MYAS Update Info
Our newsletter is designed to provide timely youth sports information to coaches, athletes, parents and administrators. This includes notes from the Executive Director, calendar reminders, new service announcements and special events. Contributions from our sponsors assist us in delivering high quality youth sports services at the lowest possible cost; contributions partially fund this newsletter and certain sponsors will be featured.
Dan's Notes - from Executive Director Dan Klinkhammer
PEACH CRATES AND TRACTOR TIRES
Is anyone out there looking to hire a middle aged, not too handsome, somewhat witty, not too tall, slightly overweight, partially grey-haired former athlete? I'm asking because I'm pretty sure I'll get fired for this article! It seems like every summer I get the same thought pulsing through my head and I feel obligated to pass it along to all parents and kids within earshot. My wife is always telling me that just because I think it, it doesn't mean I have to say it. But I really do feel a deep obligation to pass along these words of wisdom: "Just because it's available, it doesn't mean you have to play in everything we offer."
I am a big believer that kids need to experience everything they can out of life. You can't be well-rounded if all you know are the dimensions of the basketball court or the baseball field. Kids need to enjoy other things like riding bike, camping, fishing, hunting, swimming, building stuff, shopping, working, etc. (Please note that I did not suggest sitting in front of the TV or playing video games all day!) I think that kids and their parents would be amazed at how much they can learn and how much fun they can have by doing stuff other than participating in competitive sports, and summer is the perfect time to take advantage of diverse activities. Do something different - go have some fun and build some memories!
When I was a kid, we used to play ball every day but we still found time to do stuff that didn't involve a bat or a ball. Now I'm not saying that everything we did was constructive, but I can honestly say that we always learned something from our new experiences.
Like the time we found an old abandoned tractor tire at the fairgrounds. I remember standing over that tractor tire with a single thought in my head (which immediately came out of my mouth): "I'll bet we can fit three guys in that tire and roll it down a hill." Everyone thought that was a pretty good idea, so we started cleaning the mud and cobwebs out of the tire and within a few minutes we had it upright and rolling into town.
The high school hill seemed the perfect place for our well thought plan. The school was located on a plateau that had a pretty steep drop-off which eventually adjoined a farmer's field. According to our on-the-spot calculations, we could start the tire run from the plateau, it would pick up speed going down the hill and then the kid-filled tire would lose its speed and come to a halt somewhere on the flats of the football field.
We crammed the three smallest guys into that tire while the rest of us balanced it in an upright position. Then it was showtime. We pushed the tire over the edge and that baby took off like a runaway freight train. Dust was flying and kids were screaming and everybody chased that tire down the first hill, across the football field, down the second hill and through the farmer's fence, until it finally came to rest about 30 yards into the field. It was one of the neatest things we did that summer, but we only got to do it once. It was easy getting our younger brothers into the tire the first time, but even little brothers get smart after a ride like that. By the time the rest of us caught up to them, those little guys had already climbed out of the tire and were walking home...in the wrong direction. We had to run them down and get them turned in the right direction or they'd
probably still be walking. Forty-five years later my younger brother is still a little dizzy.
On another occasion we were down by the creek (pronounced "crick") behind the feed mill shooting snakes with our BB guns when somebody noticed that there were a bunch of old empty peach crates stacked up behind Hoffman's Grocery Store. We began to fantasize about what we could do with those crates and the next thing we knew, we were packing about 10 of them home. We discussed the merits of building a tree fort, a wagon, a toboggan, flower planters and several other projects, but we finally agreed that we'd have the most fun with a go-kart. The only problem was that we were missing a few things - like a motor, axles, a steering mechanism and wheels. So the go-kart idea was scrapped and we decided to build a boat. After all, wood floats and we had plenty. All we needed were a few hammers and some nails to become "Crick Captains."
For the next few hours my neighbor's patio was a very dangerous place. We had a couple kids tearing apart the peach crates with crow bars and screwdrivers and about six kids flailing away with hammers. Three smashed fingers and one tetanus shot later, we were ready to launch our boat. We loaded it onto two red wagons that we had fastened together and dragged it down to the creek. After we pushed it over the bank and into the water, it took exactly two seconds to sink. Perhaps it was the two-inch gap between the floor boards or maybe it was the 50 pounds of nails we used, but that baby reached the bottom of the creek faster than you can say Titanic. As we stood on the bank watching the fruits of our labor disappear into the muddy water, we had a unanimous thought: "Let's go build a go-kart!"
So what did we learn from these two summertime escapades? Well, the tractor tire experiment taught us how to mend fences...namely the farmer's fence! My little brother spilled his guts about his wild carnival ride down the high school hill and he didn't leave anything out. When my dad heard that the tire had broken through the fence, we had no option but to fess up to the farmer and fix his fence. The peach crate boat experience taught us another valuable lesson - bare feet and rusty nails don't mix. I wasn't kidding about the tetanus shot!
All in all, it was a great summer and we found plenty of things to do besides play baseball. I don't necessarily recommend the tractor tire stunt or building a boat out of peach crates, but there has to be something that will break the routine of playing ball all day, every day. Kids need some diversity in their activities. The last thing anyone wants is for their child to get bored or "burned out" with a sport that they currently enjoy.
Just like our moms used to say, "Too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing." Get out there and have some fun this summer and don't forget to learn something from your new experiences!
FYI - Our go-kart turned out to be awesome, but unfortunately that didn't float either. That's a whole other story.
"Insurance Coach" (J.A. Price Agency - Bob Blomster)
Is one of your club officers slowly stealing your club funds?
Gambling addiction, drug addiction, divorce and unemployment are just a few reasons one of your trusted officers or volunteers may decide to make very poor decisions and embezzle club funds little by little over an extended period of time.
In a March, 2008 Star Tribune article labled "As the Kids Play, Cash Slowly Slips Away," Joy Powell writes about numerous youth clubs suffering embezzlement losses and some of these are in the tens of thousands of dollars. In recent years, Dakota County alone reported roughly a half dozen embezzlement cases related to nonprofit youth associations. (One commissioner was charged with diverting $43,000+ of club funds to personal accounts.)
We lock our equipment in secure facilities, yet many clubs allow anyone willing to serve handle most of the club's finances. Make sure the life and blood of the club is well protected by implementing easy controls and consider purchasing crime insurance.
What can we do to protect our funds?
I know some of the following suggestions may seem difficult for small clubs due to time and resource constraints, but clubs must realize that bad people also prey on smaller clubs and youth sports organizations for these same reasons (very little controls).
First of all, I would suggest that clubs propose a nominal budget item to have a trusted, local accounting company help you set up a very simple program to best handle your incoming and outgoing financial concerns and strictly adhere to it. That same firm, or a local bookkeeping service, may also help your organization reconcile your club accounts as well as provide you with a consistent source from year to year for the creation of your necessary financial reports for routine board meetings.
- Separation of Duties! One person should never be responsible for handling funds from beginning to end. The people receiving funds should not be responsible for making receivable entries, and the people issuing checks should never be involved in reconciling the checking accounts. (Do not allow the same person who sends out the bills collect the mail and prepare the bank deposits.)
- Background Checks! You run them on coaches - why not run them on the entire board as well. Local background firms can also run "white collar" crime checks on anyone involved with company funds. (I can direct you to some of these background firms if you wish, or simply call your current provider.)
General Items
Cash Receipts:
- Persons responsible for collecting club funds should be unrelated by family and rotated periodically.
- Immediately stamp all checks "for deposit only" as soon as they are received.
- Regularly compare current funds received against previous revenue sources for possible discrepancies.
Cash Disbursements:
- Make all disbursements, except from petty cash, by check or draft.
- Require two signatures on all checks over $500.
- Lock up all blank checks.
Crime Insurance Coverage to Consider
Considering what you pay for the rest of your insurance, both of these should be fairly inexpensive - and it may be one of your club's biggest exposures.
- "Employee Dishonesty" - Make sure it is extended to also apply to volunteers.
- "Theft of Money" - If your organization hosts large tournaments or fundraisers with large amounts of cash, you may want a separate crime coverage to protect the organization in case of robbery.
Please let us know if we can help your clubs with any coverage concerns.
Bob Blomster, Vice President
J.A. Price Agency, Inc.
6640 Shady Oak Road, Suite #500
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
800-279-1623
952-944-8790 (phone)
952-944-0097 (fax)
bob.blomster@japrice.com
Then and Now - by Larry Gallagher
Defining the Strike Zone
From the beginning of the game of baseball, the rules makers have been trying to define the strike zone. There are many people who have their own opinion about the strike zone and that appears to be the problem. Too many people, umpires included, have been trying to call the strike zone as they think it should be called and it really always has been intended to be called as it is written. So I am prefacing this entire article with this statement: CALL THE PITCHES AS THE RULE IS WRITTEN!
This is the only way we can become consistent as an umpiring fraternity. It is the players' and coaches' responsibility to play within the rules (even while trying to bend them). It is our responsibility to umpire the rules. So to become consistent, we must all buy into the premise that we are going to enforce the rules. We must especially enforce the strike zone rule.
Let's first look at how the strike zone is defined today.
Professional Baseball & American Legion:
OBR (Official Baseball Rules) 2.00 - Strike Zone is the area over home plate, the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.
NCAA & NAIA:
NCAA Rule 2 - Strike Zone - The area over home plate from the bottom of the kneecaps to the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants. The strike zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball.
High School Baseball:
Federation (National Federation Baseball Rules) 2-35 - The Strike Zone is that space over home plate, the top of which is halfway between the batter's shoulders and the waistline, and the bottom being the knees when he assumes his natural batting stance. The height of the strike zone is determined by the batter's normal batting stance. If he crouches or leans over to make the shoulder line lower, the umpire determines height by what would be the batter's normal stance.
All umpires should be calling it as it is written. All three codes of baseball are identical in practicality if not almost word for word. The only real difference appears to be in the Federation rules where the normal stance determines the strike zone and not as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball as in OBR and NCAA. SO CALL IT AS IT IS WRITTEN!
Why is the strike zone as it is today? To answer that question we need to look back on its past. There appears to be no mention of a strike zone prior to 1858. A "called strike" was proposed by Daniel "Doc" Adams at the first baseball convention in 1858. While there was no written strike zone in the rules, it was generally accepted that the strike zone was 12 inches above the ground to the batter's shoulders and within fair reach of the batsman's bat.
In 1871 the batter was able to ask for the pitcher to deliver the ball in one of three areas. A "low ball" would have to pass between the knee and the waist. A "high ball" would have to pass between the shoulders and the waist. A "fair ball" would have to pass between the knees and the shoulders. In the next few years only the definition of the "low ball" was changed to one foot from the ground instead of the knees.
After 1886, the strike zone had nothing to do with the batter's request. It was simply over the plate between the batter's knees and shoulders. The batter could no longer call for a "high" or "low" ball. In 1879, all pitched balls had to be called strikes, balls or foul. The number of strikes was set at three, was moved to four in 1887 and back to three in 1888, where it remains today. Nine balls were necessary for a walk in 1879. This became seven in 1881, six in 1884, five in 1886 and four in 1889, where it remains today.
In 1894 a strike was to be called when a batter made a foul hit (other than a foul tip) while attempting to bunt, that was hit and fell or rolled upon foul ground between home base and first or third base. In 1899 a foul tip by the batter, caught by the catcher while standing within the lines of his position, was a strike. In 1901 a foul hit ball that was not caught on the fly was a strike unless two strikes had already been called. The National League adopted it in 1901 and the American League added it in 1903.
In 1907 the strike zone was defined as follows: "A fairly delivered ball is a ball pitched or thrown to the bat by the pitcher while standing in his position facing the batsman that passes over any portion of the home base, before touching the ground, not lower than the batsman's knee, nor higher than his shoulder. For every such fairly delivered ball, the umpire shall call one strike." If you would reword this statement so that it is negative in all regards, the pitch would be called a ball.
In 1950 the strike zone was changed to read: "The Strike Zone is that space over home plate, which is between the batter's armpits and the top of his knees when he assumes his natural stance."
In 1957, the definition of a strike was placed in the rulebook and it came to be understood as follows: "A strike is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire which:
a) is struck at by the batter and missed;
b) enters the Strike Zone in flight and is not struck at;
c) is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes at it;
d) is bunted foul;
e) touches the batter as he strikes at it;
f) touches the batter in flight in the Strike Zone; or
g) becomes a foul tip."
Note: Point f) was added to the former rule and definition.
In 1963, the strike zone was slightly changed by bringing the upper level to the top of the shoulders again and the bottom was just the batter's knees. This lasted until 1969 because the owners saw that the game was lacking the offense it once had and they felt there needed to be more offense to get fans to come to the games. (As a side note, Bob Gibson had an ERA of 1.02 in 1968 and looked almost unhittable with the strike zone that was in place at the time. I think this had a lot to do with changing the zone again.) In 1969, the strike zone reverted back to the armpits and the top of the knees.
Because there appeared to be a number of umpires adhering to their own idea of what the strike zone should be, the rules makers again changed it in 1998 to close to what it is today: The strike zone became "that area over home plate, the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the top of the knees. The Strike Zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball."
In 1996 the strike zone was expanded on the lower end, from the top of the knees to the bottom of the knees. Or, to be more precise, the hollow beneath the kneecap is the bottom of the strike zone. Remember - that is the OBR definition precisely, but in essence it is true for NCAA and high school also.
About that same time, the new technique in many stadiums allowed each game to be digitally placed on a DVD and each umpire was somewhat judged by how the Questec machine rated the umpire. This technique has allowed us to become more critical in understanding each umpire's strike zone and is supposed to be a learning tool for major league umpires. Only time will tell in this regard.
As far as amateur umpires go, let's read the rule and try to understand that our role is to umpire that rule and not make up a new strike zone based on our idea of what should be called. Use the rule and try to get as consistent with it as you can. Yes, call a large strike zone if you can, but be consistent and don't stray from what the rule states. Look for strikes and have the pitch itself prove that it is not a strike.
Sources:
1. From several Internet sources, but written primarily by Larry Gallagher
2. Baseball Almanac
3. Spitters, Beanballs and the Incredible Shrinking Strike Zone by Glenn Waggoner, Kathleen Maloney & Hugh Howard
Gopher State Junior Golf Tour
Information for the 2008 Gopher State Junior Golf Tour is now available on the MYAS website. We realize that your summers are filled with vacations, miscellaneous activities and other sports in addition to golf. With that in mind, we have revamped our schedule to hopefully accommodate some of those activities.
The new Gopher State Junior Golf program includes a later start and some weekend tournaments later in the year, and we are also working on a "Fall Getaway" event at Craguns in Brainerd. We hope you enjoy the changes we have made! For complete information, please visit the MYAS website.
3rd Annual Decoys Golf Tournament
The MYAS is looking for foursomes to play in the 3rd Annual Decoys Golf Tournament on August 14 at Tanners Brook Golf Club in Forest Lake. The event is sponsored by the Minnesota Youth Athletic Services and the White Bear Baseball Association. Your $400 entry fee includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, golf cart, range balls, a gift bag, dinner/banquet at Decoys Grill & Bar and the chance to win special prizes!
If you have a team you'd like to enter, or know of an individual or business that would be interested in being a Hole Sponsor (which includes recognition on the golf course and at the dinner/banquet at Decoys), please click here to access the event information and entry application. We hope to see you on the course in August!
Gopher State Volleyball
The Gopher State Volleyball program is expanding! We now have nine events on the calendar for 2008-09 and there may be more to come. The following dates are tentative:
November 2, 2008 * Gopher State Volleyball Championships
January 17-18, 2009 * Winter Carnival Tournament
February 7, 2009 * Gopher State Future Stars Tournament
February 21, 2009 * Block Party
March 7, 2009 * Gopher State Minnesota Showcase
March 14, 2009 * Gopher State Season Finale
March 21, 2009 * Southern Spike Tournament @ Blue Earth, MN
April 4-5, 2009 * Gopher State Tournament of Champions
TBD * Border Battle @ River Falls, WI
If you would like more information on these events or are interested in hosting Gopher State Volleyball, please visit the MYAS volleyball web page or contact Jessica Christopherson at 763-781-2220 x 1733 or jessica@myas.org.
Basketball Rules of the Month
In our ongoing education mission, we will highlight various playing rules in the MYAS Update. This section features three basic basketball rules.
1. Player A1 becomes confused and throws the ball at the wrong basket from behind the three-point line. The ball goes in. Does it count? If yes, how many points are scored?
2. Using the same scenario as #1 above, Player A1 is fouled by Player B1 but the ball still goes in. Does it count? If yes, how many points are scored? Are free throws awarded?
3. During an out of bounds throw-in, the defensive player reaches through the boundary plane and knocks the ball out of the offensive player's hand or hits the offensive player. Is this a foul?
4. During an attempted throw-in, Player A1 steps through the plane (makes contact with the floor inbounds) before passing the ball to Player A2 or holds the ball through the plane and hands it to A2. Is this legal?
The answers to these rules questions are posted later in the newsletter (see "In this Issue" for the link). Good luck!
If you have questions about other basketball playing rules, please contact Buddy Hemric at 763-781-2220 x 1717 or buddy@myas.org.
MYAS Gopher State Spring Basketball
We'd like to thank each of the 1,000+ teams that participated in the 2008 Gopher State Spring Basketball program. It was a phenomenal year and we hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Congratulations go out to the 250 teams that participated in the Boys' Spring Basketball Championships on May 17-18 (9-11U) and May 31-June 1 (12-19U). Here are all our boys' champion teams from the 2008 Gopher State Spring season. (Girls champions were featured last issue, and can be viewed on the MYAS website.)
9-10U/3rd-4th Grade * Urban Stars Gold * Coach Kelby Brothen
10-11U/4th-5th Grade Division II/III * Dunning Park * Coach Dave Gubbrud
11U/5th Grade Division II * MN Team Elite * Coach Ed Boler
12U/6th Grade Division I * Minneapolis Select * Coach Brian Wright
12U/6th Grade Division II * Zorbaz Stars * Coach Dave Rund
12U/6th Grade Division III * Urban Stars 6 * Coach Kelby Brothen
13U/7th Grade Division I * MN Magic Elite * Coach Mark Knutson
13U/7th Grade Division II * Grand Slam BB * Coach Gerard Berenz
13U/7th Grade Division III * Southland * Coach Dean Bendtsen
14U/8th Grade Division I * Minneapolis Select * Coach Barry Wohler
14U/8th Grade Division II * Team MN * Coach Kent Henrickson
14U/8th Grade Division III * MN Gym Rats * Coach Timothy Mayclin
15U/9th Grade Division I * MLK Kings * Coach Jessica Williams
15U/9th Grade Division II * St. Paul Raiders * Coach Chris Neumann
15U/9th Grade Division III * MN Magic White * Coach Tony Lang
16U/10th Grade Division I * EOTO 16 * Coach Michael Swann
16U/10th Grade Division II * Branchsports Elite * Coach Earl Branch
16U/10th Grade Division III * MW Whitehawks * Coach Andy Atkinson
17U/11th Grade Division I * Big Game Sports * Coach Jules Jones
17U/11th Grade Division II * Fridley * Coach John Swanson
19U/12th Grade * MN Southside Classic * Coach Mike McDonald
MYAS Gopher State Prep Showcase
The 2008 MYAS Gopher State Prep Showcase will be held on July 18-20 at Lakeville South High School. New for 2008: While we will still have separate small school (A and AA) and large school (AAA and AAAA) championship brackets, we have added an open division for 15U, 16U and 17U summer teams.
Come compete this summer in the air conditioning at Lakeville South High School in front of college coaches and recruiters. The entry form may be downloaded from the Prep Showcase web page. You may also register online using a credit card. The entry deadline has been extended to July 3, 2008. If you need further information, please contact Rich Penick at 763-781-2220 x 1724 or rich@myas.org.
Basketball Invitational Tournament Books
The MYAS is currently receiving flyers for invitational basketball tournaments all across the state, and later this summer we will be compiling the 2008-09 boys' and girls' invitational tournament books. The deadline to submit flyers for this year's books is Monday, July 14.
If you are interested in having your tournament flyers included in the 2008-09 books or if you'd like to purchase your copy of the boys' or girls' book, please click here to download all the applicable information and forms.
MYAS Gopher State Fall Basketball
The MYAS Gopher State Fall Basketball League was developed as a "tune-up" for the winter travel/school season. Entry materials for the 2008 league have been posted on the MYAS website. Mark your calendar now and make your plans to join us on September 21 & 28 and October 5 & 12. Last year's league featured more than 450 teams - start planning now to participate in this very popular fall league!
New - Second Session for High School Teams!
In an effort to bridge the gap from the end of the Gopher State Fall League to the start of the high school season, we have created a second session. Now freshman, JV and varsity teams have the opportunity to play right up until tryouts. Players will be able to work on their skills and conditioning and coaches can observe the players in game situations. This second session is not a league - teams may play on any or all of the five available dates.
For more information on the Gopher State Fall Basketball League and the new second session, please click here.
MYAS Super Saver Basketball Tournaments
Super Saver Basketball Tournaments for the 2008-09 winter basketball season will begin the first weekend in November and conclude the second weekend in March. Registration forms and other tournament information will be posted on the MYAS website in August. Super Savers provide the opportunity for A (advanced), B (intermediate), C (beginning) or Rec (in-house) level teams to play three quality games all in one day. The tournaments are conveniently located throughout the metro area, and games can often be scheduled to meet your needs. For more Super Saver information, please click here.
Host applications and bid information for the 2008-09 Super Saver season have been sent to the hosts of last year's tournaments. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Kevin Wilson at 763-781-2220 x 1712 or kevin@myas.org.
MYAS Gopher State Winter Basketball League
The dates for the 2008-09 MYAS Gopher State Winter Basketball League (formerly the BTBL and GMBL) have been set. League games will be played on December 6 & 20, January 3 & 17 and February 7 & 21. The Winter League provides opportunities for all levels of play. "A" (advanced), "B" (intermediate), "C" (beginning) and "Rec" (in-house) teams can all receive a quality 12-game schedule.
The league deadline has been set for Friday, November 14. Further league information and registration materials will be available in early August. Click on this link to access the Winter League web page and keep checking back for new information in the coming weeks.
MYAS Rec State Basketball Championship
It's not too early to mark your calendar for the 2009 Rec State Basketball Championship, which has been scheduled for March 20-22. The event has become the premier rec state tournament in the Upper Midwest. Each year more and more teams (metro and outstate) participate. The 2008 Championship expanded to a record high 147 teams and we expect more teams in 2009.
The Championship brochure and registration materials will be available in early September. If you would like your name added to the mailing list so that you receive a brochure, contact Kevin Wilson at 763-781-2220 x 1712 or kevin@myas.org. You may also click here to access the Rec State web page.
New for 2008-09! The MYAS continues to be your number one source for youth basketball. We are developing a list of boys' and girls' in-house basketball programs. It will be a valuable resource for you to learn about in-house programs in your area. If you want to learn how you can volunteer for your local in-house program, be a coach or find a place for your son or daughter to play, this list is just for you. It will be updated on a regular basis and is scheduled to be complete by this fall.
Click here to view the current listing of in-house programs. If you don't see your program information on the list, please cotact Kevin Wilson at 763-781-2220 x 1712 or kevin@myas.org.
Answers to Basketball Rules of the Month
The answers below are derived from the National Federation of State High School Associations 2007-08 Basketball Rules Book, Basketball Case Book and/or Rules by Topic publication.
1. The basket counts for the team into whose basket the ball is thrown. It will count for two points. A successful try, tap or thrown ball from the field by a player who is located behind the team's own 19-foot, 9-inch arc counts three points, but a ball that touches the floor, a teammate inside the arc, an official or any other goal from the field counts two points for the team into whose basket the ball is thrown (NFHS 5-2-1 page 42).
2. The goal does not count if A1 is fouled by B1. The ball became dead when the foul occurred. When a player throws at the opponent's basket, it is not a try. If Team A is in the bonus when B1 fouled A1, Player A1 is given either a one-and-one or two free throws at Team A's basket. If Team A was not in the bonus, then the ball is awarded to Team A for a throw-in at the out of bounds spot nearest the foul (Case Book Situation 4.41.2 pages 33-34).
3. The defensive player is charged with a technical foul. No warning is required before the technical (NFHS 9-2-10, Penalties #3 page 56).
4. No, this is not legal. It is a throw-in violation. The thrower may touch the boundary line but must not touch the playing court (NFHS 7-6 page 52; Case Book 7.6.4 Situation B page 59).
If you have questions about other basketball playing rules, please contact Buddy Hemric at 763-781-2220 x 1717 or buddy@myas.org.
Minnesota Sports Medicine Tip
Too Much of a Good Thing?
In this age of "More is Better," we often think that phrase can apply to sports. We can see the improvement a young 12 year old has made over the course of his recreational baseball season from start to finish. So why not believe that just as much - if not more - improvement can be achieved if he continues to play on a traveling team or another club team? Depending on where his friends play, he may ask to join a team to play with his best friend, even if those two schedules run simultaneously.
Research has shown us that muscle learning and technique performance do in fact improve sports specific skills due to repetitions that pave the path of neuromuscular patterning. In other words, the body will learn movement patterns and technique in the manner they are practiced until the method becomes habitual.
In reality, all of this practice, repetition and consecutive seasons come with a cost for these young athletes. As a child grows and matures, bone growth occurs more rapidly than that of soft tissues, muscles and their attachments to bone. Therefore, bone density at this age is much less than that of an older adolescent who is close to achieving his growth potential or adult height.
When repetitive sports specific skills such as throwing, jumping or kicking are performed in excess, bones are oftentimes the site of injury. Apophysitis injuries, better known as growth plate injuries, are seen in ever increasing numbers just below the shoulder and at the elbow, knee and occasionally heel. Injuries of this sort are commonly named little league shoulder, little league elbow, Osgood Schlatter's Disease and Sever's Disease.
The best and most sensible way to prevent these injuries is to allow children to rest and recover from the stresses placed on their bodies with single sport continuing activities. The enforcement of pitch counts has helped to decrease joint stress, but coaches and players must remember to include ALL overhead throwing in pitch counts. Once a pitcher has reached his maximum number of pitches, he should be finished throwing for the day rather than changing positions to play catcher or first base.
Likewise, more college and professional scouts are looking for well-rounded athletes who've played a variety of sports throughout their developing years as an indication of how much stress their limbs have had placed upon them and how many more years of high level throwing they can withstand.
In the best interest of young athletes' wishes and competitive nature, supportive adults need to guide them to achieve their true potential while preventing overuse injuries. Parents, coaches, teammates and healthcare professionals should lend an open ear to complaints and indications of pain, fatigue and emotion when it comes to performance.
For more information about youth sports injuries, visit www.mnsportsmed.org and see the page titled "Health Information For You." Minnesota Sports Medicine (MSM) is a network of sports and orthopedic physicians who treat athletes at medical clinics throughout the Twin Cities metro area. To locate a sports medicine physician or for more information about MSM, call 612-273-4800.
Gopher State Baseball League hosts St. Paul Saints "Spot Light Games"
The St. Paul Saints brought their "Spot Light Game" program to the Gopher State Baseball League (GSBL) for the first time this year. The two games they selected were Chisago Lakes at North St. Paul (12AAA - see photos below) and New Richmond at White Bear Lake (12AA).
In essence, the Saints bring their show on the road doing all their wacky promotions with their full cast of characters - even this year's pig mascot, Barack O'Hama.
Both the players and the fans had a great experience. We'd like to thank the St. Paul Saints for including our league in this year's schedule and we hope to host even more games next year!
Minnesota USSSA Baseball State Tournaments
Over the past three weeks, the MYAS baseball staff has been organizing and administering 16 tournaments as USSSA World Series Qualifying events in Minnesota. We were fortunate that the weather has cooperated thus far and we have seen outstanding competition at great venues at all of the tournaments.
We've seen nearly 200 teams competing for the right to call themselves Minnesota USSSA State Champions. By placing in these events, teams earned a berth to their designated USSSA World Series. In addition, the top two teams in each division earned a berth to the Gopher State Tournament of Champions, our premier USSSA sanctioned tournament in July.
Congratulations to all of the teams on their performance at the USSSA State Tournament. Here are our Champions and Runners-Up.
10AA Champion -- Brooklyn Park
10AA Runner-Up -- Osseo/Maple Grove Storm White
10AAA Champion -- Elk River
10AAA Runner-Up -- Mahtomedi Zephyrs
11AA Champion -- Chaska Purple
11AA Runner-Up -- Osseo/Maple Grove Storm White
11AAA Champion -- Champlin/Dayton Rebels
11AAA Runner-Up -- Osseo/Maple Grove Storm
12AA Champion -- Brooklyn Park Panthers
12AA Runner-Up -- Osseo/Maple Grove Storm White
12AAA Champion -- Chaska Hawks
12AAA Runner-Up -- Apple Valley Eagles
13A Champion -- Shoreview Area Mustangs
13A Runner-Up -- Andover Cubs
13AA Champion -- Shoreview Area White
13AA Runner-Up -- Shoreview Area Blue
13AAA Champion -- Forest Lake
13AAA Runner-Up -- Shoreview Area
14AA Champion -- Shoreview Area White
14AA Runner-Up -- Osseo/Maple Grove Blue
14AAA Champion -- Osseo/Maple Grove Storm
14AAA Runner-Up -- Centennial
14/15A Champion -- Hopkins/Minnetonka
14/15A Runner-Up -- Andover Orioles
15AA Champion -- Shoreview Area White
15AA Runner-Up -- Brooklyn Area
15AAA Champion -- Woodbury
15AAA Runner-Up -- Eastview
Gopher State Baseball Tournament of Champions
The MYAS baseball staff is working diligently to set the playing field for the 2008 Gopher State Tournament of Champions, which will take place on July 11-13 and July 18-20.
The GSTC seeding meetings will be held at the Ramada Mpls. NW/Grand Rios Hotel in Brooklyn Park (click here for directions). Meeting dates are as follows:
July 1 @ 7:00pm -- All teams participating on the July 11-13 weekend (10AA, 11AA, 12AA, 13AA, 15AA)
July 9 @ 7:00pm -- All teams participating on the July 18-20 weekend (10AAA, 11AAA, 12AAA, 13AAA, 14AAA, 14AA, 15AAA)
Teams will be asked prior to the meeting to send in all pertinent information regarding their team for this season. This includes league and tournament records as well as any and all 1st-4th place tournament finishes. Coaches should also bring this information to their seeding meeting. It is strongly suggested that all participating coaches attend this meeting to provide equal input in the seeding process.
If you have further questions, please contact the MYAS baseball staff at 763-781-2220.
Rec State Baseball Championship
The Rec State Baseball Championship is a great opportunity for all in-house/recreational teams to participate in a state tournament. Held on August 1-3, 2008, this tournament will feature four age groups and a three-game guarantee. Reserve your local team a spot in the Championship!
Last year's tournament saw 105 metro area teams from four different age divisions have a blast competing for a state title. Complete information and a brochure for this year's event are available on the Rec State Baseball page of the MYAS website. We are excited for another great year of fun and competition at the 2008 Championship.
Please contact Jeremy Barbe at 763-781-2220 x 1731 or jbarbe@myas.org for more details on this great event. Each tournament is limited to the first 32 teams.
For the second year, the Ramada Mpls. NW/Grand Rios will be the proud sponsor of the Rec State Championship. They will have awesome room rates with water park passes available - perfect for your entire team's year-end celebration!
Gopher State Fall Baseball League
The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services will hold the 17th annual Gopher State Fall Baseball League on Sundays from September 7 through October 12 this year. Players may register as individuals, as a group or as an entire team. The league will be USSSA sanctioned for insurance purposes (each team will be covered under a USSSA team insurance policy).
Please contact the MYAS baseball office at 763-781-2220 or log onto the Fall Baseball portion of the MYAS website to answer all of your fall league questions and download league information and registration forms. The entry deadline is August 15, 2008.
Gopher State Umpire Clinics
Coming in September will be an advanced umpire training opportunity, complete with live teams and cage work. We will be using the two-umpire system only. This training will be limited to the first 30-40 participants.
Training is available for associations interested in having large groups of umpires receive quality, hands-on instruction. The clinics can be customized for your level of umpires. For more information on any of our umpire clinics, please contact Jeremy Barbe at 763-781-2220 x 1731 or jbarbe@myas.org.
MYAS Latest News (as of 6/26/08)
Gopher State Basketball Prep Showcase
MYAS Basketball Travel Directors Meeting
Invitational Basketball Flyer Program Information Posted
Valleyfair Youth Sports Weekend - save up to $14.95 per ticket!
$5 Girls Spring Championship T-shirts!
DATES! 2009 Rec State Basketball Championships
Football State Tournament
Insurance - USSSA Basketball
MYAS Calendar Updates (as of 6/26/08)
Friday, June 27, 2008
Minnesota USSSA Baseball 16U Open: Maple Grove, MN begins
Friday, June 27, 2008
Minnesota USSSA Baseball 17/19U Open: Fridley, MN begins
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Gopher State Prep Showcase registration deadline
Friday, July 11, 2008
Gopher State Tournament of Champions 10-13U begins
Friday, July 11, 2008
Gopher State Tournament of Champions 14-15U begins
To view more upcoming MYAS events and deadlilnes, please click on this link.
Important Association Services That Work!
The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services offers three important services:
1. Association and Player Sports Accident Insurance Coverage
Association liability and player accident insurance are always a concerns for youth sports organizations in our increasingly litigious society. Some associations spend a lot of money and others go into denial and “run naked” without even minimal liability coverage for their members. Yet if insurance is not obtained, the personal assets of the individuals running the association may be at risk. Many sports facility managers, especially municipalities and schools, will not permit the use of their property or facilities unless it can be demonstrated that youth sports associations are covered under an insurance policy. Without insurance, the opportunity for young athletes to compete in organized sports programs may be substantially limited.
The MYAS has partnered with J.A. Price Agency, an insurance company which has access to dozens of other insurance companies and can handle any type of business or personal insurance needs that your association/board of directors may require. The insurance provides options for all types of needs within your association/community. This coverage is an advantage no amateur sports organization should be without!
Examples of coverage include but are not limited to:
- General Liability
- Sexual Misconduct
- Participant Accident
- Directors & Officers Liability
- Crime/Embezzlement
- Automobile
- Umbrella
- Workers Compensation
General insurance questions should be directed to Bob Blomster at 952-253-4311 or bob.blomster@japrice.com.
2. Criminal Background Checks
How do we protect our children? Reports of sexual predators and child abuse involving the clergy, day care workers and youth volunteers are all too familiar. Unfortunately, this includes a disturbing number of youth sport coaches who have a history of incidents of sexual misconduct and/or violence. This is a complex issue and many youth sports organizations are unclear about what to do or how to approach this threat, yet they must take proactive steps to prevent their children from becoming innocent victims. Don’t put your children at risk!
In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that $50 billion is lost annually due to employee theft and fraud. Youth sports associations must protect themselves from this threat as well. Don’t put your association at risk!
Fortunately, youth sports associations now have a simple and inexpensive tool to avoid some of society’s worst fears. The MYAS, with its partner RHR Information Services (RHR), has designed a criminal background check system that offers three affordable options to youth sports associations. RHR, a local Twin Cities company, incorporates a “user-friendly” process combined with flexible information delivery to make this system easy and inexpensive for your organization. For more information, please contact Mike DeWane at 952-393-1929 or mike@myas.org.
3. Coaching Education Program
The MYAS has partnered with the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) to offer youth sport associations and their coaches the Coach Youth Sport education program designed specifically for youth coaches. It provides coaches with a solid foundation in coaching principles, sport first aid and sport-specific techniques and tactics. These courses are available for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball and wrestling and can be delivered in the classroom or online. For more information, please contact Mike DeWane at 952-393-1929 or mike@myas.org.
Background Screening Through RHR Information Services
MYAS Sponsors
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MYAS Membership Meetings
MYAS membership meetings are held at our offices (4111 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights 55421) on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00am (unless notified otherwise). All MYAS members are welcome to attend.
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