GAME COORDINATORS

In the event that two youth umpires are assigned to your game, it is the Home team’s responsibility to provide a game coordinator for the game.  This person should be an adult other than the Manger or coaches, and should be prepared to execute the following actions and activities.

Rule 9.03(d)(1) - Participate in pre-game meeting with managers & umpire (Rule 4.01). Be at pre-game meeting and contribute if needed. Make sure that your name is in the official scorebook.

1. Pre-game conference (Manager and 1 player from each team).

a)      Get the ineligible pitchers from the Manager and record these on your line-up.

b)      Review ground rules

c)    Ask Managers “Are your players properly equipped per Little League baseball”. “Are your players using Little League-approved bats?” Ensure that you get a verbal response to each question (“Yes”).

1. Check that official scorer has the lineups recorded correctly (last name & number important) & knows the defensive rules.
2. No jewelry allowed (except medical alert bracelets) on players
3. No spectators or unofficial photographers in foul ball areas or behind plate
4. Meet official scorekeeper; make sure that he/she notes the name of the UIC for that game in the scorebook (Umpires are not
5. required and are not encouraged to sign the scorebook at the end of the game).
6. Game starting time

Rule 9.03(d)(2) - Be present at the game at all times.

Rule 9.03(d)(3) - Oversee conduct of all players, managers, coaches & umpires.

Field decorum – Regulation XIV
Umpire judgment & rule violations/misapplication (Rule 9.02)
Unruly spectators (Rule 9.01 (f))

Rule 9.03(d)(4) - Disqualifications/ejections

Our job is to keep everyone in the game, but there are times when a manager, coach, or player steps over the line and brings ejection upon him or herself. Examples…

• Use of tobacco (in any form) or alcohol
• Use of electronic communication with personnel during the game
• Profanity (directed at an umpire or audible f-bomb)
• Personal insults directed at an umpire; especially the “Y” word (“You ____!”)
• Physical contact.
• Refusal to stop arguing & further delaying the game after umpire has provided adequate opportunity for discussion
• Leaving position to argue balls & strikes; arguing balls & strikes from the dugout (“sniper fire”)
• Persistently instructing players to infringe the rules (unsportsmanlike conduct).
• Persistently arguing or objecting to the decisions of an umpire.
• Intimidating a youth umpire.
• Histrionic gestures while expressing disagreement with an umpire’s decision
• Throwing equipment in disgust over an umpire’s call
• Anything else that the umpire deems inappropriate (Rule 9.03(4)).

Depending on the severity of the offence, the umpires often use a “3 strike” guideline. Two warnings (for “sniper fire”, staring at the offending person or in direction of dugout is a first warning, verbal request to cease is the 2nd warning), followed by ejection (can restrict to the dugout as an intermediate step prior to ejection). If the offence is severe enough, ejection without prior warning may be appropriate.

See also Rule 4.06 & 4.07

Rule 9.03(d)(5) - Stop play for inclement or unsafe playing conditions. You are the sole arbiter of this.

Other

Safety issues (catcher’s gear, batboys, on deck batters, base coaches, bat throwing)
Reporting to league president (Rule 9.05 (a))

What adult game coordinators CANNOT DO!

• Over-rule any umpire’s decision.
• Remove any umpire from the game (Rule 9.02(d)).