Rules 8/9

RC Durr YMCA

8/9 Coach Pitch League Rules

YMCA of Greater Cincinnati Mission Statement:

 

To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

Seven Pillars of YMCA Youth Sports:

  1. Everyone plays.   We do not use tryouts to select the best players, nor do we cut kids from YMCA Youth Sports. Everyone who registers is assigned to a team.  During the season everyone receives equal practice time and plays at least half of every game.
  2. Safety first.  Although some children may get hurt playing sports, we do all we can to prevent injuries. We’ve modified each sport to make it safer and more enjoyable to play. We ask you to make sure the equipment and facilities are safe and to teach the sport as we’ve prescribed, so that the skills taught are appropriate for children’s developmental level. We ask you to develop your players’ fitness levels gradually so they are conditioned for the sport. And we ask you to constantly supervise your young players so that you can stop any unsafe activities.
  3. Fair play.  Fair play is about more than playing by the rules. It’s about you and your players showing respect for all who are involved in YMCA Youth Sports.  It’s about your being a role model of good sportsmanship and guiding your players to do the same.  Remember, we’re more interested in developing children’s character through sport than in developing a few highly skilled players.
  4. Positive competition.  We believe competition is a positive process when the pursuit of victory is kept in the right perspective.  The “right perspective” means adults make decisions that put the best interests of the children above winning the contest.  Learning to compete is important for children, and learning to cooperate in a competitive world is an essential lesson of life.  These are the lessons we want to teach through YMCA Youth Sports.
  5. Family involvement. YMCA Youth Sports encourages parents to be involved appropriately along with their child’s participation in our sport programs. In addition to parents being helpful as volunteer coaches, officials and timekeepers, we encourage them to be at practices and games to support their child’s participation.  To help parents get involved appropriately, YMCA Youth Sports offers parent-orientation programs.
  6. Sport for all.  YMCA Youth Sports is an inclusive sport program.  That means that children who differ in various characteristics are to be included rather than excluded from participation.  We offer sport programs for children who differ in physical abilities by matching them with children of similar abilities and modifying their sport. We offer programs to all children regardless of race, gender, religion or ability.  We ask our adult leaders to support and appreciate the diversity of children in our society and to encourage the children and their parents to do the same.
  7. Sport for fun. Sport is naturally fun for most children.  They love the challenge of mastering the skills of the game, of playing with their friends, and of competing with their peers.  Sometimes when adults become involved in children’s sport, they over-organize and dominate the activity to the point of spoiling children’s enjoyment of the sport. If we take the fun out of sport, we are in danger of our children taking themselves out of sport.  Remember, that these sports are for the kids; let them have fun.

Object of the Game

 

Members of two teams take turns hitting a machine pitched ball.  Batters try to hit the ball in fair territory and get to first base, eventually advancing to home plate.  Fielders will try to make outs and work on fundamentals.  Score will not be kept, there are no winners and losers in this league.

 

General

 

The game will follow the general rules of baseball/softball, with the following modifications:

  1. No score is kept.
  2. 6/7: Teams will bat around the lineup and there will be no outs recorded.  All participants advance to first base from the batting position.
  3. 8/9: The batting team will switch sides after three outs are recorded.
  4. T-Ball   – - The ball is hit off of a tee instead of machine. (Used if players are having difficulty hitting off the coaches)
  5.  Coaches pitch the ball to the hitter.
  6. Unlimited substitutions are permitted for defensive teams
  7. Parents may be on the field during the game to help instruct at the coaches request.
  8. All games will end with teams and coaches shaking hands.

Field of Play

  1. The bases in Coach Pitch Baseball will be 50 feet apart.
  2. The distance from home plate to the pitching rubber is 35 feet in a direct line between second base and home plate, measured from the front edge of the pitching rubber to the tip of home plate where the bases converge.

Batting

  1. When batting, only one person is allowed in the warm-up area.  All others must be sitting in the designated waiting area on the ground.
  2. When using the T-stand it is placed on home plate.  Play begins once the coach calls “play ball.” (The coach is responsible for placing the ball on the tee and preparing everyone for play.)
  3.  Play begins once the coach calls “play ball.”  The coach is responsible for preparing everyone for play.
  4. The ball, not the T-stand, must be hit to initiate play.
  5. T-Ball  – - – The batter may swing as many times as necessary.  No strikeouts!
  6. Coach Pitch – - – The batter will be provided 3 reasonable pitches from the coach to hit.  If the batter cannot make fair contact after 3 attempts (excluding fouls), he/she will be provided with a batting tee and will then follow the T-Ball Rules for batting. 
  7. The ball must fall in fair territory at travel at least 10 feet (past the 10 ft. arc) for play to continue.
  8. The batter must drop the bat once the ball is hit.
  9. The batter and all base runners must wear a helmet.
  10. In the 6/7 age grouping, teams will switch once the batting team has gone through the entire order.
  11. In the 8/9 age grouping, teams will switch once the batting team has made three (3) outs.

Base Running

  1. Base runners must stay in contact with the bag until the ball is hit. Not steals or lead-offs.
  2. Sliding is prohibited due to the dangerous nature.
  3. Coach Pitch – - – In the event the ball is hit out of the infield, once the ball returns to the infield, the runners must stop advancing to the next base.

Fielding

  1. The infield consists of 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, shortstop, 3rd baseman, and pitcher.
  2. The pitcher acts as an infielder, and stands with both feet on pitchers rubber until ball is hit.
  3. The remaining infielders must play in their positions until the ball is hit.
  4. There should be no defensive shifts in the infield.
  5. The outfield consists of left, left-center, center, right-center, and right fielders.
  6. After each inning, defensive players must rotate to a different position.
  7. Players must avoid blocking the base lines.
  8. Play will stop when the first baseman has the ball.

Duration of Games

 

Games will begin promptly at the top of the hour.  Each game shall last no more than one hour. It is recommended that the 6/7 games conclude after 50 minutes or 4 innings (whichever occurs first). The 8/9 age group will play for 50 minutes as well or for 6 innings.

 

Recommendations

 

In these divisions, we encourage one parent should be present at each base.  In addition to positioning parents on the infield, two parents should be positioned on the outfield, one between center and right outfield, and one between center and left outfield.  This will help keep players on the field in proper position and will eliminate all of the players gravitating to the ball after it has been hit.

Copyright © 2009 RC Durr YMCA