Lakewood Little League managers and coaches must be leaders. All must recognize that they represent the League and hold a position of leadership, trust, and responsibility and are role models for youth on and off the playing field.
Managers and coaches must understand that their actions and behaviors influence, shape, and often dictate how the young people they are leading behave on and off the field. The manager and coach should be able to inspire respect and must have understanding, patience, and the capacity to work with children, parents, and league officials.
Managers and coaches must be more than just teachers. Although knowledge and understanding of the game are important, good managers and coaches must also be able to utilize a range of admirable traits and abilities to effectively help shape the physical, mental, and emotional development of young people.
Little League Background Check Policy
Volunteers within our league (managers, coaches, members of the Board of Directors, and other persons, volunteer or hired workers who provide regular service to the league and/or have repetitive access to or contact with players or teams), MUST submit annually a "Little League Volunteer Application." Further, the state of California now requires a one-time Live Scan also to be submitted.
Lakewood Little League conducts a National Criminal File database search that includes criminal records and sex offender registry records across 50 states.
Roles and Responsibilities For Managers and Coaches
Having qualified team managers and coaches is key to the smooth operation of teams in Lakewood Little League. This section summarizes several of the roles and responsibilities for managers and coaches in our League.
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Team Managers include: | Roles and responsibilities of Coaches on the team include: |
- Overall team leadership and accountability
| - Skill instruction (pitching, hitting, fielding)
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- Teach and demonstrate good sportsmanship by respecting the rules, opponents, officials, teammates, and one's self
| - Teach and demonstrate good sportsmanship by respecting the rules, opponents, officials, teammates, and one's self
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- Refrain from the use of insulting, embarrassing, foul, or abusive language. Be a good role model
| - Refrain from the use of insulting, embarrassing, foul, or abusive language. Be a good role model
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- Have the understanding, patience, and the capacity to work with children in the age group of the division
| - Have the understanding, patience, and the capacity to work with children in the age group of the division
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- Attendance at mandatory manager/coaching clinics
| - Attendance at mandatory coaching clinics
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- Accountability for actions of the team (parents, players, coaches)
| - Responsible for understanding, complying with, and enforcing all LLL rules, regulations and policies
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- Responsible for understanding, complying with, and enforcing all LLL rules, regulations and policies
| - Player Skills development training (ground balls, fly balls, batting practice)
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- Game preparations and related decisions
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- Practice planning and game strategy
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- Discipline and personnel moves
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- Team communication (rules, schedules, league events, etc.)
| - Field preparation and cleanup
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- Field preparation and cleanup
| - Manage the team in the absence of the Team Manager
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- Return all issued equipment at the end of the season in good and clean condition
| - Advise the Team Manager on game and practice strategy
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| - Assist the Team Manager where/when needed with team activities
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Expectations For Managers and Coaches
Lakewood Little League expects nothing but the best from our managers and coaches. Given the important role that these individuals play in the development and leadership of youth in the Lakewood Little League program, much care is used in the review, vetting, and selection of managers and coaches for LLL teams. While not all inclusive, the League has these base expectations for all managers and coaches:
- Encourage players at all times and will not damage the self-esteem of any player or parent at any time.
- Understand that becoming "physical" (grabbing, pushing, hitting, physical or verbal intimidation, etc.) with any player, parent, league official, opposing coaching staff, spectator, or umpire is not acceptable at any time -- such actions are grounds for serious consequences up to immediate removal as a manager or coach.
- Will have undergone the standard Little League required background check.
- Have open, productive and strong relationships with the League, LLL Board of Directors, parents, and umpires at all times.
- Demonstrate that they have an appreciation of the philosophy of Little League Baseball, Lakewood Little League and cooperates with others in making the program of mutual benefit to all children in the program.
- Recognize that they are agents of the Board and will follow the Board’s direction, philosophy, and advance the agenda for the League as set forth by the Board.
- Recognize and accept that Lakewood Little League has a zero tolerance policy for rules and regulations infractions and non-compliance with League code of conduct and facility use policies.
- Attend all mandatory coaching and safety clinics -- no exceptions.
- Lead by example in shaping acceptable behavior patterns whether the team wins or loses.
- Have a solid understanding and agree to comply with all LLL and Little League rules, regulations, and code of conduct policies.
- Reflect an understanding and appreciation of the age group they supervise.
- Respect the judgment and the position of authority of the umpires.
- Exercise their leadership role, but leave the outcome of the ball game in the hands of the players.