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April 25, 2008 |  |
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Welcome to the April 25, 2008; edition of the MYAS Update In this Issue Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. |
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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 PRIEST OR GUNFIGHTER? When I was in second grade, Sister Clarita asked all of us students what we wanted to be when we grew up. Most of the boys wanted to be a baseball player, policeman, fireman or farmer. I wanted to be a priest or a gunfighter. She seemed a bit shocked at the diversity of my choices and when parent-teacher conferences came around, she told my parents that I had a 50/50 chance of going to either the seminary or jail. My mom came home a little stressed but my dad was pretty proud. He liked westerns, and a gunfighter was okay by him. I grew up in the days when Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Roy Rogers, Rawhide and Maverick were primetime TV shows. Every episode had a good guy and a bad guy, and the bad guys always lost in the end. But before they got shot down in the middle of main street at high noon, the bad guys had all the fun. Wild west scenes always showed the bad guys having a good old time with plenty of booze, women, cigars, music, gambling, fist fighting and six shooters a-blazin'. As a second grader, the only part of the whole scenario that didn't appeal to me was being dead in the end. But it also made me wonder if maybe it would be worth it. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans owned Saturday morning TV. Gunsmoke was Saturday night viewing and Bonanza was king of the hill on Sunday night. Back in those days, being a gunfighter was considered job security. Every show needed one and I wanted to get into that line of work. A little over a year after my career declaration of priest or gunfighter, my dad bought me a BB gun. I was packing when I was nine years old! We lived on a farm then. There wasn't a whole lot of trouble I could get into out on the prairie, but the risk went way up when we moved to town a year later. On the farm, nobody cared if you shot a sparrow, field mouse or gopher. I soon found out that city folks didn't much care for "young gunfighters" creeping around their house shooting at squirrels, chipmunks and pigeons. They had no sense of humor and after a couple calls from the neighbors, the BB gun was taken from my dastardly hands and locked away. My mom said I should pray for forgiveness and my dad said I should pray for a .22. Over the next several years, my ambitions changed with nearly every newscast. I remember wanting to become an astronaut because the Space Race was on and I didn't want to miss out on beating the Russians to the moon. The space travel idea was fairly short lived once my sister reminded me that I couldn't last 10 seconds on the Tilt-A-Whirl without tossing my cookies. For awhile I wanted to be a magician, but as it turned out my sleight of hand was more like five thumbs on a foot. I also dabbled with the notion of being a race car driver, disc jockey, physical therapist, fishing guide, forest ranger and movie actor. The whole priest idea had gone out the window when I discovered girls in the fifth grade. According to Sister Clarita's prediction, I now had a 100% chance of going to jail. Yes, I was pretty conflicted on what I wanted to be and I think most kids fall into that category. Oh, I'm sure there are some newborns who know what they want to be before they leave the hospital, and then there are other people who never figure it out. These are the people we see aimlessly walking around with the "deer in the headlight" look and scare the heck out of the rest of us. But the ones that I worry about most are the kids who love sports and plan on becoming professional athletes. This article isn't intended to crush anyone's dreams; I'm all for setting lofty goals. But being a professional athlete takes exceptional physical talent and dedication - and a lot of luck. Injuries have a way of showing up when you least expect them, and they can be devastating. Even with all the advances we've made in modern medicine, there are some injuries that you just can't recover from. At the very least, you never get back to the level of performance you had before the injury. In the world of college and professional sports there is a huge difference between being good and being good enough. Sometimes that is measured in inches or split seconds. Sometimes it's measured in strength or distance. And when you lose that little something extra, you become very average in a hurry and find youself looking for a new profession. During the NCAA basketball tournament TV coverage, I was very pleased to see the NCAA stress that there are hundreds of thousands of athletes participating in collegiate athletics but 99% of them are training for careers as doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and businessmen and women. I think they send a wonderful message to every kid watching those tournament games. Sports are great, but keep it real. There are a lot of heroes in everyday life and kids need to know that those everyday heroes contribute more to our quality of life than anyone on the court or playing field. So as kids consider they career options, I suggest they have a Plan A and a Plan B. I can also recommend that they stay out of the gunfighting business. Great Team Meal Offers at Green Mill 
Award Winning Pizza and a Whole Lot More! Green Mill is proud to support youth athletics. Green Mill restaurants are conveniently located near sporting venues and hotels where the teams play and stay. And while each organization plays as a team, when it's time to eat it's a different story. Finding a place to eat where everyone can relax, recharge and enjoy great food can be almost impossible. Green Mill makes it easy to bring the whole team together for a great meal and save some green at the same time - click here for details. For over 30 years, Green Mill has been serving neighborhoods and families (and teams) with award winning pizza, wings and a full menu of salads, sandwiches, appetizers, pasta and entrees - something for everybody! To see the extensive Green Mill menu or to find your favorite location, visit www.greenmill.com. "Insurance Coach" (J.A. Price Agency - by Bob Blomster) 
I'm being individually sued as a board member! Does my club's insurance policy protect me? Do we need Director's & Officer's Insurance? Are you serious when you say my homeowner's policy does not respond at all? The answer is simple...MAYBE! (Items 1 & 2 below should help clear up many of your questions.) If you understand two simple claim concepts you will better understand whether or not you have ANY insurance protection if you are individually sued as a board member of a club. Two Simple Claim Scenarios Involving Board Members:
Below are some samples from one insurance company for wrongful act claims alleged against boards or board members. Disclaimer: Like most insurance policies, certain D&O liability policies are more comprehensive than others and coverage for every example below is not implied under all D&O policies. SOME EXAMPLES OF WRONGFUL ACTS:
Please contact me if you have any questions. Bob Blomster, Vice President NEXT MONTH'S ARTICLE: Our treasurer has been stealing club funds for years to support his/her gambling problem. (Crime controls and insurance coverage) Then And Now - by Larry Gallagher A Comparison of Three Baseball Rules - Part II Have you ever wondered how a rule came about, how it evolved and what caused the changes? In this, the second of a three-part series, I will be informing you about the Infield Fly Rule (Rule 2 - Infield Fly Rule Definition, OBR 6.05e; FED 2-19; FED 8-4-1j). The rule is stated in OBR this way: "A batter is out when an Infield Fly is declared." That's not descriptive enough to understand what is meant by this statement, so we need to look at Rule 2. "An Infield Fly is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive or an attempted bunt), which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule. When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an INFIELD FLY, the umpire shall immediately declare 'Infield Fly' for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the base lines, the umpire shall declare 'Infield Fly, if fair.' The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul. If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the base line and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly. Rule 2.00 Comment: On the INFIELD FLY RULE, the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder - not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an Infield Fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire's judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The Infield Fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpire's judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately. When an Infield Fly Rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If, on an Infield Fly Rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball remains in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05L. The Infield Fly Rule takes precedence." Prior to 1895 there was no need for the Infield Fly Rule because very few fielders were using gloves. To call the Infield Fly Rule would have been ludicrous since there was very little guarantee that the ball would be easily handled anyway. With the onset of gloves, it became apparent that if the ball was allowed to drop the runners would become in jeopardy for double plays. As a result, the rule came into effect. In 1895 it was only used when there was one out. By 1901 it was also used when there were no outs. Other modifications to the rule have occured over time. In 1904 for example, line drives were specifically excluded from the rule. In 1920 the bunt was excluded and in 1940, the runner was excluded from being hit by the infield fly while on his base. A modification in 1950 specifically included the pitcher and catcher as infielders for the purpose of this rule. The outfielder was also added to be included in the rule if he was stationed close enough where a double play seemed likely. Also in 1950, the ball that hit foul and then settled fair was added to the rule. Again, the purpose of this rule is to protect the offensive base runners from having a "cheap" double play occur. Let's look at a scenario in order to clarify the rule. This is a play that I once used in an amateur state tournament in Alexandria: The bases were loaded with one out. A pop-up was hit toward the third base side of the mound and I called for it as the catcher. I knew that it was an infield fly because I heard the umpire call it. I figured that if I would drop it or let it drop and keep it fair, I might be able to entice the runner from third to try to advance. I ended up being correct and corralled the ball before it could go foul. The runner from third walked right into my tag to end the inning. So the moral of this story is that the players need to know the rule just as well as the umpires do! Remember - when the Infield Fly Rule is called, it removes all forces and the ball remains alive. Sources used in this study are as follows: 1. Jim Evans' Annotated Baseball Rules, published in 1994 In the next issue of the MYAS Update: The Intentionally Dropped Ball Rule In our ongoing education mission, we will highlight various playing rules in the MYAS Update. This section features three basic basketball rules. 1. A player dives for a loose ball and slides after gaining control. The player is in a position on either his/her back or stomach. Is this traveling? 2. During a free throw when lane spaces may be occupied, how many people can occupy the lane spaces? 3. Can a player pass the ball to a teammate who is out of bounds along the end line? The answers to these rules questions are posted later in the e-letter (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 
The 2008 "Quest for the Rings" - the Gopher State Spring Basketball Championships - are right around the corner. The boys' 9-11U and all of the girls' championships will be held May 16-18. The boys' 12-19U championships take place on May 30 through June 1, while the boys' Division I Championships are slated for June 8-10. Make sure you sign your team up to play for their chance at winning those championship rings from Josten's! After the Spring Championships, teams will getting ready to compete against teams from around the Midwest in the MYAS Gopher State "Summer Jam" tournament on June 14-15. It has been great watching all the teams playing spring basketball. There are so many talented teams and players participating at all levels that Minnesota will continue to be a hotbed for college recruiters for years to come. We sincerely thank you for your participation in MYAS tournaments this spring, and we wish all of you good luck in your upcoming events. Don't forget to sign up for the 2008 Gopher State Spring Championships. Remember - have fun, play fair and take it hard to the rack! MYAS Gopher State Prep Showcase 
The 2008 MYAS Gopher State Prep Showcase will be held July 18-20 at Lakeville South High School, and features multiple divisions of play for high school varsity and JV teams. New for 2008: In addition to having separate championship brackets for small (A and AA) and large (AAA and AAAA) school teams, we will also have an Open Division for teams this summer. Come out and compete this July in the air-conditioned Lakeville South High School in front of college coaches and recruiters. Prep Showcase brochures were mailed to every high school in the state. If you haven't received your brochure or would like more information, please contact Rich Penick at 763-781-2220 x 1724 or rich@myas.org. Basketball Invitational Tournament Books The MYAS will very soon begin 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. 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 League 
The 2008 MYAS Gopher State Fall Basketball League will be here before you know it! Last year's league featured a total of 458 participating teams, making it the largest fall basketball league in Minnesota. The Gopher State Fall League is offered to boys' and girls' teams in grades 4-12. Teams play doubleheaders on four consecutive Sundays in September (21 & 28) and October (5 & 12). The league is a great tune-up for the winter traveling and school seasons. New for 2008: Additional play dates will be offered in October and November for Freshman, JV and Varsity teams. For more information, please click here to visit the Gopher State Fall Basketball League web page. 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. No. The player may pass, shoot, start a dribble or call a time-out. Once the player has the ball and is no longer sliding, he/she may not roll over. If flat on his/her back, they may sit up without violating. Any attempt to get to the feet is traveling unless the player is dribbling. It is also traveling if the player puts the ball on the floor, then rises and is first to touch the ball (NFHS 4-44-5b pages 40-41; Case Book 4.44.5 Situation B page 35). 2. Marked lane spaces may be occupied by a maximum of four defensive and two offensive players. The first marked lane spaces (the lane spaces adjacent to the end line) shall be occupied by opponents of the free thrower. No teammate of the free thrower shall occupy either of these marked spaces. The second marked lane spaces on each side may be occupied by teammates of the free thrower. The third marked lane spaces may be occupied by opponents of the free thrower (NFHS 8-1-4 pages 52-53). 3. After a goal or awarded goal, the team not credited with the score shall make the throw-in from the end of the court where the goal was made and from any point outside the end line. A team retains this privilege if the scoring team commits a violation or common foul (before the throw-in ends and before the bonus is in effect) and the ensuing throw-in spot would have been on the end line. Any player of the team may make a direct throw-in or he/she may pass the ball along the end line to a teammate(s) outside the boundary line (NFHS 7-4-3 page 50; 7-5-7a & b page 51). If you have questions about other basketball playing rules, please contact Buddy Hemric at 763-781-2220 x 1717 or buddy@myas.org. 
The MYAS baseball staff is organizing and preparing for another exciting season of the Gopher State Baseball League (GSBL). With league play beginning in early May, the coaches have already scheduled their games and are ready for the 2008 season. This year's GSBL stretches 120 miles from east to west and 85 miles north to south, encompassing 50 youth baseball associations, and has become the largest representation of communities in a traveling baseball league in the Upper Midwest. We would like to salute each of the new GSBL member communities, their coaches and the teams that represent them. We'd also like to extend a hearty welcome to all first-year coaches as they begin their tenure as youth traveling baseball coaches. At the MYAS, we feel the experiences and opportunities available to GSBL participants allow a lifetime of memories that won't be forgotten. Look for a GSBL game on a field near you during the months of May, June and July. The drive for the elusive division and league championship will begin soon. If you would like more information about this league or would like to follow the teams, log onto the GSBL portion of the MYAS website. North Star Rec Baseball League 
The 2008 season of the North Star Rec Baseball League is gearing up and will be the fourth season offered by the MYAS baseball staff. Participating communities/organizations this year include Andover, Anoka-Ramsey, Blaine/Spring Lake Park, Centennial, Coon Rapids, Elk River, Forest Lake, Rogers, Shoreview, Soderville and Zimmerman. The league will once again consist of two divisions for "A" level teams: 7th Grade/13U and 8th-9th Grade/14U-15U. The 2008 North Star League will boast 82 teams within the two age groups and we are very excited as we look forward to another great season. For more information on the league, please log onto the North Star League web page. Gopher State Baseball Umpire Training Clinics 
All umpires are welcome and encouraged to attend one of the three remaining Gopher State Umpire Clinics (May 3, 10 & 17). They are designed to allow umpires of all abilities an opportunity to enhance their skills and/or become educated in the finer points of umpiring. All of our instructors are dedicated to teaching and are excited to share their wealth of knowledge to up and coming umpires from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Student instruction will include philosophy, mental approach and attitude toward baseball, including appearance and equipment. The clinics feature on-field training for the 1- and 2-man umpiring system, which includes proper positioning duties of the plate and base umpires. Every umpire will have the opportunity to participate in live drills where you will see the play and make the call. The clinics also cover handling game situations, balks, ejections, etc. We will do our best to have you ready for opening day 2008! Every umpire who attends a clinic will receive an additional $4 per game during the 2008 Gopher State baseball season. Umpires with MSHSL registration will receive another $1 per game. This per game bonus only applies to the Gopher State Spring Training Series, the USSSA State Tournament, the Gopher State Tournament of Champions, MYAS Rec State Baseball, the Gopher State Baseball League and the Gopher State Fall Baseball League. Please click here to access the Umpire Clinic web page. For more information, contact Jeremy Barbe at 763-781-2220 x 1731 or jbarbe@myas.org. Minnesota & Wisconsin USSSA Baseball State Tournaments 
The Minnesota and Wisconsin USSSA Baseball State Tournaments are your chance to qualify for a USSSA World Series event. No other tournament affords teams the opportunity to qualify for both the USSSA World Series and the Gopher State Tournament of Champions (GSTC) at the 10-15U age levels. NO ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP FEES ARE REQUIRED for your team to participate in this tournament. Your entry fee includes a USSSA team membership ($25) and tournament insurance. The USSSA tournaments combine competitive teams and great venues, volunteers and awards to offer an outstanding tournament experience for everyone involved. This is a tremendous event to participate in regardless of whether your intent is advancing to a USSSA World Series or qualifying for the GSTC. Register early to secure your spot in a top notch tournament that is a dual qualifier for the USSSA World Series and the Gopher State Tournament of Champions (10-15U). For more information, including tournament dates, sites and entry forms, log onto the baseball section of the MYAS website. Gopher State Baseball Tournament of Champions 
The 2008 Gopher State Tournament of Champions season is now upon us! Community invitationals will soon be underway where teams will earn their GSTC points, which can be tracked on the GSTC standings page of the MYAS website. The top two finishing teams in each of our designated qualifiers receive automatic berths into the GSTC, with the rest of the field earning points toward a possible at-large berth. The MYAS baseball staff is looking forward to seeing this tournament grow once again this year. Last season 303 teams battled for the championship in July, and the champions were awarded their custom-made Josten's rings on the Metrodome floor prior to a Twins game last September. This tournament has generated an incredible amount of excitement and we look forward to seeing you all in July! Visit the GSTC web page for more information, or contact Tony Groff at 763-781-2220 x 1728 or tony@myas.org. MYAS Latest News (as of 4/24/08) Mandatory Gopher State Baseball League Coaches' Meeting Spring Basketball Openings - April 26-27 and May 3-4 USA Football & Minnesota Vikings Coaching Clinic 2008 Gopher State Baseball League Teams and Divisions Help Design The 2008 Gopher State Fall Basketball League MYAS Calendar Updates (as of 4/24/08) To view the extensive list of upcoming MYAS tournaments and registration deadlines, please click on this link and then follow the applicable web links to view more information. Important Association Services That Work! The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services offers three important services: 1. Association and Player Sports Accident Insurance Coverage 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 insurance questions should be directed to Bob Blomster at 952-253-4311 or bob.blomster@japrice.com. 2. Criminal Background Checks 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 Systems (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
Shoulder Pain and Baseball Players Throwing athletes place higher stress on the shoulder muscles, ligaments and tendons. Throwing forces can be as high as 80% of body weight, leading to injuries that include:
Symptoms of these conditions include upper shoulder pain that gets worse over time and/or difficulty sleeping on the shoulder. Pain with overhead motions or lifting the arm away from the body may also signal a problem. Treatment “first steps” include reducing pain and inflammation with rest, ice and medications, such as Tylenol™ or ibuprofen. If the pain doesn’t improve, see a sports medicine doctor. He or she may send you to a physical therapist for muscle stretching and strengthening. To find a qualified sports medicine physician, visit www.mnsportsmed.org. Minnesota Sports Medicine (MSM) is a network of sports and orthopedic physicians who treat athletes at medical clinics throughout the Twin Cities metro area. For more information about MSM, call 612-273-4800.
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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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