The Huntsville Boys Baseball Association (HBBA) was formed expressly for the purpose of promoting recreation, good health and fun for the youth of Huntsville. HBBA is a non-profit organization staffed by volunteers (parents) of the Huntsville community.
You just signed your child up to play baseball what’s next? Each child will receive a baseball jersey, baseball cap and one pair of socks. The registration fee also helps to cover insurance for your child; membership feeds to Pony Baseball, umpires, equipment and baseballs. You will be required to purchase your child one pair of baseball pants once you find out what team he/she is on and the color is decided on. This will occur after draft day.
Tryouts will be held on March 6, 2004 for ages 7-12 and on March 7, 2004 for ages 13 and 14. The tryouts on March 6 will be held at Kate Barr Ross Park at the fourplex of fields. The tryouts on March 7 will be at the lower field at Kate Barr Ross past the playground area. Players ages 5 and 6 do not try out. Players who are already assigned to teams and returning to the same league do not tryout. They are protected players who will be on the same team they were on last year. After tryouts, within 5-7 days, your child’s coach should contact you. In the event that you have not been contacted after 7 days, please contact one of our league volunteers at www.hbbaonline.org or call the rainout number 291-8089 and leave a message.
Each team is responsible for providing a scorekeeper or an announcer at each one of your child’s games. Home team provides the scorekeeper and the visiting team provides the announcer. After each game parents from each team are required to go and make sno-cones in the concession stand for the players of their team. This usually takes less that five minutes. Every player after each game will receive a sno-cone. Each team is also responsible for working one to two days during the season in the concession stand. The coach or team parent will provide a sign up list or appoint parents for these duties. Remember that everything we do is for the kids and that everyone from the Commissioners to the League Presidents are volunteers. Please be courteous to the fans of the next game and show our youngsters a good example by clean up the stands at the conclusion of your child’s game.
In the Huntsville Boys Baseball Association, every player plays. HBBA utilizes a continuous batting order and players shall play defensively at least every other inning. HBBA is affiliated with Pony Baseball, Inc. and requests that all players familiarize themselves with the rules. HBBA local league rules can be found at www.hbbaonline.org.
All coaches associated with HBBA are volunteers and parents just like you. Often times they are asked to coach due to a shortage of volunteers. Coaches are responsible for following league policy and adhering to all league rules. The coach will solicit a team parent who will help with practice scheduling and fund-raising. Due to shortages of practice areas coaches will often wait in line up to 5 hours to sign up for a practice field. Please do not be critical of the field or the practice times that the coach was able to acquire.
Each team will be provided up to 5 batting helmets, catcher’s equipment, practice baseballs and game baseballs. Players must provide their own gloves. Players can also purchase their own batting helmets and baseball bats. Batting helmets must have facemasks. Baseball bats can be up to two and ¾ inches in diameter at the thickest part.
Baseball is a TEAM sport. Notify the coaches of any absences as soon as you become aware of them. To be late for or miss practice hurts the entire team. If the names and phone numbers of the players on your child’s team is not supplied you may want to request them from your child’s coach. This would allow for arranging car pools if this will help get players to games and practices on time. It is not the responsibility of the Manager/Coach to supply rides to players.
Baseball is a high-stress spectator sport; getting caught up in the game is one of its pleasures. But whether a parent or a volunteer, sometimes it’s real easy to get too caught up in the events going on around you. Should this happen, please stop and remember why we’re here.