Do it for the kids! Do you have something to offer them about baseball, teamwork, exercise or just having fun? Can you organize a group of kid and keep them focused on a goal?

You should have fun too. You get to skip out of work early and play outside. You can spend more time with your kids.

But I don’t know if I can get off work?

It’s great if you can be at every practice and game, but it’s not necessary. If there are other coaches, just make sure that everything is covered. Often, a manager will make every event and coaches will come when they can.

Try to find a way - you won’t regret it. Nobody reflecting on his or her life said “I wish I had spent more time at work.” 

How much baseball knowledge do I need?

That depends on the level, but the odds are you need less baseball knowledge than you think! If you are coaching tee ball, you need to know only the basics: the positions, object of the game, basic terminology, and the basic skills (throwing, catching, fielding, hitting). You can learn how to teach these skills from websites and videos, but it is good if you can demonstrate a proper throw and catch, and can teach the kids a good batting stance. Kids learn from the visual. As you move up, you will need more knowledge and skill. Alpine LL offers training for coaches, posts many coaching resources on our league website and Little League International has a wealth of training materials on their website. 

You can learn along the way for tee ball, coach pitch and AA divisions. If you played Little League, you probably have enough basic skills for any of these levels. You can pick up on strategy by reading or working with a more experienced coach or manager. We all learn as coaches as we go.

By the time you get to Majors, kids are able to do most skills well (or they should be - if we are doing our jobs in the younger divisions!) and are working on mastering subtle aspects of the game.

If you’re not sure, ask the Division Commissioner. Their contact information is on the "About Us" page. 

What’s the best way to learn?

If you’re unsure, the best bet is to team with a more experienced coach or manager. It’s the best way to learn. 

If you can, start young. When your kid is 5 or 6, you don’t need to know much to stay one step ahead. As they grow, so do you. 

We supply training, primarily around safety areas. We will offer classes in first aid, positive coaching (we members of the Positive Coaching Alliance) and basic coaching techniques. We are looking at making coaching segments on this site - with drills, etc. to help you better coach a Little League player. Look to our website for more coaching information, tips, links, etc as we build out the content. 

Little League International has a whole section of their site dedicated to coaches: http://www.littleleague.org/coaches

Who can coach?

The Rules:

•  Managers and Coaches volunteer by indicating interest to the applicable Division Commissioner. The Division Commissioner makes a recommendation to the Board President on who should manage/coach his/her decision. Ultimately the Board then approves all managers and coaches. Although almost anyone is allowed to coach, it is not automatic that someone will be approved, even if they have coached before.
•  Those without a criminal history. Anyone with a criminal conviction involving children should not apply. We do a background check and reject anyone we feel should not be with children. 
  

The Alpine LL Guidelines:

• Alpine Little League supports Positive Coaching Alliance (www.positivecoach.org). If you believe that coaching is as much about building character in young athletes as it is about winning, you’re a good candidate.
• People who are good role models for kids. Sometimes people approach coaching with the best of intentions, but when it comes to game time can’t prevent themselves from yelling at kids, parent or officials. Everyone slips up sometimes, but good role models make good coaches. 

I am good friends with another parent who wants to coach, can we coach together?

At the tee ball and coach pitch divisions, absolutely! Let the Division Commissioner know you would like to pair up and coach together. In AA, AAA and Majors, it is required by Little League rules that Managers be selected first. Then when the manager drafts his/her team, those interested in coaching are “drafted” to a team along with their child when that manager drafts the player.

What’s the difference between a “coach” and a “manager”?

The “manager” is the head coach of the team and ultimately responsible for the team. The “coach” or “coaches” help the manager. 

I want to coach, what now?

When you register, please select coaching on the volunteer page. Don’t forget to specify which child or children you are coaching for.

If you are not sure, you can contact the Division Commissioner for the division in which your child will play. There are detailed descriptions of each division on our website as well. 

If you decide at the last minute, you can reach out to your child’s team manager at the Parent’s Meeting. Managers are usually interested in having help. You can discuss your qualifications and the manager can submit your interest to the Commissioner.