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Countdown to REGISTRATION CUT-OFF (Feb 28/10)

 REGISTRATION INFO

 

REGISTRATION HAS BEGUN FOR THE 2010 SEASON AND TO GUARANTEE YOUR SPOT, YOU MUST REGISTER BEFORE MARCH 1ST.

 

BLASTBALL (MONDAYS)            born in 2005/06           $40

T-BALL (MON/WED)                      born in 2003/04          $60

ROOKIE (TUES/THURS)                born in 2001/02          $70

MOSQUITO (MON/WED)              born in 1999/00          $100

PEE WEE (TUES/THURS                born in 1997/98          $100

BANTAM (MON/WEDS)                born in 1995/96          $120

MIDGET (TUES/THURS)               born in 1992/93/94     $120

 

Post dated cheques(June 30, 2010) for uniform deposit ($100) and volunteer fee ($100/family) are required at time of registration.

Receipts will be mailed out for fees paid

Registration forms available at:

Happy’s Source for Sports  9:00am-5:30pm Monday - Saturday

CRA Lewis Centre               8:30am-8:45pm Monday – Friday

                                                 8:30am-Noon & 1:15pm-3:45pm Sat

                                                 1:30pm-5:30pm & 6:15pm-8:30pm Sun

Comox Rec Centre               7:00am-9:00pm Monday – Friday

                                                 9:00am-3:00pm Saturday & Sunday

You can download the form from our website and drop off at any

of the above locations.

 

PARKSVILLE ROYALS HOLDING TRYOUTS IN COMOX

 

Yes, the weather says spring, but summer is right around the corner, and it is baseball season once again.  The Parksville Royals Premier Baseball Club is taking their pre-season training outdoors after being sequestered to the indoor gym for the past two months.

The Royals will be fielding two teams again this year - the Senior team is comprised of players in grades 10, 11 and 12 and the Junior team is comprised of  grade 9 and 10 players.  They both play a 44 game regular season schedule throughout the province, with an additional 10 to 15 games of exhibition and tournament play between March and August.  The teams are comprised of players from all over the North Island, with players returning from Campbell River, Comox Valley, Powell River, Qualicum/Parksville and Port Alberni.   This is some of the best baseball in Canada, with recent Royals grads Paul Barton, Taylor Green and Carter Bell being drafted into the MLB, while the league itself has produced such MLB stalwarts as Justin Morneau and Jeff Francis.

 

Outdoor training and tryouts start right here in the Comox Valley at Highland fields in Comox beginning on Saturday March 7th from 12 - 3 pm and again on Sunday, March 8th at the same times. Be prepared for a full workout, in full gear.  Tuesday and Wednesday March 9th and 10th we practise at Springwood Park in Parksville, with the first exhibition double-headers the following weekend.  Regular mid-week practises/tryouts continue on March 16, 17 and 18th in Parksville, with exhibition games scheduled for both the weekends of March 20 and 21st and March 27th and 28th.  Season league openers for both teams are April 10th.

 

If you are interested in playing the best 18u baseball in Canada this season, join us at Highl and Fields in Comox on Saturday March 7th!

 

For more information about the Parksville Royals Premier Baseball Club, please contact Head Coach Dave Wallace at 250-248-2351 or dwallace12@shaw.ca.

 

COACHING SUPER CLINIC TO BE HELD IN NANAIMO

 

On March 19-21st, 2010, Nanaimo Minor Baseball, in conjunction with Big League Experience, will be holding a spring Superclinic for players and coaches at Dover Bay Secondary School in Nanaimo (6135 McGirr Road, Nanaimo).  This is an opportunity for coaches who have not yet received their NCCP qualifications, to do so.  The initiation and regional coaching certification modules will be held during this clinic (at a cost of $50 per module, payable to Baseball BC).  This clinic is also open to any coaches that would like to 'brush up' on their coaching skills!  Instruction will be by former MLB players, scouts and highly qualified individuals.  For further information, please go to the Big League Experience website at http://www.bigleagueexperience.com/clinics/.

Tentative instructors are: 

 

Chris Pritchett  - A former big league player with the California Angels, Anaheim Angels and Philadelphia Phillies.  Chris went on to be a hitting coach in the Oakland A's organization and is presently a strength and conditioning coach

with Twist Conditioning.

Brandon Newell  - Scout for Milwaukee Breweres and former pitcher for the NY Mets Organization.  All PAC 10 player                                         with the University of Washington

 

Marty Lehn  - Owner and Director of the BLE Camps and Tournaments, a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers and coached the Canadian Olympic Team at the 2004 Olympics, as well as numberous assignments with Team Canada and Team B.C. 

 

Brent Crowther - Canadian National Team pitcher and former pitcher for the Colorado Rockies

                                       

Details for the Nanaimo clinic are being finalized as we speak, but will be similar to the schedule for the South Surrey Opening Day Clinic on the website.  I can tell you that the Sat/Sun BLE clinic for coaches will be $100; and that the Initiation Module will be on Friday evening; with the regional modules on Saturday and Sunday.

 

The players' clinics tentative schedule will be: Elite (15+) Player Pitcher/Catcher session Friday evening @ $50   ages 9-10 both days   @ $70 total ages 11-13 both days @ $90 total ages 13-15 both days @ $90 total ages 15+ Elite Hitting session (Saturday only) @ $50

                 

ALL PLAYERS' WHO ATTEND THE CLINICS WILL ALSO RECEIVE A SUPERB T-SHIRT (INCLUDED)

 

CVBA FEELING THE EFFECTS OF LOSS OF GAMING FUNDS

 

Last September, a lot of Community Sports, Recreation and Societal Organizations were hit with the announcement that the Gaming and Bingo Funds in which they rely heavily on, were in danger of drying up. Luckily for some organizations, they were on a three year contract with the gaming organizations so they would still receive their 2009 funding. Comox Valley Baseball(CVBA) was one of these organizations.

Each year of the contract saw the grant diminish as the funding has fallen 42% over a five year period. It was reported in the media at the time that the CVBA foresaw a $50/player increase to compensate for a total loss of funding. Further studies have been made and it's now determined that should the CVBA receive no future gaming funds, that an overall fee hike of 100% will be required to compensate for the loss. The discussion of how to make up for this loss of funding took up most of the January Executive meeting and it was decided that they would implement half of the increase to cushion the blow in hopes that some form of gaming funding will be forthcoming in the fall of 2010.

The CVBA has long prided itself in having the lowest registration fees in the Province. In the past, these fees along with Team Sponsorships took care of all uniform, equipment, and Umpires costs. They also provided the funds for player/coaches BC Minor Affiliation fees, which will total in the neighbourhood of $4000 in 2010(based on 2009 Registration). These affiliation fees include the player/coaches insurance which is provided through Baseball BC and the Baseball BC affiliation fees which are $7/player in 2010. It also took care of expenses for Coaches taking NCCP Baseball Coaching Courses, and year end wind-ups/trophies. The Cardinal Rep Program fees would cover entry fees and uniform costs for Cardinal Rep Teams. Gaming funds which are restricted in use, would then be used for capital projects such as score booth/equipment shed for Bill Moore Park, new fences for Aspen/Bill Moore Parks and tractors for raking fields etc. CVBA has also contributed to a new ball diamond at Highland and roofs for dugouts at Aspen Park and is scheduled to contribute to a new backstop at Comox Rec. Electrical bills are also paid for at Bill Moore Field by the CVBA.

Rising equipment and uniform costs along with the loss in some sponsorship fees due to the recession, would have necessitated a raise in registration fees regardless of the loss in gaming funds. The CVBA as mentioned above needs this extra funding to take care of it's off field needs. Unfortunately, faced with the loss of gaming funds, the CVBA had no choice but to raise it's fees. Fortunately, they've been able to keep the costs down for so long, that they'll still have one of the lowest registration fee structures in the Province.

 

CALLING ALL PROSPECTIVE CARDINALS REP COACHES!!!!!!

THE CVBA IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ALL CARDINAL HEAD COACHING POSITIONS FOR THE 2010 REP BASEBALL SEASON. 

YOU CAN FIND THE DOWNLOADABLE COACHES APPLICATION ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THIS PAGE.  GO TO HANDOUTS FOR THE LINK!!!

FORWARD ALL APPLICATIONS TO THE CARDINALS REP DIRECTOR AT cgkenny@shaw.ca NO LATER THAN THE 15TH OF FEBRUARY 2010.  APPLICANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS A CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THESE POSITIONS.  APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED FOR FURTHER INTERVIEWS AFTER THIS DATE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT CHRIS KENNY AT cgkenny@shaw.ca

 

 

NEW HELMET RULES FOR 2009

DUE TO MANY HEALTH CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, AS OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS SEASON, ALL PLAYERS MOSQUITO AGE AND OVER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING THEIR OWN BATTING HELMETS. 

DUE TO THIS CHANGE OF RULES, CVBA IS MAKING A ONE TIME PURCHASE OF HELMETS THAT THEY WILL SELL AT THE EXTREMLY LOW COST OF $12.00.  PLAYERS WILL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THESE DURING THEIR DIVISION'S UNIFORM NIGHT.  THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE PLAYERS FROM PURCHASING THEIR OWN HELMETS FROM OTHER SOURCES IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

RALLY CAP ARTICLE

the following is an article about the Rally Cap Program taken from the Website, "ourbigearth.com" date February 2009

KidSports - Big Fun, Build Skills with New T-Ball

Posted by Guest Columnist on February 13th, 2009 

Editor’s Note: Good Morning! It may be still be Winter, but all signs point to sunshine and outside fun - including T-BALL REGISTRATION, which begins Monday morning (Feb. 16) at the Lewis Centre, Comox Rec and Happy ’s Source for Sports (on Sixth in Courtenay).

That also means there couldn’t be a better time to talk shop about the game with Comox Valley Baseball Association president Steve McNamee.

The evolution of the sport in the Comox Valley has led local organizers to change the way things are done - fewer players on a team, more focus on skills, community and sportsmanship - all in the name of giving kids of all skill levels the chance to have a great time on the ball field and learn some skills in the process.

Sports are an intricate part of a child’s development and a dominant factor in health, social skills and general well-being. But, all sports are not created the same, or are for every kid. Finding the balance, the dynamic and the skills that suit your child’s sensibility can be challenging.

KidSports is here to offer some perspective, let you peek into the workings of sports programs in the Valley and give you some extra tools to make sure that sports and healthy activities are lifelong - and loved - for your family.

Here’s Steve:

I don’t know about you, but when I see that Major League Baseball starting Spring training, my thoughts turn to ball caps, seventh-inning stretches and Summer nights at the ball park.

I have visions of the sun shining on the field, kids running, throwing, catching and hitting balls…small kids playing in the dirt, eating dandelions and staring at the sky.

I love baseball. But, the much younger, attention-span-deficient crowd is more than likely playing T-Ball - which, in the past, has evoked visions of a 6-year-old standing in left field picking his nose.

The Comox Valley Baseball Association has changed all of that!

Last year CVBA introduced a new program to help ramp up the excitement factor of T-ball - the Rally Cap Program.

Designed to combine the best teaching tools from other sports like Martial Arts (by using a color coded system) and hockey (coaches are supplied with binders full of drills and ideas to teach skill sets), this new version of an old favourite offers kids the chance to play EVERY time they get on the field and pick up the key skills that, if they want, will turn them into baseball players with a solid foundation.

Here’s how the program works;

 

- At the start of the year each player will be given a White cap. There are six levels of skill and each is represented by a different colored cap.
- To earn the next color up, a player passes a skills test based on the skills that they practice during a skill development period each time they are on the field. For example, in order to graduate from a White cap to a Gray cap, each player must be able to: throw a ball a distance of 5 feet, catch a ball from 5 feet, be able to hit a ball off a tee, know which direction to run after hitting the ball, know the team’s name, coaches name and be able to name three teammates. As they progress through the ranks of this program, the skills get more challenging, but also progressively more fun.
- Here’s the cool part: teams only have six players - one for each infield position - which means each kid gets a great chance at the ball during a game.
- Three teams are scheduled per T-ball diamond and while two teams are playing a regular game the third will be working on skills (no one is sitting around with that finger up their nose). Then, the teams rotate. So, the kids play two games per session and log some solid skill-building time too.
- Players are taught proper techniques and every child gets personal attention.

 

It’s all non-competitive and all about encouragement, self-confidence and building a base.

When kids are able to play a sport this way, building their skills and learning how to be a strong link for a team, the benefits are overwhelming.

For the players, that sense of accomplishment and friendships built through working together not only helps them grow as a player, they often play for a much longer time frame.

For coaches, they also build their skills, finding confidence in teaching kids how to play the sport without necessarily knowing it inside and out. The CVBA gives coaches everything they need - right down to techniques, training and other tools - to make sure they can be the best and progress with their teams.

At the end when a player has earned that coveted red hat, he or she is a baseball player - ready to hit the ball park with a solid skill set and a love for a game that was fun, exciting and able to keep their short attention span plugged in long enough to allow them to gain the fundamentals that make baseball an unbeatable game.

No nose picking involved.

As I always say “everyday is a great day for baseball”!

 

NEW PITCH COUNT RULES

BC MINOR HAS ADOPTED NEW PITCH COUNT RULES FOR THE 2010 SEASON. 

RULE 23.01

DIVISION		SPRING SEASON		SUMMER SEASON
MOSQUITO		1-20 PITCHES = NO REST		1-30 PITCHES = NO REST
		21-30 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST		31-40 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST
		31-45 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST		41-55 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST
		46-55 PITCHES = 4 NIGHTS REST		56-65 PITCHES = 4 NIGHTS REST
		56-70 PITCHES = 5 NIGHTS REST		66-80 PITCHES = 5 NIGHTS REST
		90 PITCHES MAX IN A WEEK		90 PITCHES MAX IN A WEEK
PEE WEE A		1-45 PITCHES = NO REST		1-55 PITCHES = NO REST
		46-65 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST		56-80 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST
		66-85 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST		81-95 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST
PEE WEE AA		1-35 PITCHES = NO REST		1-45 PITCHES = NO REST
& AAA		36-55 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST		46-65 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST
		56-75 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST		66-85 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST
BANTAM		1-35 PITCHES = NO REST		1-45 PITCHES = NO REST
		36-65 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST		46-75 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST
		66-85 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST		76-95 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST
MIDGET		1-46 PITCHES = NO REST		1-50 PITCHES = NO REST
		46-65 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST		51-75 PITCHES = 2 NIGHTS REST
		66-100 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST		76-115 PITCHES = 3 NIGHTS REST

YES WE KNOW PEE WEE A CAN THROW MORE PITCHES THAN AA/AAA AND NEEDS LESS REST THAN MIDGET (55/50)  THAT IS THE WAY BC MINOR WANTS IT

PITCHES IN WARM-UP, RULED A BALK OR NO PITCH WILL NOT BE COUNTED AS PITCHES.  A PITCHER IS ALLOWED TO EXCEED THE DAILY PITCHING LIMIT TO FINISH OFF THE CURRENT BATTER.  A PITCHER MAY NOT PITCH ON 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS EXCEPT DURING BCMBA SANCTIONED TOURNAMENTS OR PROVINCIALS. 

OUR SPONSORS

Thank-you for all your support for the 2009 Season!

Re/Max Realty	Lube-X	Western One	Drewry Electric
Comox Valley Dodge	Slegg Lumber	Piercy's Funeral Home	CV Echo
Ambassador Shuttle	Anco Motel	Engrave It	Pateman & Company
TC Valley Collision	R Williams Realtor	Ocean Estates Dev	Happy's Source for Sports
Brazen HiTec	Cumberland Dist CU	Sunlife	Investor's Group
CV Record	Budget Blinds	Canada Safeway	Deluca Veale Inv Grp
Dairy Queen	Peak Drilling	Thrifty Foods	Courtenay Mazda

THE OPERATION OF THE COMOX VALLEY BASEBALL ASSOCIATION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE BC LOTTERY CORPORATION THROUGH LOCAL BINGO PROCEEDS