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It’s been several weeks since the final pitches
and swings of the 2015 season. Between a full
Spring, a month of All‐Stars and three months
of Fall Ball, the volunteers at NNLL now have
a short chance to catch their breath and rest
before we kick it all into high gear again for
our 12th season.
This August, I was excited to
be a part of a great General
Meeting where we received
excellent feedback from
NNLL families and elected a
new Board of Directors. With
some fresh, new faces and
some seasoned veterans, we
look forward to providing
excellent baseball and softball programs to
over 800 children in the Natomas area, and
building a premier athletic organization.
Every year, months of planning goes in to
creating new experiences, strengthening exist-
ing programs, and, sometimes, sending some
ideas to the drawing board. This year we'll
build on a successful Opening Day program,
create a new Closing Day Ceremony, refur-
bish the existing majors field, and expand our
ball fields at North Natomas Regional Park.
Yup, you read that right, we expect two new
fields at NNRP to be open for play right
around Opening Day. Add to that a new
permanent snack bar and restrooms at NNRP
coming this spring, and NNLL will be fortu-
nate enough to call one of the best facili-
ties in the region home.
Of course, none of this could be possible
without the fantastic volunteers we have
in our league. To those doing it for
years, thank you for your
dedication. To those
who have not for what-
ever reason, I encourage
you to raise your hand at
your first team meeting.
Sign up for something,
however small, and give
back to the great kids we
are lucky enough to call
our neighbors. You may
just find yourself having even more fun
than the players!
I look forward to seeing many of you.
We have a lot of activities planned, even
before the first balls and strikes are
called. Board Members will be out at all
events, dressed in the trademark NNLL
green. Stop by, say hello, and tell us
what you think. We appreciate the feed-
back, both positive and constructive,
and strive to do our best to make NNLL
the best Little League in Sacramento.
See you at the field.
Dustin Romero
NNLL President
President’s Dugout
December 2015
1st Inning! The North Natomas Little League Newsletter
IMPORTANT!
Registration Now Open!
Step 1: Register Online at
www.nnll.org
Step 2: Walk-Up Registration
during 1 of 3 dates:
- January 12 (6pm-8pm)
- January 16 (9am-noon)
- January 23 (9am-noon)
You must apply if interested in becoming a manager.
More Info: www.nnll.org
Volunteers Must Complete
Background Checks.
More Info: www.nnll.org
Inside this issue:
President’s Dugout 1
Register Now! 2
How to Be A Better
Manager (Part 1) 3
League Age Changes 4
Hey Blue! 5
Join Us : Communications 5
Meet Your 2015-2016
NNLL Board of Directors 6
January 2016 Calendar 6
THINGS TO DO NOW — LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/NorthNatomasLL
Registration for Spring 2016 Continues!
For Complete Information: Go to www.nnll.org, click on the “Registration” tab
Original
(certified)
Birth
Certificate
Document Categories (Residency)
Driver’s License
Voter’s Registration
School records
Welfare/child care records
Federal records
State records
Local (municipal) records
Support payment records
Homeowner or tenant records
Financial Records (loan, bank, etc)
Medical records
Military records
Internet, cable, or satellite
Vehicle records
Employment records
Utility Bills (PG&E, SMUD, water, sewer, phone, etc)
NOTE: Only ONE document allowed from this category
SMART TIP:
Most people have the three
required documents in their car!
Simply bring a current:
- Driver's License
- Vehicle Registration
- Vehicle Insurance Card
Each with the correct address!
Residency shall be established and supported by
current documents from three DIFFERENT
document categories shown to determine resi-
dency of such parent(s) or guardian.
Documents must be dated or in effect between
Feb. 1, 2015 and Feb. 1, 2016.
NNLL will need a copy of each document
for players league age 9 and older. Copiers
may not be available.
If birth certificate is not available please refer to
the “Proof-of-age Requirements” acceptable form
of proof (available on website).
You can also enroll your child with NNLL if they
attend school within the NNLL boundaries
(available on the website).
What to Bring:
3+ or More
Proofs of
Residency
Walk Up Registration Dates:
Jan 12th 6pm-8pm Natomas Park Elementary School
(Multi-purpose Room)
Jan 16th 9am-noon North Natomas Regional Park
(at the Farmer’s Market)
Jan 23rd 9am-noon North Natomas Regional Park
(at the Farmer’s Market)
1st Inning The NNLL Newsletter
You must bring a copy of ALL documents for any players 9 or older
Save $$$$ - Early Bird Registration ends
December 31, 2015—Register Online NOW!
Page 2
The 1st Inning 1st Inning The NNLL Newsletter Page 3
Being a Little League Manager is no walk in the (ball) park. It takes patience, excellent communica-
tion skills, top-notch organizational skills, conflict resolution skills, even more patience, leadership,
discipline, maturity and...Did I mention? Patience. Lots of patience.
NNLL prides itself in being the premier Little League program in Sacramento. Our goal is to create
a positive, fun, and memorable experience for the youth of our community. And our managers are
a critical component to fulfilling this. Sorry, Skip. You are not just coaching baseball games. You are
creating a culture and experience that has lifetime implications for the boys and girls whose hearts
and minds you have been entrusted to shape. And while it starts with you, we recognize that your
players' parents are just as responsible for reinforcing good sportsmanship in our young athletes.
So You Want To Be A Little League Manager? 16 Tips For Mastering The Skill Of Running A Youth Sports Team (Part 1)
Submitted by Troy Nelson, Safety Officer
1. Adopt the attitude that there are more important ways to measure wins and successes beyond the scoreboard.
2. Meet with your assistant coaches privately and set the expectation that you plan to always honor the game and re-
spect the rules of the game, your opponents, the officials, and the players. Tell your assistant coaches that you are open to
feedback (in private of course) if they ever see you slipping on this commitment.
3. Hold a team meeting before your first practice. You can nip a lot of problems in the bud simply by meeting with par-
ents at the start of the season. Get to know them; make sure you go over what you expect from players and parents alike.
Parents need to understand that they have the responsibility to get their child to practice on time and to ensure their child is
properly equipped (like shoes, glove, uniform, etc.); to support their child by attending games, praising their hard work, etc.;
and to be part of the team, too. Review your guidelines for playing time (example, “playing time on attendance, work ethic,
skill level, etc.,”). Lay down the law now and avoid issues in the future such as your own rules and expectations; and team
goals, priorities, and philosophy. For example, what are your rules about being late to practice or missing practice? About
communication? Do you require players to always approach you with an issue before the parents do? Do you allow parents
to talk with you before or after games? Take the time to review the NNLL Parents Code of Conduct. Explain to
your parents that this means positive cheering, not putting down other players, no yelling at the umpires, and no criticizing
you or other coaches. Put your foot down about "sideline coaching" from parents (this confuses their child). If your goals are
to focus on your player’s baseball development and personal development, then tell the parents. Explain what this means.
4. Recruit lots of volunteers. One way to keep idle parents from straying too far from the Code of Conduct is to get them involved. During my first team meeting, I pass around a sign-up sheet with no less than 22 "openings." Everything from Score-
keepers to Groundskeepers is listed along with a "job description" and an estimated time commitment for each. (Many spots
require less than 2 hours a week.) I discuss the importance of having everyone participate as part of the team and keep the
clipboard going around the room to make sure every position is filled before anyone goes home.
5. Promote a family atmosphere. I make it a point to invite the players/parents to my home for the preseason
team meeting. Talk about home field advantage! You will have everyone's undivided attention when you make them sit in a
living room full of other adults, many of whom they have never met. During the season, I will invite them over for a pool
party or barbecue. You can create a family atmosphere by encouraging them to buy your team’s "spirit wear" to don on
game days. This extra effort on your part will go much farther than you think.
6. Teach your players about hard work. Help them develop a culture of "making your teammates proud" by doing the best
they can (on and off the field) to support them in all their efforts. Set "effort goals" allowing players to earn more playing
time. If there was only one life lesson from sports, it should be that hard work is a key to success. Teach your players that
"Success comes from Effort over Time" (S=E/T), and drill it into your players every day. We might not win today, but if we
give it our best effort, sooner or later, we’ll be successful. Good coaches reward effort as much as talent. It is impossible to
overstate the power of the message sent to the team when a "weaker" player who gives it his all gets into games on a regu-
lar basis. Weaker players realize that they can get into games if they work hard. They don’t have to be as good as the best
players on the team, they just have to outwork them! And it is a wake-up call for your "stronger" players, who will find their
playing time limited if they don’t up their effort level.
[CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE]
1st Inning The NNLL Newsletter Page 4
Why Did Your Little League Age Change for Baseball?
And You Thought You Were 10 Years Old!
Submitted by Lucas Perretti, Umpire in Chief
Just because your daughter is 10 and your son 7, Little League
International (LLI) might not agree.
Why? Turns out at higher, more competi-
tive levels, an interesting thing happens -
kids rapidly mature! That is, 13 year olds
are generally too big, strong, and fast for a
60' diamond and nearly all of the players in
the LLWS in Williamsport were 13 years
old.
So, LLI went about tweaking the Age Deter-
mination Date to ensure that each player
would be in fact 12 years' old to compete in
the World Series.
In recent years, LLI has phased in new Age
Determination dates, changing them for the second time in 2015
for all divisions of Little League BASEBALL to August 31.
So now no child will lose their 12-year-old season of Little League
Baseball, the LLI Board of Directors approved a 'grandfathering' of
the four months of children born between May 1 and August 31,
2005, for the 2018 season.
So why the change?
In 2011, LLI researched and learned that parents, players, and volun-
teers wanted to see Little League become, as a
whole, a younger program, and give children an
easier way to play with their classmates. They
revamped the Tee Ball program, established a
Coach Pitch Program, and changed its residency
requirements to allow children to play in the
league where their school is located.
The Age Determination date change better aligns
with many schools' student registration, allowing
Little Leaguers to play with their classmates.
As a result, the Major Division, will truly be a 12
and under program – ensuring that no child playing
in the Little League/Major Division will turn 13 years old at any point
during their final season in that division.
If you would like to see your specific baseball or softball player's age,
see the chart at the www.nnll.org website in the 'Registration' sec-
tion.
NOTE: This change applies to Baseball Only
KEY CHANGE:
No child will lose their 12-year-old
season of Little League Baseball,
[because of a new] 'grandfathering'
of the four months children born
between May 1 and August 1, 2005,
for the 2018 season.
7. Teach your players about "continuous learning." Good coaches emphasize learning as a core goal during practices
and games. Teach your players that "becoming better than we are now is more important than whether or not we are bet-
ter than some other team."
8. Teach your players to "flush" their mistakes. Mistakes are part of learning. You can’t learn without making mistakes,
because to learn you have to try things that are new and challenging. Teach your players that it is okay to make mistakes on
your team. Teach your players to "flush" mistakes. If a player (or coach!) makes a mistake, flush it by making a motion with
your arm like you are flushing a toilet so the mistake goes away. We want to learn from our mistakes and keep working
hard.
Look for the last 8 tips in the next issue of 1st Inning!
So You Want To Be A Little League Manager? 16 Tips For Mastering The Skill Of Running A Youth Sports Team (Part 1) [CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE]
If you Ever Want to Make a Suggestion or Comment
—the BEST way is to email [email protected] REMEMBER
This section will include rule changes and explanations, anecdotes
and stories, maybe a collection of videos or examples of strange
situations.
In future ‘innings’ you might find stories such as:
“R.I.P.—it was such a nice ball. Too bad it’s dead.”
“Just one minute … But, I need more time!”
“There is nothing foul about a foul tip!”
“Infield Fly? That was 50 feet in the outfield!?!”
And more strange things!
Hey Blue! By Lucas Perretti, Umpire in Chief
1st Inning The NNLL Newsletter Page 5
NNLL Created a NEW COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE
Now we need your help. We are all volunteers… Are you (or
someone you know) interested in sharing your (or their) talents to
help improve the communication for our league? We need you!
WE NEED:
Graphic Designers
Newsletter Designers (i.e., Publisher, Illustrator, etc)
Photographers
Facebookers
Writers
Thinkers and Doers!!
Questions about a rule?
A rule makes NO sense to you?
Tell me what YOU want to know...
Send Suggestions to: [email protected]
Contact Us!
Meet The 2015-2016 Board (“The Green Shirts”)
Standing Left to Right: Mike Graham, Lucas Perretti, Dave Murray, Troy Nelson, Mia Emmitt, Mike Turner (back), Alana
Davis, Sean Randall (back), Misty Sanders, Cody Worrall, Stanley Jones, Tony Perez. Seated Left to Right: Anita Lopez,
Linda Kirkpatrick, Dustin Romero, Emily Norboe, Dave Gifford. Not pictured: Jennifer Tran,
President – Dustin Romero
VP Baseball – Mike Turner
VP Softball – Tony Perez
VP Tee Ball – Stanley Jones
Treasurer – Dave Gifford
Umpire in Chief – Lucas Perretti
Baseball Player Agent – Alana Davis
Softball Player Agent – Emily Norboe
Safety Officer – Troy Nelson
Secretary/Information Officer – Anita Lopez
League Administrator – Linda Kirkpatrick
Snack Bar Coordinator – Dave Murray
Equipment Coordinator – Misty Sanders
Fields Coordinator – Mike Graham
Sponsorship Coordinator – Mia Emmitt
Team Parent Coordinator – Cody Worrall
Coaching Coordinator – Sean Randall
Upper Division Coordinator – Jennifer Tran
To contact a
Board Member
about your
specific issue,
question, or
concern,
simply email us:
1st Inning The NNLL Newsletter
January 2016 All dates subject to change. Please visit www.nnll.org for more info or to see current events.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Dec 31 (Early Bird
Registration Ends)
JAN 1 2
3 4 5 6 - Manager
Interviews
7 - Manager
Interviews
8 9
10 11 12 - Walk Up
Registration #1
13 14 15 16 - Walk Up Registration #2
- Manager’s Clinic
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 - Walk Up Registration #3
- Player’s Clinic
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 - Baseball Assessments
(End Reg. Registration)
31 - Softball Assessments
(Start of Waitlist)
FEB 1 2 3 4 5 6 - Player’s Draft
(Managers Only)
Page 6