News

OTTAWA – Baseball Canada announces that the Red River Valley Sports League in Winnipeg, Manitoba has become the third minor baseball association in Canada to be approved in the Reaching Baseball Ideals (RBI) standards.

“I believe that this will give us more credibility,” says Ollie Schroeder, Treasurer of the RRVSL.  “I think that it is great that we are able to fulfil the requirements as mandated by Baseball Canada.”

The Red River Valley Sports League was able to meet the RBI criteria after it implemented the Pitch Count at the Pee-wee and Bantam divisions for the 2008 season.

“I’ve been a big proponent in protecting the kids,” says Schroeder.  “I’ve been around for a long time and I’ve seen some pretty ridiculous things.  For some, winning is so important that everything else becomes secondary.”

“Fun still has to be at the top of the list,” she adds. “You just can’t use the players to get what you want out of them and then not worry about what happens to them later on as far as injuries and the consequences that come with that.”

The association has also mandated that at least one coach per team be certified with the Initiation Level of the NCCP.  They have also been a big promoter of the Rally Cap program, which helped increase the number of girls playing baseball in the region, since they have implemented it three years ago.

“I admit when I first heard of Rally Cap I thought how silly it was to have three teams on the field and how would all that work,” says Schroeder, “but then we put it into effect I think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread for these little kids.”

For 2009, 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 2009 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 2009, 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.