Congratulations on volunteering to be manager of a Baseball Team. Your contribution to the team is important, can make the coaches’ role easier, can get parents on the sidelines involved, and will be greatly appreciated. As the Team Manager, your role is primarily to be the organiser and communicator for the players, parents and team officials. By doing this job effectively, the pressure is taken off the coaches and other roles - who are there primarily to take care of the on-field parts of the game.

Other Important Roles In The Team Are:

Coach – works with the players on game day and conducts the training? Responsible for all on-field action, and for looking after the kit. 
Assistant Coach – an assistant coach is a wonderful asset to the team. Works to share the coaching and training responsibilities, which means that there are 2 people available to work with the players.

Scorer – In grades where scoring is undertaken, this role is critical. The task requires someone reliable and dedicated to be there each week to keep track of the game. The scorer tracks EVERY ball pitched. It’s complex – but easy to learn, training is provided, and it’s not that difficult once you do it a few times. You also get the best spot in the house to watch the game.

Umpire – Teams are best to have a regular umpire available. Again – not a difficult role, but one that does require a reliable and dedicated person. We provide the umpire at home games. At away games, the umpire can assist as a field umpire if desired. Training is available – to make the umpire more familiar with the game and the rules. Consistency and impartiality are the keys … on the field – this person is the boss!

At the games, there are other casual roles that can be filled by willing parents:

Batting Order:

Keep track of batting line-up, and have next 2-3 batters kitted up and ready to go. Encourage the next batters to find space for warm up swings with the pitch.

Base Coach:

Instruct runners around the bases …. Needs to keep an eye on the batted ball, and to call whether or not thereunder should run. Encourages the runner to take a lead (where grade permits) as the ball is pitched.

Pitch Counter:

Each pitcher is only allowed to pitch a set number of balls or for a set number of innings (the numbers dependent the grade being played).

This task simply involves marking off each pitch on a tally sheet, and letting the coach know when a change of pitcher is due.

The things that the Team Manager should look after …

At the Game:

• Assign duties to the parents who are there and available to help. Most are quite willing helpers, but are a little reluctant to come forward if they are not sure of what is required. A little encouragement (gentle push) will help …
• Be ready to handle any ‘incidents’ that may require your attention … eg. Emergency First Aid for injuries, …
• Ensure that the coaches, umpire and scorer have all that they need, and offer to organise drinks etc for them during the game if necessary (another parent can always be sent to the canteen for a tea/coffee/water …)
• Get players, parents, and supporters to encourage team spirit and show their support for good play (by either team) in a positive manner. Strongly discourage negative behaviours – and ensure that all adhere to the codes of conduct that are in force.
• Collect (generally from the canteen) and hand out any notices, newsletters, fund raising materials, etc provided by the club. Correspondingly, you may need to track and collect things from the players to be passed back to the club. It's the manager’s job to write a short piece of copy for the news item on the internet.

(Hint: Write/highlight the player’s name on the sheet that you are going to give it to … this helps to work out who has/has not got their copy.)

• Ensure that the scoresheet is handed in to the canteen (at a home game).
• Phone through the results of EVERY game following the game (Must be done on the day of the game!).

General:

• Maintain an up to date team list, and provide copies to the players/parents, coaches, scorer and umpire. Include on the team list the player # … it helps to identify players on the field … 
  (Hint: Try and make sure this has daytime phone numbers, home phone numbers, mobile numbers and email addresses … all can make your job easier when trying to contact players/parents at short notice.)
• Ensure all players are issued with the latest copy of the draw – so that they know where to be for each game. On the draw - highlight the games for YOUR team (makes it easier to read). In addition, remind people at training, and/or via an email during the week of where the next game is to be held.
  (Hint: Issue hard copies of the draw with the up to date team list on the reverse … then players have both sets of info readily available.)
  (Hint: Write/highlight the player’s name on the sheet that you are going to give it to … this helps to work out who has/has not got their copy of the up to date info.)

• Advise players/parents, coaches, scorer and umpire of any late changes to the game … eg. Cancellations due to wet weather. This often has to be followed up early the morning of a game … people should be encouraged to contact you if they are in doubt as to whether a game is going to be on or off.

(Hint: General rule … if you don’t hear that a game has been cancelled – be there ready to play.)

• Advise players/parents and coaches of any late changes to the training … eg. Cancellations due to wet weather. This often has to be followed up during the day that training is scheduled, and often after school time … people should be encouraged to contact you if they are in doubt as to whether training is going to be on or off. 
  (Hint: General rule … if you don’t hear that training has been cancelled – be there ready to do the training.)
• Request that players/parents keep you advised in advance of any planned absences through the season, and in instances where a player is not able to make the game at short notice (eg. Due to illness). You are then able to keep the coaches advised of who is/is not available for games.
• Provide a weekly update following the game … email is great for this purpose. Just send out the results of the game (including some brief highlights – players love to see their name in print), and take the opportunity to remind people of the schedule for the coming week (including training session and the details for the next game).
• Provide articles on the team through the season for the Club Newsletter as requested … if you’ve sent out weekly updates, these can be used to provide most of the content for the articles (also saves you from trying to remember what has happened )
• Organise (in advance) volunteers to perform Ground Duty and Canteen Duty on the days required.
  • Ground Duty involves having a couple of people at Corbin early in the morning to assist with the set-up of the diamonds for the games to be played that day. No experience necessary … all instruction provided on the day.
  • Canteen Duty involves getting volunteers to work on the canteen and BBQ for the morning.

(Hint: Where possible, try to get the ‘other’ parents to volunteer for these roles … so that those already involved with the team can keep their focus on the game – they are already doing their part for the team …)

• Organise and encourage parents from your team to attend social activities that are scheduled – try to fill a table if you can.
• Encourage and co-ordinate a collection from the players/parents at the end of the season which is to be put to the purchase of a small gift in recognition of the effort put in by the coach/s, umpire and scorer (try suggesting something like $5 per player per official … gets you around $50 … enough for a card for the team to sign, chocolates, flowers, wine, book voucher, etc …).
• At the end of the season arrange to collect ALL shirts and pants from the players – so that you can return them to the club ASAP following the conclusion of the season (try to do this before or at the Presentation Day).
• Organise and encourage people to attend the Presentation Day.
• Enjoy being a Team Manager!
• If you have any concerns or comments about the role of Team Manager, please do not hesitate to contact Vice President - Juniors or the Club Secretary.