FAQ RYBSA
When is opening day?
APRIL 27th is our official Opening Day Parade Day. The season for the upper levels will begin sooner than that. Practices are expected around the second week of March, but are dependent on weather and condition of fields. We are not allowed to start practices until the town says so.
When will we have practices?
Practices and games are scheduled prior to the season starting, and we cannot give a complete breakdown of when a particular player will have practice. As a general rule, T-ball practices 1-2 nights during the week at 5:30 and 6:30 and when the season starts, they have one game during the week, one practice during the week, and a game every Saturday morning. Farm leagues, National, and Softball Minors all practice 1-2 times per week and play at least a game per week. There are no lights on any of these fields, so games and practices usually end by 7pm. Minor teams will get at least one-night game under the lights for the players. The upper levels American, Majors, and JRs, may practice a bit more often and tend to have two games a week. Practices are usually a total of 2hrs long as are the games. Upper levels of baseball and softball will have some later games during the week, with the expectation that everyone will be off the fields by 9:30pm.
A schedule of all practices and games will be provided to all managers and coaches prior to the beginning of the season. Please check with your manager/coach for more details.
What do I need?
First and foremost, there is a new bat rule for baseball. All bats MUST be USA certified. You can tell which ones are approved by the USA sticker on the bat. Players can use wooden bats for baseball. For those that do not understand the bat rule, please speak to a member of the Board of Directors. Every player must have a glove (baseball and softball). Anyone unable to obtain a glove should speak to a member of the Board of Directors and we will make every effort to assist your player. Girls in farm softball will now be required to use masks when in the field. Helmets are REQUIRED to have a face shield (cage) on the helmet. NO player is allowed on the field at bat or in the batting cages without this. RYBSA does have a limited amount of helmets available for use during games, however, for safety and hygiene reasons, it is recommended that players utilize their own helmets. For appropriate sizing, and helmets, speak to a member of the Board of Directors.
That’s all that is REQUIRED. Cleats are not mandatory, but highly recommended. They should be molded plastic cleats, spikes are not allowed. Batting gloves are totally the option of the player/parent. Sun glasses and cool other accessories that the Major Leagues use are totally at the discretion of the parent.
What is CONCESSION Duty?
Every parent not exercising the “opt-out” option during registration, will be asked to assist in the concession stand during the season. The shift that you have will generally be no more than 3 hours on any day. Weeknights, the shifts begin at 5pm, and end roughly at 8pm. Weekends, we open the stand a full day, starting at 10am, and are only 2 hours shifts. A schedule will be sent out to ALL families prior to the season beginning. Parents unable to attend their scheduled shift will be required to re-schedule the shift, or will be required to pay the opt-out fee.
The Concession stand is a fully volunteer position that requires the assistance of the community. We serve every family in the town, as well as other towns that come to our complex. With the amount of families that do not opt out of the concession, stand, there are usually never repeat families scheduled to do a shift. One shift per season is usually all that is needed for you to show up.
What is needed for the concession stand duty? Can I send another family member?
Requirements for the stand: First and foremost, all volunteers must be OVER 14 years old NO EXCEPTIONS! It is suggested that you do not wear open toed shoes in the snack shack. And a smile. We will ask you to wash your hands when around the food. When on stand duty, we kindly ask that if your family needs your attention that they come to the window and you go out to meet them. We cannot have a great deal of traffic in the stand. The stand is very busy at times, and we cannot have people walking in and out of the stand.
Can I request to be on a certain coach’s team?
We make every effort to accommodate every request. There are a number of reasons that this may not be possible, and we will make sure we contact you if a request is not possible. There are very few occasions that we have not been able to accommodate.
I don’t know how to get my player to the field on time, I work late sometimes?
This should be addressed with your coach when the teams are decided on. There is carpooling options with other families, and you may use other options to get your player to the fields. We will not punish, nor discipline a player for not showing up to practices or games. We just ask that the parent notify the coaches when there is a conflict.
How do you handle Rain-outs and cancellations?
The league will notify the respective teams prior to 4:30 on a weekday as to whether games are cancelled. The coaching staff for each team will pass along the information to the respective teams. Make sure that you provide all options for communications to your coach. Should there be a league wide cancellation, and the fields are closed, a notice will be sent out, and an update put out on social media (Facebook)
When is Tagging?
Tagging is done on two weekends during the spring. Each player is only assigned to one weekend. There will be a listing that is sent out to every parent detailing when the tagging is and where you will be going. Shifts are usually only 1-2hours long.