OTTAWA, ON – Since Baseball Canada launched the Realizing Baseball Ideals (RBI) initiative this spring, the office has been flooded with requests to accredit their association as “RBI Approved”.
Now, Baseball Canada announces that the Winnipeg South Minor Baseball Association (WSMBA) is the first in the country to receive the RBI seal of approval.
“I think it’s something that we can be very happy with. It indicates we got a stamp of approval from Baseball Canada which is always a good thing,” says WSMBA President Ian Wise.
Winnipeg South implemented the Rally Cap program in its association in 2007 and currently have 97 players registered on 16 teams at that level. Girls make up 15 percent of players registered at that level, which is the highest percentage at any level in its association.
“The objective has always been to get kids into baseball earlier,” explains Wise. “The Rally Cap program allows us to do that and we’ve been pursuing it and so far has been very successful.”
Also, the association requires that at least one coach be certified at the initiation level of the NCCP as well as encourage all other coaches to pursue to complete the initiation certification.
This year will also be the first season that Winnipeg South will implement the pitch count. Other that a few concerns with some coaches, Wise says the implementation was an easy process.
“We certainly had no qualms in incorporating (the pitch count). I think it’s something that coaches can develop some strategies.”
For 2008, RBI accreditations are awarded to local baseball associations that comply with the minimum operating standards in these four areas:
An Association can become a Baseball Canada RBI Approved Association in 2008 by meeting these following criteria:
In order to become a RBI Approved association for 2008, 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.
