Warwick, Rhode Island

Transcription

1 Warwick, Rhode Island Safety Plan: Welcome Page 1

2 Warwick North Little League Significant enhancements and changes for the 2015 season Merge Little League International has recently approved the merge between Warwick National Little League and Warwick West Side Little League for the 2015 season and beyond. This newly merged league, Warwick North will give both our leagues a better balance of ability and experience, as well as a larger player pool to compete evenly and fairly. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 2

3 NEW FOR THE 2015 SEASON Awareness New Policies FAQ Insurance Safety Plan: Welcome Page 3

4 Awareness To further player safety awareness Warwick North LL Safety Committee will be encouraging player involvement in many of the activities here at Warwick North. Players will be involved in areas such as field clean-up, leadership responsibilities, dugout safety, Safety Day, and complex safety. Participation at these events and activities are highly beneficial to the success of our baseball program and will not only be appreciated but will also be taken into consideration when determining Warwick North s highest awards, the Constantino Award and the Sherlock Award. The recipient of the Constantino Award and Sherlock Award is a 12 year old player who has exemplified character, courage, loyalty and sportsmanship. Contests Safety Poster Contest To get the players thinking about safety both on and off the field we will be continuing our Annual Poster Contest. Contestants will be given a poster board towards the end of the season and create a cool poster about anything safety related and bring completed posters to be judged on Safety Day. Contest winners will receive prizes and grand prize winner will be honored by having the poster on the Front Cover of the Safety Plan. Community Events Rag Ball Tournaments 1) Warwick North has worked in collaboration with the local high school to host an annual Rag Ball Tournament. This event gives a high school senior the opportunity to organize this charitable event. He/she chooses a non-profit organization that they would like to donate the proceeds to. Warwick North works with the student to plan, organize and host this all-day event. This event has become popular for many Safety Plan: Welcome Page 4

5 Little League parents, board members, coaches and high school students. 2) Warwick North held their first annual Winter Rag Ball tournament this past season. All proceeds were donated to a local family in need during the holiday season. Ideas on safety Your safety ideas are welcome at Warwick North Little League. Please submit any safety ideas in writing and place them in the Safety Officer s box located in the clubhouse. The Safety Officer will check box weekly and review any suggestions in a timely manner. If your safety idea warrants further consideration, you will be contacted. All safety concerns should be submitted even if you may not have a solution to the problem. All ideas are welcome!! Safety Plan: Welcome Page 5

6 New Policies Little League Policy on Concussions For additional information on concussions visit the following Little League sponsored website: cdc.gov Legal or Illegal Bats The complete 2015 approved bat list can be found at: No Riding Allowed There is no RIDING of any bike, board, skate, stick, scooter, wheeled sneaker, big wheel, pogo stick, shopping cart, empty pram and any other crazy invention created to get a child from point A to point B at our complexes. Players or guests who have used their bike as a means of transportation to the field will be allowed to store bikes in designated areas during stay at field. Ride on toys for toddlers may be used by age appropriate riders under parental supervision in grass areas or other areas away from parking lots and club houses. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 6

7 Frequently Asked Questions I m worried that my child is too small or too big to play on the team/division he has been assigned to. Little League has rules concerning the ages of players on Clinic, Minor and Major teams. Warwick North Little League observes these rules by placing children on teams according to their skills and abilities. These skills and abilities are based on their try-out ratings at the beginning of the season and recommendations from their last year s coach. If for some reason you do not think your child belongs in a particular division, please contact the WNLL Safety Officer to share your concerns. At that point, the S.O. will contact the appropriate board members in order to make an informed decision. Should my child be pitching as many innings per game? Little League has rules regarding pitching which all managers and coaches must follow. The rules are different depending on the division of play but the rules are there to protect children. WNLL has implemented pitching regulations set forth by Little League International. These regulations can be found within the rule book and each team s coach has been educated on pitch counts and how many days rest a pitcher needs. For more information on the pitch count regulations for your child s age, please contact your coach or any board member.

8 How do I know that I can trust the volunteer managers and coaches? WNLL performs a comprehensive background check approved by Little League Inc. on all board members, managers and designated coaches before appointing them. Volunteers are required to fill out an application which gives Warwick North Little League the information and authorization it needs to complete a thorough investigation. Once the background check has been cleared the Safety Officer will have an identification system in place for each volunteer. The volunteer can participate in WNLL activities only while they are in possession of their photo ID. This identification is to be carried during all league activities and be readily available. If the league receives inappropriate information on a volunteer, that volunteer will be immediately removed from his/her position and banned from the facility. What do I do if I have a complaint about my child s coach or other volunteer? You can directly contact the Director of the division your child plays in or any WNLL board member. You can find the names and contact information posted in the concession stand next to the telephone as well as on the league website. They are also listed in the 2015 Safety Manual. We encourage open communication with all league managers and coaches. However, if a complaint is filed it will be brought to the WNLL President s attention immediately and investigated. How can I tell if my child is developing an overuse injury? An overuse injury may be developing when muscular skeletal symptoms are occurring more frequently and lasting longer. Overuse injuries generally progress as follows: Soreness lasting several hours after activity. Soreness or pain during and after activity, not resolved by the next morning. Soreness or pain during activities of daily living as well as during sports. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 8

9 Symptoms showing this progression should be evaluated by a health care professional for overuse injury. What is the best way to prevent dehydration? Should my child a sports drink? Does my child need extra salt? In most situations, water is an adequate fluid to prevent dehydration. It should be readily available during exercise. Sports drinks, which usually contain 6-8 % carbohydrate, are beneficial only for exercise activities lasting longer than 90 minutes. However, children may drink a flavored drink if they prefer the taste. Children should be encouraged to drink before they feel thirsty because mild dehydration occurs prior to feeling thirst. Approximately 7oz. of fluid is required for every 15 minutes of strenuous exercise to prevent dehydration. Young athletes should understand that even mild dehydration impairs performance and leads to fatigue. Salt tablets should be avoided; they can cause dangerous side effects and are unnecessary, because salt loss is adequately replaced through a normal diet. What should a parent do to treat a sports injury initially? How can I tell if the injury needs the attention of a doctor? First, all injuries should be reported right away to the coach or manager. All injuries should be treated initially with rest, icing, compression and elevation (R. I. C. E.) Rest from any activity causing pain. Ice the injured part 15 minutes at a time, protecting the skin with a thin towel. Compress swelling with an ice wrap applied firmly but not too tightly. Elevate the injured part above the level of the heart. Any injury in which there is significant swelling, deformity or limitation of function that does not improve quickly should be evaluated by a doctor.

10 Should my child be stretching and warming up before exercise? What is the best way to do this? Stretching and warming up are most important during periods of rapid growth, such as during the adolescent growth spurt. In general, activity sessions should be structured to include: Limbering up (5 minutes) Stretching (5-10 minutes) Warm up (5 minutes) Primary activity and cool down and stretching (5-15 minutes) Stretching should involve the major muscle groups and be done slowly and steadily, holding each stretch seconds and repeating the stretch several times. Is it safe for my child to slide into bases? Sliding is part of baseball. Managers and coaches teach children to slide safely in the pre-season. WNLL uses break-away bases on all fields and promotes safe play rules regarding base runners and fielders. Does Warwick North Little League have insurance if my child gets hurt? Yes, Little League accident insurance covers only those activities approved or sanctioned by Little League Baseball Incorporation explained in the following section. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 10

11 Insurance Warwick North Little League Major, Minor or Tee-ball leagues shall not participate as a Little League team in games with other teams of other programs or in tournaments except those authorized by Little League Baseball Inc. Warwick North Little League participants of the Major, Minor or T-ball divisions may participate in other programs during Little League regular season and tournament provided such participation does not disrupt said Little League regular season or tournament team play. Unless expressly authorized by the WNLL Board of Directors, games played for any purpose other than to establish a league champion or as part of the International Tournament are prohibited. (See IX - Special Games, pg. 43 in the Rule Book for further clarification) Explanation of coverage The CNA Little League s insurance policy is designed to afford protection to all participants at the most economical cost to WNLL. It can be used to supplement other insurance carried under a family policy or insurance provided by a parent s employer. If there is no other coverage, CNA Little League Insurance (purchased by WNLL) takes over and provides benefits, after a $50 deductible per claim, for all covered injury treatment costs up to the maximum stated benefits. This plan makes it possible to offer exceptional, lowcost protection with assurance to parents that adequate coverage is in force at all times during the season. WNLL insurance policy is designed to supplement a parent s existing policy. How the insurance works 1. First have the child s parents file a claim under their insurance policy 2. Should the family s insurance plan not fully cover the injury treatment, the Little League CNA policy will subsidize the difference, after $50 deductible per claim, up to the maximum stated benefits. 3. If the child is not covered by any primary family insurance, the Little League CNA policy becomes primary and will provide benefits for all covered injury treatment costs, after $50 deductible per claim, up to the maximum benefits of the policy. 4. Treatment of dental injuries can extend beyond the normal 52 week period if dental work must be delayed due to physiological changes of a growing child. Benefits will be paid at the time treatment is given, even though it may be some years later. Maximum dollar benefit is $500 for eligible dental treatment after the normal 52 week period, subject to the $50 deductible per claim. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 11

12 Filing a claim When filing a claim, all medical costs should be fully itemized. If no other insurance is in effect, a letter from the parent s/guardians or claimant s employer explaining the lack of group or employer insurance must accompany claim form. On dental claims, it will be necessary to fill out a Major Medical Form, as well as a Dental Form; then submit them to the insurance company of the parent/claimant. Accident damage to whole, sound, normal teeth as a direct result of an accident must be stated on the form and bills. Forward a copy of the insurance company s response to Little League Headquarters. Include the claimants name, league ID, and year of the injury on the form. Claims must be filed with the WNLL Safety Officer. She/he will forward them to: Little League Baseball Incorporation PO Box 3485 Williamsport, PA Claim officers can be contacted at (717) (717) Fax Contact the WNLL Safety Officer for more information. Safety Plan: Welcome Page 12

13 Resources On the web WNLL has a very resourceful web site. Parents and coaches will now have the ability to quickly access more information about the league including schedules, standings and other league related events. Any and All information relating to Little League Baseball and Warwick North can be found at the sites below. W A R W I C K N A T I O N A L L I T T L E L E A G U E L I T T L E L E A G U E WNLL Home Page LLI Home Page I N T E R N A T I O N A L LLI Coaches Resource Center Safety Plan: Welcome Page 13

14 Bend Street Complex Safety Location

15 Diagram Safety Plan 1-12