Challenger Little League

1. Challenger Little League Georgia State Little League Conference Saturday, January 8, 2011

2. Today’s Program • Starting New Leagues • What Do We Need to Start? • Getting Information • Recruiting Players • Recruiting Managers and Coaches • Recruiting Buddies • Rules of Play • Enhancing Your League • Getting the Word Out • Social Media Presentation • Making it Fun • Goals to Shoot For • Fundraising • Round Table Discussion • GA State Jamboree Planning Session

3. What Do We Need to Start? • Forget worrying about special fields and special equipment. Prepare for a Little League game and let the players be kids!

4. What Do We Need to Start? • The Only Things you MUST have to start: • A League Charter • 10 players and 2 managers • Accessible Dugouts • Batting Helmets • A Batting Tee • Several Tee Balls • A Few Dedicated Volunteers • Other Helpful Items to have are: • Extra Fielding Gloves • An Assortment of Bats of All Sizes

5. Spring Season Time Line • January till end of the season – Registrations. Start today! • February –Establish Your Team to Handle League Needs • Uniforms / Registrations / Sponsors / Game Day Organization / Pictures / Social Media • March – Secure Team Sponsors and Host the “Draft” or “Fun” Day • Schedule in time to get team uniforms for opening day parades – at least 3 weeks • March / April / May – Play Ball! • May 14th & 15th – GA State Jamboree • May / June – End of Season Party

6. Getting Information • GA State Challenger Consultant: Julie Haley. JulieHaley@charter.net. 706-201-7363. • Little League Website: www.LittleLeagueChallenger.org • Coaches Website: Talk to your Little League District Administrator for Coaches / Managers log on information: www.LittleLeague.org • Little League International Director of the Challenger Division: Sam Ranck. sranck@littleleague.org. 570-326-1921 ext. 254

7. Recruiting Players • District Teams vs Local League Teams • You’ll need a minimum of 10 players to create two teams to play. But, it would be best to have at least 40 players to start, as you will have enough players for 4 teams. • District teams expand the pool of potential players to create more teams. • Local leagues are permitted to roster players from surrounding areas which are not currently hosting a Little League Challenger division.

8. Recruiting New Players • Prove to the parents this is an organized True Little League team! • When marketing the Little League Challenger program, promote Little League as the leader in recreational safety. • Take Little League flyers, brochures, manuals, registration forms, medical information forms, and volunteer applications.

9. Recruiting New Players • Schools – Special Needs Teachers are great resources and promoters of the program. • Market with Brochures @ Physical Therapists’ & other businesses that serve children with special needs (Bayada Nurses) • Make contact with existing organizations for Special Needs Children such as the Special Olympics. • The more people you contact about Challenger, the faster the word spreads!

10. Recruiting Managers & Coaches • USE PARENTS AS MANAGERS!!!! • Active parents who want to participate are reliable managers. Putting reliable managers in place, allows the team to succeed. • Allow the Managers to pick 1 or 2 coaches. • Typically, the parent / managers have ties to other adults active with children with special needs to choose as coaches. • Pick 1 experienced Little League person to assist with coaching. • This is a Little League Team with players who want to increase their skills! An experienced Little League coach should teach & enhance baseball skills.

11. Recruiting Managers & Coaches • Don’t Forget: • All Adults with significant contact with Little League Players MUST submit the standard Little League Volunteer Application. Including: Managers, Coaches, Buddies, and other Challenger Game Day Volunteers. • Local & District Leagues will have a system in place for background checks and volunteer applications. Speak with your local league president to discover the procedure.

12. Recruiting Buddies • The Buddy System is an amazing tool of the Challenger Program. • Parents of children with special needs often feel they must assist with everything their child does – this can be restrictive on both. • Buddies allow the parents and children to spend quality time with their own peers. • The Buddy System allows the players to interact on a social level with other peers and community members they might not normally come into contact with during their daily lives.

13. Recruiting Buddies • There are many places to secure buddies: • Other Little League Teams • Middle and High School Athletic Teams • Police Department • Fire Department • Local Civic Organizations

14. Recruiting Buddies • Sometimes using other kids is the best option! • Secure your buddies at least two days before the game. • Introduce the Player and Buddy before warm-ups, so they are comfortable together by game time. • Make Sure the Buddies Know to Let the Player Play Their Own Game!

15. Rules of Play • Little League has a rule book for Challenger, but most leagues have the freedom to adjust their local Challenger team rules. • The following slides give ideas for basic game day rules, but don’t be afraid to adjust them to work for your league structure. • Divisions are based on ability and not on age.

16. Rules of Play • Minors Division • Players 4 to 22 as long as they are still in school – or 18 if no longer in school • Players can choose coach’s pitch or a tee. • Give ~5 good pitches from a coach before suggesting they try the tee this time • No strike outs. Players bat until they hit. • No outs on bases. • Every player scores, though no score is kept. • Bat entirely through the line ups twice. • Game length is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.

17. Rules of Play • Majors Division (buddy free) • Players 4 to 22 as long as they are still in school – or 18 if no longer in school • Coaches pitch. No tee. • Players can strike out. • Umpires call balls and strikes, but are encouraged to have a wide strike zone! • Players called out on the bases using traditional Little League rules of play. • Three outs per side. • Up to 6 innings, but start no new innings after 1.5 hours.

18. Rules of Play • Seniors Division (buddy free) • Players 4 to 22 as long as they are still in school – or 18 if no longer in school • Players pitch to the players. No tee or coaches pitch. • Players can strike out! • Players called out on the bases using traditional Little League rules of play. • Three outs per side. • 6 inning games.

19. Getting the Word Out • To Players and Parents: • Team Moms are crucial! • Well informed parents = good participation. • Emails are Nice, but Weekly Calls Work. • Check with your League President or DA regarding procedures for rain outs. • Keep your game day volunteers informed to assure they are there to assist. • Communication is Key.

20. Getting the Word Out • To The Community: • Make A Believer of a Local Paper Sports Writer • Radio or Pod Casts of the Games • Local Civic Organizations • Lions / Pilot / Chambers / etc . . . • Use of Social Media

21. Using Social Media in Your Local League • Often referred to as social media or social networking • Interactive Exchange with Community • Pushing Information • Pulling Information • Honest and Open Exchange of Ideas

22. Using Social Media in Your Local League • Examples: • Facebook • Myspace • Twitter • Youtube • Flickr

23. Using Social Media in Your Local League • What’s In It For Me • Give a “Face” to Your Organization • Share Goals • Get to Know Your BOD • Real-Time Exchange of Information and Ideas • Smartphone Access • New Sources of Ideas • Building on the Best of Others / Collaboration

24. Using Social Media in Your Local League • What’s In It For Me (cont) • Greater Sense of Community • Additional Volunteers • Distribution of Work • Reach Those Outside Your League • Following Friends • Link Friendly

25. Using Social Media in Your Local League • What To Watch Out For: • Be Ready To Respond • Be Open to Constructive Feedback • Be Ready to Take Corrective Action With Your Community • Watch For Marketers • How “Open” Will You Be • Photos • Conversation Outside the Scope of the League • Etc.

26. Using Social Media in Your Local League • Building Your Community • Start With Those You Know • Friends of Friends • Website Links • Include In Registration Material • Put “Important” Information There First

27. Making It Fun! • Coach the Players to Play LL Baseball! • Warm Up • Practice and Help Players Increase Skills • The Dugout Belongs to Players & Coaches • Safety Equipment • Rules of Play / Baseball Knowledge • Every Game Is A Big Game • Line Up / Player Announcements • National Anthem • Little League Pledge • Spectators • Energetic Play by Play Announcers • Stay In The Game Enthusiastically

28. Making it Fun! • Participate in Opening Day Parades • Pictures & Trading Cards • Create Majors & Seniors Divisions before Skilled Players Get Bored

29. Goals to Shoot For • Local Area Jamboree • Georgia State Jamboree • Little League Annual Jamboree in VA • Little League World Series • Field of Hope

30. Fundraising • Team Sponsors • Local Businesses • Player Parents’ Businesses • Physical Therapist, Businesses Which Cater to the Players, etc. • Local Sponsors Are Primarily for Uniforms • Charge Player Registration Fees or Not? • Pass the Hat for Year End Team Party

31. Fundraising • Larger Scale • Promote a Fundraising Event • Adult Softball Tournament • Cookie Dough Sales • Larger Retailers Such As Walmart will often donate supplies or money for the league • Little League offers a one time $5,000 grant • Discussion with Special Guests during Jamboree Planning Section Later Today

32. Round Table • Ways to use the GA State Challenger Jamboree to promote Challenger to leagues in the state that don’t offer the program, and to promote Challenger registrations in areas where we do have leagues.

33. Round Table • What additional tools / resources can Little League provide to leagues to assist in offering Challenger?

34. Round Table • If Little League were to offer a Challenger Training program for coaches and buddies, what are the essential areas that would need to be covered?

35. Round Table • What were the biggest challenges that your league faced when starting a Challenger division?

36. Round Table • What are the biggest challengers that leagues face with operating a Challenger Division?

37. Round Table • Would members of your league attend a regional or national Challenger Summit that combined training and networking opportunities with Challenger volunteers from across the country or region?

38. Jamboree Planning • Proposed Date: May 14th & 15th • Proposed Location: Peachtree City Little League – Field of Hope complex • Proposed Committees • Team Recruitment & Registration • Facilities / Hosting / Concessions • Fundraising / Player Gifts / Events • Advertising / Guest Speakers / Broadcasting • Scheduling / Team Rosters / Information Distribution

39. Jamboree Planning • Team Recruitment • DA’s / League Presidents • Local Involved Volunteers • One involved volunteer from each district to be a committee member and serve as contact for teams.

40. Jamboree Planning • Fundraising / Player Gifts / Events • Considering pin bags and pin sets for teams • Tie to Pin Trading Tent? • Team uniform vests and hats? • Opening day & closing day ceremonies? • Programs? • Discussion with Special Guests • Wil James, Grandparents/Kin Raising Children • Ray Nelson & Louise, Guitars Not Guns • David Bruno & Danny Umali, Financial Planners • Tom Hannon, Pins

41. Jamboree Planning • Time Line for the Next 17 weeks • Establish Primary Contacts by January 15th • Committee Status Reports every 2 weeks • Goals • One new registered team per week • Social Media Promoting by February 19th • Budgets for Each Committee by February 19th • Fundraising Plans by March 5th based on budgets • Next Committee Meeting ~March 5th in Peachtree City