injury.

Players are still allowed to warm up before they face a pitch. Before they step into the batter’s box, they can take a few swings. I would encourage that, said Losch.

NORTHAMPTON LITTLE LEAGUE LIGHTNING POLICY

To all managers and coaches, NHLL has a lightning policy that follows the National Weather Service’s recommendation and ASAP program supported by Little League that all outdoor sports should wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightning strike before resuming play. A league Board member, who is not directly connected with the game in progress, will be present at each facility to watch for lightning. If this member and/or person sees lightning, he/she will report it to the umpire in charge immediately. Everybody shall take cover away from fencing and dugouts with metal roofs. Also, do not stand under a tree during a lightning storm. Please try and find shelter away from these places.

FACTS ABOUT LIGHTNING

The average lightning stroke is 6 miles long.
The average thunderstorm is 6-10 miles long and can be heard over a distance of 3-4 miles, depending on humidity, terrain and other factors.
The average thunderstorm travels at a rate of 25 MPH.
Once the leading edge of a thunderstorm approaches to within 10 miles, you are at an immediate risk due to the possibility of lightning strikes coming from the overhanging anvil cloud. Because of this, many lightning deaths and injuries occur with clear skies overhead.
Approximately 100,000 thunderstorms occur in the United States each year. Approximately 10% of all thunderstorms are severe enough to produce high winds, flash floods and tornadoes.
Thunderstorms cause an average of 200 deaths and 700 injuries in the United States alone each year, most of which could be prevented by following precautions.

NORTHAMPTON LITTLE LEAUGE

ABUSE POLICY

Child abuse is present in youth sports, including baseball and softball. It may take the form of sexual, physical or verbal behavior and it may also be evident by the neglect of a child’s need.

All managers, coaches and volunteers with access to players must have a volunteer form and background check completed.
Any form of abuse such as sexual abuse, neglect, verbal abuse, physically striking a child or hitting a faster ball in anger will not be tolerated at any time.
Any manager, coach or volunteer that abuses any child shall be dismissed from his/her duties immediately.

BEFORE THE GAME-

UMPIRE AND MANAGERS MEETING

Introduce plate umpire, base umpire, managers and coaches.
Receive official lineup cards from each team.
Discuss any local playing rules such as time limit, playing boundaries, etc.
Discuss the strike zone, and how they will be called during a game.
Discuss unsportsmanlike conduct by players, managers, coaches and parents.
Discuss the innings pitched by pitcher rule.
Make clear the calling of a game due to weather or darkness.
Inspect playing field for unsafe conditions.
Get game ball from home team.
Be sure all players are in full uniform, shirts tucked in and hats (if applicable)on, and all protective gear are on.

DURING THE GAME-

UMPIRES AND MANAGERS

Ensure all managers and coaches help to speed the game along by having catchers and players on the bench prepared with two outs ready to take field.
Ensure the catchers are wearing proper equipment.
If pitchers warm up in foul territory, they must have a spotter and catcher with a helmet and mask, chest protector, and glove.
Ensure game is kept moving at a reasonable amount of time.
Umpires should make calls loud and clear.
No arguing of calls made by umpires, especially judgment calls.
Managers are responsible for keeping their fans on their best behavior.
Managers and coaches are responsible for keeping their players on their best behavior during the game.

Only one manager and two coaches are ALLOWED in the dugout at anytime.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF SAFETY

BE ALERT!
CHECK PLAYING FIELD FOR SAFETY HAZARDS
WEAR PROPER EQUIPMENT
ENSURE EQUIPMENT IS IN GOOD SHAPE
ENSURE FIRST AID IS AVAILABLE
MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION
MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE
SAFETY IS A TEAM SPORT
BE ORGANIZED
HAVE FUN!

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