The Rundown Vol 1 No 1

Vol. 1, No. 1

Winter 1997

Winchester, MA

From the President
Welcome to the first edition of the Sachem Youth Baseball/Softball (SYBS) newsletter. Having taken the name of the newsletter from the lexicon of our game, we are excited about this new initiative as a means of communicating with the parents and players who form our constituency. By fostering such communication, we believe we will be better able to serve the Winchester baseball community and that your kids can benefit more from what we offer.

We hope that you will take a few minutes when the letter arrives to keep informed of the latest happenings in our organization and, when appropriate, to comment or give us feedback on any issue important to you. In each newsletter, I will address an issue of particular interest to us and the community.

As we approach the spring of 1997, I would like to highlight the importance of volunteerism to our organization. SYBS is a not-for-profit association. We control our costs mainly through the dedicated and often thankless efforts of our many volunteers. The Board of Directors consists of 17 members, each of whom spend countless hours volunteering their time. In addition the program cannot be successful without its 10 commissioners, over 150 coaches, 70 team parents, and innumerable helpers for our fund raising and chuck wagon at West Side Field.

Since fees paid by players cover roughly half of our costs, these efforts are critical to the ongoing health and quality of our program.

A short seven years ago the program faced some financial problems. Through the efforts of our volunteers and our sponsors, I am happy to report that we are solidly on our feet.

That doesn't mean that it is time to sit back and be complacent. We need to continue our strong efforts. For example, as we all know, the Town of Winchester has fiscal constraints, and we make every effort to insure that the quality of our program is not compromised. Over the past six years, we have made many improvements to our field facilities.

Despite how far we have come, we still have a long way to go. Some of these improvements were done by the Town and in some cases we have contributed financially. Others were made by simple "sweat equity" on the part of our volunteers. We need to keep that high level of commitment as we move forward.

If you can offer some assistance to our organization, there will be many opportunities to do so. No experience is necessary although in some instances (e.g., coaching and chuck wagon), we even offer training. It would be especially helpful to us if you can step forward and lend a helping hand. The sooner the better so that we may optimize our planning for the upcoming season.

Please place a check mark on your child's registration form to indicate how you would like to help. Or you can call any Board member. I will also have a desk set up at the upcoming registration for you to come and chat.

I have been very fortunate over the 28 years that I have been involved with youth baseball in Winchester. I have worked with some of the greatest people and had a whole lot of fun. I also find it rewarding to see the kids enjoying our national pastime.

Once again, thank you for your participation. I hope that all of your children have a positive experience with baseball and softball.

Please feel free to communicate with us. Please try to remember that we are all volunteers and trying our very best to deliver the product that you want and deserve.

Bob

SYBS Overview The Program at a Glance
Readers who have only seen a portion of the SYBS program are usually surprised when they learn the full scope of what we do. Here are some facts which you might not know about us.

We serve over 900 youngsters annually. About two-thirds play baseball and one-third play softball.

Children ages 7-18 are eligible to participate in various SYBS clinics, leagues and tournaments.

Over 65 teams make up the ten leagues we run each spring.

Most teams, depending on age, play a minimum

of twelve games each spring in addition to their scheduled practices and clinics.

About a dozen teams are entered in summer leagues in Eastern Massachusetts. Most of these teams and certain others also enter Babe Ruth national tournaments each year.

One or more Winchester teams have been represented at the state or regional level by advancing beyond its district tournament in each of the past seven years.

SYBS is a major contributor to the maintenance of the recreational fields in town, including large investments in safety fences at nearly all diamonds used for our games, and sodding and grading of worn field areas. We also contribute to grass mowing, dragging and grading of infields and other areas when the town's manpower does not permit the frequency needed for quality play.

SYBS has contributed important assets to the WHS baseball teams including a pitching machine and batting cage.

Over $20 of every child's registration fee is expended on equipment such as balls, helmets and uniforms. An additional $15 is for umpires.

Final Registration Set for 1997 Season
For players who have not previously signed up, Sachem Youth Baseball/Softball announces its final registration sessions for the 1997 season will be held as follows:

When:

March 1 (Sat.) 8:30 AM to 12:00noon

March 5 (Wed.) 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Where:

Knights of Columbus Hall, 58 Mt. Vernon Street

Registration forms have been packaged with this newsletter for your convenience and may either be brought to one of the sign-up sessions or mailed to the address shown on the form. Additional forms are also available at the entrance to the Recreation Department at Sanborn House on High Street and in most elementary school newsletters.

The deadline to avoid any late fee is March 10 so that the rosters may be established and schedules produced in a timely fashion.

If you know of Winchester children who attend school outside of town and who may be interested in playing, please notify their parents of these sign-ups. We find that too often our announcements escape their notice.

There will be an information area set aside at the registration for those who may be interested in volunteering to assist in any aspect of our program. Volunteers can stop by to determine where and how their skills and enthusiasm can best fit within our program.

SYBS and Soccer Club Forge Cooperative Spirit
Kids participating on two or more teams in the spring can have difficulty in deciding among their commitments. In recognition of this, Sachem Youth Baseball/Softball and the Winchester Soccer Club again have agreed to provide a set of guidelines that can be used by players and their parents in resolving such conflicts and minimizing any adverse impact of their decisions on the teammates involved.

These guidelines are set out in the form of a letter to coaches, parents and players and signed by Bob Nutile and Don Sutton, the presidents of the respective organizations. That letter is enclosed as part of this newsletter for your information.

We encourage you to retain a copy of this letter in your file for reference when such a conflict might arise for you.

Annual Meeting Elects New Board of Directors
At its Annual Meeting held on October 24, 1996 in the Winchester Town Hall, Sachem Youth Baseball/Softball Association Inc. elected its Board of Directors for the current year.

According to Robert Nutile who is entering his second year as President of the Association, "We are pleased about the makeup of our Board which includes some new members as well as others who are returning to key slots. Just like a strong ball club, we have found that a good mix of new blood and experience provide the chemistry needed to accomplish our goals."

Coaches' Clinic Expands, Bill Chase Featured Speaker
All adults interested in the possibility of coaching in the Sachem Youth Baseball/Softball program should mark their calendars (see dates below) for the upcoming clinic for new and experienced coaches.

For the first time, the clinic will expand to two evening sessions. On the first evening, Monday March 24, 1997, Winchester High School's varsity baseball coach Bill Chase will cover the fundamentals of the game with a strong emphasis on how to teach youngsters the mechanics of throwing, catching, fielding, base running, and hitting. In addition, he will describe appropriate drills to use to reinforce these skills, and will offer suggestions from his experience on how to run a productive practice.

On the second evening, each league commissioner will cover in depth the strategic aspects of the game, with emphasis on those which may be new to children rising from younger age levels. In addition, rules unique to the age level will be explained and the coaches' responsibilities spelled out.

Commissioners will be in touch with coaches to ensure their attendance. Others who might like to coach at a future time are also urged to attend both sessions.

The schedule for the clinics are as follows.
Evening 1
Leagues: All
Date: Monday March 24, 6:30-9:30 PM
Location: WHS Auditorium

Evening 2a
Leagues: Babe Ruth, Babe Ruth Prep, Clinic, Cap, and Sr. Softball only
Date: Monday March 31, 6:30-9:30 PM
Location: WHS Cafeteria

Evening 2b
Leagues: Bambino, Sr. Minors, Jr. Minors, and Intermediate and Jr. Softball only
Date: Thursday April 3, 6:30-9:30 PM
Location: WHS Cafeteria

Baseball: A Unique Team Sport
A major objective of the SYBS program is to promote the participation of youngsters in the sport of baseball and softball. Rich in tradition and governed by rules which anticipate the multitude of situations that can arise, baseball affords the spectator and player alike opportunities to ponder its many features.

We plan to run a column in each issue of The Rundown that will provide some insights that have sprouted from our own musings about the game. These may cover game situations and strategies, rule interpretations, statistics, history, etc.

In this issue, we highlight some of the unique aspects of baseball among America's most popular team sports which of course include basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, and soccer. Although we truly love the game of baseball, we are not suggesting a value judgment here, but rather are pointing out how baseball differs in so many objective ways from the common threads that weave through the other sports. So here goes:

There is no clock in baseball.

Umpires, unlike referees, have no whistles.

In baseball, the teams alternately defend the same goal (home plate), while in the other sports, the teams simultaneously attack one goal and defend the other, each being at the opposite end of a rectangular playing area (nearly rectangular in hockey).

In baseball, a team scores when it safely moves a runner to home, unlike the others where a ball or puck is moved into or across the opponent's goal.

A baseball team can score more than once in a given play (unlike hockey, lacrosse and soccer), but each score results from a separate event (unlike basketball and football where more than one point can be awarded for a single success.

Each play begins with the defensive team in possession of the ball.

The offensive team never holds the ball.

The offensive and defensive teams may never have the same number of players on the field at the same time.

The defensive team may cause an offensive player to be removed from the field by successfully putting him "out."

A player may legally handle the ball when it is out of bounds (foul territory, or even in the seats).

Although they do not actually play, baseball coaches and managers are an integral part of the game, required to be within the field of play in some circumstances and allowed to be on the field in others.

A Word from the Veeps
The administration of our leagues falls under the oversight of three vice presidents who are:

Baseball, 13 & over Kevin Teahan 729-1585

Baseball, 12 & under Jim Axon 721-2531

Softball Harley Gates 729-6882

They offer the following comments and seek any input you may have regarding their activities.

Baseball 13 and Over

This program offers baseball consistent with the national program of Babe Ruth League. As a chartered member of Babe Ruth, we have the opportunity to enter into national tournaments each summer and are also offered economical insurance policies covering casualty and liability in conjunction with our baseball operations.

Last year for the first time, we spearheaded a new league in conjunction with Bedford and Concord-Carlisle called the Minuteman Spring Baseball League. This league provided the opportunity for our players to enjoy (1) the competition afforded by new inter-community rivalries and (2) the chance to travel occasionally to out-of town fields and to host out-of-town visitors while still playing many games with old friends from Winchester. We are excited to announce that Burlington will be added to the League for the 1997 season.

Since each community is also a member of Babe Ruth, we are each able to enjoy the benefits of our national affiliation while also profiting from the association with other nearby communities.

Baseball 12 and Under

This division of our program has the lion's share (over 60%) of our organization's total participants. A breakdown of the five leagues in this division can be found on the back side of the registration form enclosed with this newsletter (as well as the leagues in the other two divisions). We start with clinic which is your child's first exposure to organized baseball and we finish 6 years later when we graduate the players to the big diamond and our Babe Ruth program.

As I'm sure you can imagine, the running this division is no small task, and it is only possible through the efforts of the Board of Directors, the league commissioners and the countless volunteers that graciously donate their time. Without all these people we would not have a meaningful program.

That said, we are always in search for coaches, at every level. Please do not feel that you are not qualified, as we offer coaching clinics as well and other assistance in every league. Coaching can be a meaningful and rewarding experience. As a coach you will be learning as well as teaching many things, not the least being sportsmanship and a love of the game. Some of our program's best coaches started in our Clinic when they had no prior experience and they have stayed on, even though they have no children in the program. Please feel free to contact me or any of the other Board members if you are interested in getting involved in our program. Help us build a stronger foundation for the future.

Softball

Softball 1997 looks great, even from the depths of the winter, because we have vision!

Taking off from last year is a great place to begin. In 1996, we had two more teams in the spring and our summer travel teams increased to four, from only one two years ago. The high school Varsity team made the State Tournament for the first time ever.

1996 Recap

The first year of playoffs for the Intermediate (grades 4 & 5), and Senior Leagues (middle school) saw tight, exciting games.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence to be a good year for teams wearing orange. The Intermediate Orioles (sponsored by Johnson Fuel) narrowly beat the surging Hawks (Teresa's Fashions) for first place and in the Senior League, the Orioles (Fresh Paint) defeated the Falcons (Carlson Real Estate) for the trophy in a come-from-behind thriller. Because of the obvious excitement and enthusiasm, the playoffs will be back as a great wrap-up to the season.

Summer 1997

Summer travel teams are here to stay. For players wanting to experience a more competitive brand of softball, develop their skills and have fun doing it, tryouts are a must. They will take place late in May. Making summer team represents an important step for future high school players. Interested spring players should set their sights on this goal right now!

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