CONGRATULATIONS SACKVILLE ACADIANS LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM 2012

Every Labour Day weekend, for the past 48 years, Sackville Minor Baseball has participated in the Annual Amherst Little League InvitationalTournament in Amherst, Nova Scotia.

This past Labour Day weekend our Sackville Acadians Little League Team won the Gold for the first time in 30 years.

Eight teams from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the United States participated this year. The Acadians went 3-0 during the Round Robin games defeating Kennetcook, NS 17-8, Midland, USA 20-0 and Amherst, NS 7-3. In semi final play the Acadians defeated East Hants, NS 1-0. The Acadians took the Gold after winning against Marlboro, USA 8-3 in the Championship Game.

Acadians player, Cameron Ritcey, was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Players - Isaac Chapman, Blake Trueman, Jaden Griffin, Cameron Ritcey, Peter Driscoll, Joshua Doucette, Kyle Brown, Jarrett Windsor, Ben Marsh, Jarrett McDougall and Ryan Prosser.

Coaches - Glen MacQuarrie, Stephen Luciano and Greg Trueman.

Congratulations to all players and coaches!!!!!!!

Midget AAA  -   Tri County is looking for a qualified Head Coach for our Midget AAA team for this season, apply asap to Bedford, Sackville or LWF Associations or by calling Barry @ 861-1171 or  lwfbaseball@hotmail.com      Team normally plays out of Weir Field in Upper Sackville but arrangements can be made for it to play out of the new field in Waverley.
Junior A  -  Tri County intends to have a team this year in the newly formed Metro Junior A league, Junior is for players aged 19 - 21.   We are looking for a Head Coach, Ass't coaches and players wanting to play in this new A league - if there is enough interest we are prepared to have two teams so are especially looking for pitchers, catchers & coaches.   This team can play out of Lenihan Field in Bedford or Waverley Field.
Intermediate  -  for players 21 and up, Tri County had a team in the Metro Intermediate League last year for the first time and this year are looking for Coaches & players interested in this league, we are especially in need of pitchers & catchers.   This team will play out of the new field in Waverley.

Register now at http://bluejays.com/camps for the Blue Jays Halifax Honda Super Camp, May 31^st to June 2^nd.

• May 31: 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
• June 1: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• June 2: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Blue Jays Alumni Instructors will include: Sandy Alomar Sr., Frank Catalanotto, Cecil Fielder, Lloyd Moseby & Duane Ward.

Each participant will receive a Blue Jays hat, t-shirt, baseball manual, 12” Alomar Baseball Gold Series Pro Model baseball glove, photo card, and autographs.

Mosquito AAA    Tuesday  6pm    WJCC   Rob McCamon

Mosquito AA     Wednesday   6pm    WJCC      Steven Hartlen 

PeeWee AAA     Monday 6pm     Joan Lenihan      Greg Trueman

PeeWee AA        Tuesday 6pm    Les Mayo D4      Jerry White

Bantam AAA       Wednesday 6pm     Robert Lenihan    Stephen Collins 

Bantam AA        Tuesday 6pm     Robert Lenihan       Neil Ward

Midget AAA       Tuesday 7pm    Weir      Kevin Armsworthy

Midget AA        

Midget A Acadians Sunday/Thursday  Waverly/Lenihan    

Midget A Rangers   Sunday/Thursday   Waverly/Lenihan  

Midget A Chiefs   Sunday/Thursday    Waverly/Lenihan 

Junior AAA            Thursday 7pm     Weir     Reg Awalt

Intermediate      Sunday 4pm      Waverly      

ROOKIE
Sackville Eagles 

MOSQUITO  

Sackville Dodgers 

PEEWEE

LWF Arrows

BANTAM

Chebucto Blue Jays

MIDGET

Chiefs

ROOKIE

Sackville Eagles 

MOSQUITO 

PEEWEE

LWF Arrows

BANTAM

HPA's

MIDGET

LWF Chiefs

Sackville Minor Baseball recognizes two people each year for the great jobs they have done.                                                                             

Philip Wright was chosen for our 2012 Volunteer of the Year. Philip has coached mainly at the Mosquito/PeeWee levels for several years. Each year he encourages his players to practice and always has special prizes (which he gets through sponsorships) for his players when they try their best. Philip has always had the respect of his players and parents for his coaching abilities.   CONGRATULATIONS PHILIP WRIGHT!
Tom Chute was chosen for our 2012 Behind the Scenes Volunteer. Tom has coached many years at the Rally Cap/Rookie levels and helped out in other age groups. Over the years Tom has gotten sponsorships for his team and also for Sackville Minor Baseball. Last year Tom got enough sponsorships to outfit his team with brand new uniforms. When Tom is not coaching he has been great helping at the fields, whether it's fixing a toilet or spreading gravel.   CONGRATULATIONS TOM CHUTE! 

Sackville Minor Baseball would like to thank all our coaches and other volunteers. We appreciate all the time and effort that everyone has put forth to make our 2012 baseball season a success. Thank-you very much and we hope to see you next season.

Graham Welsh is the UIC for the Sackville/Bedford area  graham.welsh.111@gmail.com          The supplier for all BNSUD umpires attire is Pro Image. The link to their website is below.
 http://www.pro-image.ca/  

SMB umpire rates for the 2013 season are as follows:
House and Rep:   Rookie   $20                                                                    

                           Mosquito $30         $25
                           PeeWee   $30         $25
                           Bantam    $40         $35
                           Midget    $50      $40                                                                                                                         

                           Junior     $55         $45                        

Our 2013 Umpires Level 1 -2 Clinic will be held at CP Allen High School on May 11. Registration is at 8:30 am. The clinic is 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. It is inknown whether there will be a canteen on site so please bring your own lunch and drinks.

For more info about umpiring or clinics in other areas check www.bnsud.com

Baseball is a team sport that teaches children coordination, dicipline, how to win or lose gracefully, how to play together, plus many more things. Unfortunately, sometimes certain circumstances prevent children from participating in baseball. Kidsport is an organization that helps families with the financial aspect of registering their child for baseball. (there are certain qualifications and deadlines) So if finances are preventing your child from playing baseball please contact Kidsport at

 http://www.sportnovascotia.ca/KidSport/tabid/145/Default.aspx or email kidsport@novascotia.ca

“Zero Tolerance Policy” should read: “Ensuring a fair, safe, healthy and fun game environment is our top priority.” Sackville Minor Baseball Association has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for arguing judgement calls, umpire abuse or call-related displays of poor sportsmanship. The Zero Tolerance Policy of Umpire Abuse highlights the special circumstances for youth players as umpires. One of the founding principles of Sackville Minor Baseball is positive coaching, this includes umpires that work on all fields. Youth/adult umpires should only be talked to positively and constructively. Coaches will not challenge judgement calls made by the umpires. It is acceptable to question the interpretation of a rule, but only in a courteous non-confrontational manner.

Umpire Abuse as Defined in this Policy – umpire abuse at its simplest is defined as any deliberate action that makes an umpire feel physically threatened, verbally intimidated or emotionally humiliated. Disrespectfully objecting to calls, yelling at, publicly calling, constantly disagreeing with an umpire by action or verbally can be deemed umpire abuse. Coaches should always show decorum, respect and observe all game rules whenever questioning an umpire about a call.

Judgement Calls - a judgement call is a decision made by an official in a competition using their own opinion of what they have seen. An umpire's judgement call is final. Most calls are based on the judgement of the umpire ie. You may see it one way and the umpire may see it differently. Missed calls are going to happen in every game, that's baseball. Judgement calls include; balls & strikes, safe/ out calls on bases (force and tag), catch/ no catch calls, fair/foul, etc. For reference only - non-judgement calls include; interference, base runners hit by batted balls, etc.

Guidelines for disciplinary action range from a written reprimand for verbal abuse to expulsion from Sackville Minor Baseball for flagrant or repeat offenders. The details are outlined in the policy below.

Purpose of the Policy This policy has been implemented to eliminate umpire abuse, both physical and verbal, and to discourage public dissent of an umpire on all fields. Even though public dissent may not be considered abuse, it is not in keeping with Sackville Minor Baseball principles of positive coaching and good sportsmanship and therefore will not be tolerated.

It is never acceptable to verbally abuse an umpire in any situation. There are appropriate avenues for coaches and spectators to share concerns about the quality of officiating. The local area Umpire-in-Chief (BNSUD.com) is welcome to hear any constructive comments on umpires. Any criticism or critique relating to the performance of a youth umpire should be communicated to the youth umpire only by the Umpire-in-Chief.

Youth umpires are an integral part of the Sackville Minor Baseball program. This includes development of all youth umpires. All Sackville Minor Baseball guidelines and policies on providing a Safe, Fair and Fun environment for players also apply to our umpires. Only Positive, Instructive, and Encouraging comments are allowed to be directed at both players and umpires. Verbal abuse of umpires is as unacceptable as verbal abuse of youth players. The purpose of this policy is to make clear that abuse (as defined in this policy) of any umpire is unacceptable, and to adopt basic standard sanctions for improper conduct based on a “three-strikes-you’re-out” framework.

This policy is not intended to imply that the umpire is always right and the adult spectator/coach is always wrong. We must simply remember that just as youth players will make mistakes during play, adult/youth umpires will also make mistakes in officiating, particularly in the younger divisions where they are learning how to umpire. Please remember, young umpires receive minimal instruction before being sent out to officiate. Also, please keep in mind that they do not attend practices nor do they have a coach on the field to guide them from game to game. Given that the rules of baseball are numerous and in any given game many difficult scenarios could unfold, it is in all of our best interests to judge officials fairly and with reasonable expectations. After all, we cannot play this game without these courageous individuals.

Disciplinary Guidelines The penalties for any confirmed case of umpire abuse by coach/adult team member and/or parent/spectator on all fields will be;

• 1^st Incident - Disciplinary Committee reprimand in writing.

• 2^nd Incident - 3 game suspension for a coach/adult team member; 3 games for parent/spectator regardless of past history, coaching experience or program involvement. This suspension will be IN ADDITION to any suspension due to an ejection from a game.

• 3^rd Incident - Season ending ban for any offending person. (Includes attendance at remaining games on all fields)

Ejected coaches are not permitted to remain on the surrounding field areas, including grandstands, and must vacate all field areas in a timely manner.

In addition, if a coach confronts an umpire after a game in order to continue verbally abusing an official, the penalties will include a 3 game suspension for the 1^st incident and 6 games for the 2^nd.

Any incident that involves physical abuse by bodily threatening, shoving, bumping or harming a youth will result in an immediate indefinite suspension and notification of proper authorities. A manager or coach wishing to be reinstated must appear before the Disciplinary Committee for a hearing.

The Sackville Minor Baseball Executive Board will enforce any and all disciplinary action. The Disciplinary Committee will consist of the residing President along with a minimum of 2 additional members of the current Executive. The Umpire Coordinator will follow-up to ensure the offending spectator or coach is not in attendance of any of the games during his/her suspension.

All Sackville Minor Baseball Association members are bound to report any incident of abuse of umpires to the Sackville Board within 24 hours of the incident occurring (if possible).

The Disciplinary Committee, upon investigating the incident and after hearing from all parties, shall implement any appropriate penalties before the next game (if possible). The offending persons, board members, and the Umpire Coordinator shall be notified of any disciplinary action.

Team and individual pictures this season will be taken by Scott Oldford Photography. You will be able to check your proofs on line after pictures are taken at www.scottoldford.ca    Contact info scott@scottoldford.ca