Coaches Corner

General

This page is designed to keep coaches and parents aware of information about Braddock Road Youth Club, BRYC Softball, and the leagues our various teams are playing in. Important information from commissioners, umpires, and other coaches will be posted here, as well as information about rule changes, and other things impacting the way you coach our players. If you have an item that you think would be of interest to other coaches and parents, please email the BRYC Softball Webmaster at webmaster at brycsoftball.org to request that your item be placed on this page.

Policy

The BRYC Girls Fastpitch softball program is intended to provide girls with the opportunity to experience softball at all levels in an atmosphere that encourages and promotes teamwork, friendships, and good sportsmanship. It is the purpose of BRYC to achieve this goal with adult leaders providing the example. The League expects coaches, fans, and umpires to exhibit courtesy and proper decorum at all times.

Good Sportsmanship continues to be one of the major goals of BRYC Softball. Please remind your parents and girls to cheer on their team, but to do so in a positive manner. Umpires have the right to to request a coach to control his players and/or fans, and can call a game if the coaches, inappropriately. The girls learn best from positive role models, so let's all work together to continue to make BRYC Softball a rewarding experience for all our players, parents, and coaches. For more info, read the BRYC Softball Code of Conduct (PDF).

Rules

• General Guidelines for the BRYC Girls Softball League were updated for the 2009. All coaches should be familiar with these guidelines. If you have a question about any of them, please email the commissioner for your age group, the BRYC Softball Commissioner at jwhiteii@aol.com.
• ASA rules (2009) (PDF)
• BRYC Risk Management Policy (PDF) was adopted in the fall of 2003. This policy lays out the actions BRYC will take to provide a safe environment for its members and participants and to preventing abusive conduct in any form. Under the policy, all coaches, assistant coaches, trainers, the Softball Commissioner, and any adult who is left in charge of a player other than his/her child must fill out a disclosure form (PDF) and BRYC will conduct a background check.
• Inclement Weather Policy (PDF)
• Fairfax County Field Closure Guidance (PDF)
• Specific Rules for the Ponytail League (PDF)
• Specific Rules for the Pigtail League (PDF)
• Specific Rules for the 10U League (PDF)
• Specific Rules for the Coach Pitch League (PDF)

Fields

• Field Closures — County fields are closed to use when the County identifies them as so on the hotline (703-324-5264) and on their fields website. Please follow the County field closure guidance (PDF) for fields at any school.
• Field Use Schedule — Schedule for Spring 2012.
• Field Maintenance — Please view the Fairfax County video on field maintenance.
  • Please ask parent volunteers and/or older players to rake the infield after practice and games. When the weather has been wet and the infield gets torn up during practice or games, the dirt will dry the way it was left, and a bumpy infield full of ruts is a twisted ankle waiting to happen. The coaches do a lot of work at practice and games and behind the scenes - field maintenance is something other parents can help with on a rotating basis while the coach packs the gear and hauls it to the car. Raking on a regular basis can go a long way to improve both the appearance and the safety of the playing fields.
  • Helpful hints for field maintenance:
    • rake and level home plate area…fill and tamp holes
    • rake and level pitchers circle and bullpen…fill and tamp rubber and landing area
    • rake and level around all bases – do not rake dirt into the grass
    • clean dugout areas – throw all trash and litter into trash cans
    • pick up all trash around stands and fence lines and batting cages
• Fencing at the fields is NOT to be used as a net for batting or pitching practice. Those of you who have been coaching for a while remember that many of our fields did not used to have fencing. Please help keep these fences in good shape by discouraging the girls from throwing or batting balls at the fences.
• Canterbury Woods — Please remind parents to not block driveways and intersections when parking on the streets around Canterbury Woods Elementary School.The residents there complain to the police when they can not safely enter or exit their driveway, so please help BRYC keep a good name in the community and ask parents to avoid parking in the cul-de-sac and to be careful about not blocking crosswalks. The cul-de-sac is closest to the 10U field, and many 10U parents are new to the fields at Canterbury Woods and don't realize there is a parking lot at the school with close access to the fields.

Resources and Forms

• Medical release form (PDF)
• Media release form (PDF)
• Coach/volunteer disclosure form (PDF)
• Pitching instruction guidance (PDF)

Web Guidelines

Coaches and Commissioners - the BRYC Softball Web Guidelines are available on-line. Click Web Guidelines to review the web standards adopted by the Softball Board of Directors. If you would like further information about publishing your team information on the web, please email the BRYC Webmaster.

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