News

OTTAWA – Baseball Canada announces that the Yorkton Minor Baseball Association in Saskatchewan has become the second minor baseball association in Canada and first in Saskatchewan to meet the Reaching Baseball Ideals (RBI) criteria.

“This is a feather in the cap,” confirms Brian Trollope of the YMBA.  “This shows our community and our surrounding communities that grassroots baseball is important.”

The YMBA has incorporated the Rally Cap program for the upcoming 2009 season and according to Trollope, it is the missing piece of the puzzle for the association.

“When we were at the Baseball Canada meetings, it really came to light that (the Rally Cap program) is what our young coaches have been wanting for so long.”

Yorkton Minor Baseball already asks their coaches to complete the initiation level of the NCCP and that all Rep level coaches comply with the proper certification as per Baseball Canada.

Also, the association has implemented Pitch Count form the Mosquito to Bantam levels and have a continually growing enrolment of girls playing baseball in the region.

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.