Palma Ceia Little League: PCLL News: Pre-Season Memo for Managers, Coaches, Team Coordinators

This is going to all directors, managers, coaches, and team coordinators… 

With the season nearly upon us, here are a few things we need to be together on: 

Keys – by now, all managers should have been issued a set of keys.  The keys are for the Mobile Mini, the equipment shed, the storage closet (aka the ‘ice machine’ closet), the restrooms, and the lockboxes for the scoreboard/audio equipment.  If you are a director or manager and have not gotten a set of keys, please see Cheri Dukett.  If, for whatever reason, you find yourself at the park and don’t have your keys and the concession stand is open, the staff in the concession stand will loan you a set of keys but you’ll have to leave some form of ID in exchange for the keys.

Scoreboard/Announcing – with your set of keys, you should be able to open the scoreboard and audio controller boxes on each field except D.  Each lockbox should contain a scoreboard controller and audio equipment, including a microphone.  This equipment has been tested.  If you are the home team, you should plan to supply a scoreboard operator and announcer.  Operating the scoreboard is pretty straight forward, but announcing takes some finesse.  Announcing is not required for each regular-season game, but it sure adds to the atmosphere at the park.  For Opening Weekend, we do want an announcer for each game.  Announcers can announce as much or as little as they like and the kids should be kept away from the microphones.  Just relax and have some fun with it – names, nick names, and numbers of the batters is basic info that can easily be announced.  For issues related to the scoreboards and audio equipment, please contact Scott Leslie.

Scorekeeping - if you are the home team for a game in the Minor A, Majors, and Juniors divisions, you should plan to provide (among other things) the official scorekeeper.  The official scorekeeper keeps the “league” scorebook.  These are official documents of the league required to determine a number of things – like All Star eligibility – and they should be kept accurately.  You can keep another book for your team, but if you’re in the home team you must keep the official record of the game in the official scorebook.  These books will be kept in the entry to the ice machine closet – please get them from there, record the game, have the umpire sign the book, and return the book to the closet.  The league will be providing scorekeeping clinics in the coming weeks; until then, please identify people at the league who can do it now – starting with the games this weekend.

Field Preparation – it’s time to ramp it up a notch.  If anything looks remotely like it needs a trim, please hop on the mower this week and get it done.  I personally clipped each blade of grass on the Majors infield last year with scissors and I’m wondering when you guys are going to figure out how the mower works…just kidding, but it does need a trim.  Please paint the foul lines in advance of the weekend too (best to do after it’s mowed).  Remember, don’t use chalk on the grass; use the chalk for clay surfaces only and paint the grass.  Also, do not store any field lining equipment in the ice machine closet – all this equipment should be stored in the Mobile Mini or equipment shed.  For questions related to the use of field preparation equipment, please contact Bernard Cockrell.  A hint – if this is your first go-round having field prep responsibilities, don’t wait until just before your game to get it done.  It’s first come, first serve on the equipment and you need to be there early to ensure you get what you need.

Safety – prior to each game, the home team needs to bring the First Aid bag to the scorer’s table and each team needs to supply their dugouts with a cooler of ice water and cups.  If you are hosting a visiting league, you should provide them with a cooler and cups too.  This applies to all 5 fields, including D.  This should be organized by team coordinators, but ultimately it’s the managers obligation.  Each of you should know the physical address of the league in the unlikely event that you need to call emergency services – it’s 4501 South Himes Ave.  Please commit it to memory.  Additionally, each team’s staff should have a plan for meeting emergency vehicles on the park periphery and directing them to where they need to go, clearing a way in to the park.  Remember, if a player has a bat in his hand, he needs a helmet on his head.  David Webb is our safety officer, if you have any questions about safety please contact David.

Batting cages – teams warming up for games have priority in the batting cages.  We’ve pumped a bunch of money in to improving these facilities – please keep them clean and safe.  Any players or teams wearing metal spikes in the batting cages will lose the privilege of using the cages, period.  Everyone has the responsibility for maintaining the cages.  Don’t just watch someone else abuse the privilege – speak up and speak out.

Trash pick up – each team in a PCLL v PCLL game is responsible for picking up trash on their side of the field – around the dugout, batting cage(s),and under  the stands and emptying the trash cans after a game.  Please assign the players the task of trash pick up – they have to know that it’s their responsibility. 

Official reporting – each day/night the park is open for games there will be a director onsite and on duty.  Communication regarding urgent issues at the park should be taken up with that director.  A list of directors on duty will be posted later this week.   There’s a lot more that you’ll have to figure out on the job.  Just have fun, and if there’s ever any doubt…just do what’s best for the kids and you won’t go wrong.  

Thanks -  

Steve Stanford
President