8 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW


1. Is your child old enough to start Coach Pitch?  Here at Dowagiac Youth Baseball Softball Association, the Coach Pitch division is for boys and girls ages four to six. Little League International has different cut off dates for baseball and softball, so they've put together charts to help you find the "league age" of your players. Before you read further, take a minute to find your child's league age on these charts to see if they are eligible to play this spring.

2. Where do I sign up? And how much does it cost? If your child is of legal playing age, you can sign up here on this website when registration opens, or attend a walk-in registration clinic. We strongly suggest creating an account here, and uploading the necessary documents in your account before registration opens. This will make registration quick and simple when it opens, usually in December. You can also create your account here and come to a walk-in to finish registering. Those walk-in clinic dates will be announced at a later date, both on this website and on our Facebook page.  The fee for the Coach Pitch division is $65 per player.

3. Why is it called Coach Pitch instead of Tee-Ball? Simply, we don't use a tee. Not all the time. During practices, coaches may begin teaching batting using a tee and very quickly work up to hitting a live ball. During games, the COACH (or assistant) will pitch to the players, allowing up to five pitches for them to hit the ball. After five pitches, the coach will set up the tee for the player to hit from.

4. How hard is a baseball? or Softball? Quite hard, actually. But no worries - in coach pitch division, the ball we use is much softer, similar to this one, so it won't hurt quite as much if you take one to the knee.

5. What kind of equipment does my child need? 
GLOVE: For players just starting out, you can get away with purchasing nothing more than a glove. And the best glove is often the cheapest glove. You want a soft, pliable glove that your child's small fingers can squeeze closed around the ball.
BAT: The coaches have access to league-owned bats, so you don't NEED to buy a bat.
HELMET: The league also provides a few batting helmets, but most players like having their own helmet. Just be sure there is adequate padding to keep the helmet from twisting or bobbing as your child runs.
SHOES:  Regular tennis shoes are just fine for this level of play. If your child played soccer in the fall and wants to try baseball/softball for spring, those soccer cleats are just fine - as long as they fit! 

6. I really want to buy my child a bat. But which one? For coach pitch division, you are looking for teeball bats no longer than 26 inches long. 

7. How is the game played at the coach pitch level? Everybody hits. Everybody plays the field. Everybody runs the bases. Batting order and positions change constantly. We don't play for outs. There are no umpires. There is no score. Participation is more important than the final outcome of the game.  Games are limited to one hour of play. At the beginning of the season, each team may only have enough time to bat once and field once. By the end of the season, the players' skills have progressed so that most teams are able to play three "innings".

8. Who will be my child's coach? Can I help? The coaches for the Coach Pitch Division are almost always the parents of the players registered in that division. So yes, you can help. If you are willing to be a coach, please fill out the volunteer form when you register your child. We will help with training and information. If you know you won't be able to commit to being a coach, but can help in other ways, please ask your coach how. Helping with practice drills, keeping the kids in line and organized when waiting to bat, keeping track of equipment - the coach can't do it all. Baseball and Softball are TEAM SPORTS. Let's be a team together!