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Northeast Zone Baseball Becomes RBI Approved

OTTAWA – Baseball Canada announces that Northeast Zone Baseball in Edmonton, Alberta has become the first minor baseball association in the province to meet the Reaching Baseball Ideals (RBI) criteria.

“This just validates our baseball program that we have rejuvenated four years ago,” says the Northeast Zone Baseball Director Dave Ball. “I believe this can set an example for the rest of the province.”

Northeast Zone Baseball has met all the criteria to be RBI Approved, including implementing the Rally Cap program as its main development program for kids between 5 and 8 years old, having coaches certified under the NCCP and registering all players under the Baseball Alberta/Baseball Canada umbrella.

However the one hurdle the association had to overcome in its application process was the pitch count rule in the mosquito and peewee divisions.

“Just seeing the difference between a house league pitcher, how many pitches they throw with an innings rule versus the pitch count, when you actually sit down and do the math it is quite astronomical,” says Ball.

“So we told our coaches that someone had to step up for the kids and our coaches are doing that.”

For 2010 RBI accreditations are awarded to local baseball associations that comply with the minimum operating standards in these four areas:

  • Development Programs
  • Membership with Baseball Canada
  • Coaches Training
  • Accessibility

An Association can become a Baseball Canada RBI Approved Association in 2010 by meeting these following criteria:

  • The Association is a member in good standing with the Provincial Baseball Association (as recognized by Baseball Canada) and with Baseball Canada through the registration of all players, coaches and umpires participating in the local Association.
  • The Association is fully utilizing the Rally Cap program as the main Initiation program for kids between 5 and 8
  • The Association is providing support to its coaches by driving them to the Baseball Canada NCCP Programs ensuring that all Rep level coaches are properly certified as per Baseball Canada requirements and that all house league/community programs have at least one coach per team who have completed the Initiation Coach level at minimum
  • The Association is providing access to all programs to boys and girls at any age
  • The Association is in support and using the Baseball Canada pitch counts for the Mosquito and Pee-Wee divisions

In order to become a RBI Approved association for 2010, simply send an email to rbi@baseball.ca addressing all the criteria mentioned above.  Baseball Canada will contact you to approve your Association or to ask additional questions.


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