TRAVEL TEAM POLICY
East Side's Board of Directors fully supports travel baseball as an option for current ESBA families to participate in this higher level of competition. With crowded field availability at Fullers Park, the board must manage the travel program in a manner that is fair to travel teams but also not discriminatory to the majority from the host in-park leagues. Both programs are treated as fairly and equally as possible with respect to team selection, field use and financial resources.
Travel Committee: Stacey De Martini (travel chair)
The Travel Committee is responsible to the board for day-to-day oversight and management of ESBA travel teams. The Travel Committee approves travel team player rosters, overseas tryout communication, regulations, and coordination, and ensures that travel policy is followed. The Travel Committee Chair is responsible for travel team communications and will refer issues to the full Board when appropriate, including the initial approval of a travel team and coach.
Travel Teams:
ESBA Bylaws must be followed, in particular Structure and Conduct Bylaws.
ESBA Board approves head coaches, considering Travel Committee recommendations.
Rosters are approved by the Travel Committee if conforming to policy.
A person may not submit a travel application for more than one team.
Coach or parent misconduct may result in removal of such coach or parent from the team.
Team names must be approved by the Travel Committee and include “East Side” (example: “East Side Raiders”).
May use ESBA Rec players for alternates or subs, with rec season being priority.
Players must be registered before working out with the team and coaches must submit background check forms within 14 days of joining a team.
If a travel team has a rec player rostered, the rec player cannot miss a regular season rec game to play in a travel game. The only exception is if the rec game was rescheduled because of rain/weather.
A rec player cannot miss a rec tournament game to play in a travel game. There are no exceptions for rescheduled games due to rain/weather.
If a rec player misses a rec game to play in a travel game (aside from the rain/weather exception listed above), the player is suspended from the next travel tournament.
Uniforms:
All team attire (practice jerseys, coach jerseys, player game jerseys, player game and practice hats, one-time “special jerseys and hats,” coaches hats, etc.) must have “East Side” prominently featured on the front of the jersey (hats must have the current “ES” logo on the front).
Prior to printing, all attire layouts must be approved by the travel chair.
Tryouts/Rosters:
Tryouts
Tryouts, if required, must be announced on the ESBA website at least 7 days in advance. First year travel teams must conduct tryouts; tryouts are optional for returning travel teams in their second and subsequent years.
Rosters
Once tryouts are held and the team is selected by the coach, the coach must submit the selected players to the travel chair for approval before notifying the players. Approval is needed to ensure that the roster is compliant with the rules stated below regarding non ESBA players. Teams are limited to the number of non-ESBA players on a roster:
Mustang (9-10): up to 3 outside players (any roster size) Bronco (11-12): up to 4 outside players (any roster size)
Pony/Colt (13-18): up to 4 outside players (any roster size), or Pony/Colt (13-18): up to 5 outside players with a minimum roster of 13.
Exceptions
Exceptions for adding a maximum of one additional player for all above categories will be considered on a case by case basis only. All exceptions requests shall be presented in writing to the travel chair and ultimately presented to the board for a vote.
Post-Selection
No team workouts, practices, scrimmages or games can be held unless each travel player is approved, registered with ESBA and paid (for insurance coverage for player, coach and board).
It is incumbent on the head coach to explain why players didn’t make the team.
Financial:
The player registration fee is $270 ($250 for 15U and up) per player, paid once per year. Travel and rec teams both receive practices in the fall and spring. Specific schedules to be announced closer to the start of each season once East Side receives confirmation of field space at Fullers and other county facilities.
Substitute travel players: $50 per non-East Side player, per tournament and must be registered on the ESBA website prior to playing the tournament (currently enrolled East Side rec or travel players are $0).
Fundraising:
Travel teams are able to fundraise for themselves, and academies are prohibited from mandating that a portion of the fundraising dollars are given directly to the academy. Academies may not prohibit their travel teams from holding their own fundraisers.
Contributions should be made payable to your team, not ESBA. ESBA does not remit such contributions back to the team due to IRS regulations pertaining to 501(c)3 organizations. Note: donations from companies or corporations don’t matter if you are a 501(c)3 – it’s a deduction as a business expense either way.
Travel team bank accounts may not be titled East Side Baseball or ESBA - must use team name (i.e. East Side Thunder is okay).
Banner Sponsors - travel teams may not solicit current ESBA sponsors.
Game Changer:
Travel teams must share their teams with the travel chair.
Practice Times:
During the off-season, travel teams may use fields any day. However, fields are normally closed for about 2 weeks in late summer for sod repair and 2-3 weeks in early November for infield re-seeding. Also, the county may turn off field lights during the winter. During the off-season, travel teams may use the fields based on their league’s practice schedule availability. Board reps are required to schedule practice time slots for travel/hybrid teams with the understanding that East Side is not under contract for the fields at that time and cannot remove anyone from fields.
Game/Field Contacts:
Baron Williams Fields
Dave Schorch Umpires 770 330 7162 [email protected]
Updated: 10/09; 9/16; 3/17;11/17; 2/18; 7/18; 4/21; 3/24
ESBA Travel Team Policy.pdf
HYBRID POLICY
Must meet these requirements -
- All hybrid coaches must apply through ESBA hybrid chair
- Hybrid coaches MUST coach a spring team
- All players MUST play or have previously played spring rec
- Practice time is NOT guaranteed
- Hybrid tournaments are not guaranteed during the rec season
- No tournaments are to be scheduled during rec playoffs
- If hybrid weekend tournaments want to be guaranteed, teams must budget in running a clinic with approved professional coaches for the rec league (bronco and mustang can work together) and work with hybrid chair to reserve the weekend(s)
- Team name and uniforms must be approved by hybrid chair
- Uniforms MUST meet the East Side bylaws or they will NOT be allowed. The guidelines are very simple and contain two specific items:
- New ES logo on the front of the hat and to be worn at every tournament
- The WORDS “East Side” prominently displayed on the FRONT of the jersey “East Side” must be a minimum 3 inches in height all the way across the chest
- Thunder and Lightning are reserved for summer all star teams only, not hybrids
- Existing East Side board approved logos are acceptable:
- Hurricanes, Cyclones, Tornadoes, Earthquakes and Fire
- Must register all tournaments under the name “East Side ________”
- Hybrid practices do not take priority over rec practices
- All pitch counts need to communicated with the hybrid chair and each players rec coach
BAT POLICY
For Shetland, Pinto, Mustang and Bronco, legal bats include all USSSA BPF 1.15 certified bats, USABat certified bats, wood bats, and BBCOR certified bats. There is no restriction on barrel size. For Shetland and Pinto, bat length must be under 30 inches. For Mustang, bat length must be under 32 inches. For Bronco, bat length must be under 33 inches.
See bat chart below for additional details:
Barrel Size | Certification Standard | Allowed for Spring/Fall |
2 ¼” | 1.15 BPF USSSA | Yes |
2 ¼” | USA Bat | Yes |
2 5/8” | USA Bat | Yes |
2 5/8” | 1.15 BPF USSSA | Yes |
2 5/8” | BBCOR | Yes |
2 ¾” | 1.15 BPF USSSA | Yes |
Pony
Drop 10 for USA Bat
Drop 5 for USSSA Bat
Colt
BBCOR -3
LEAGUE AGE POLICY
April 30th is the standard league age cutoff. The August 31* league age cutoff is East Side Baseball's optional "play up" date (with the exception of the Rookie League). This was put in place to give players the option of playing up with school age friends. The following should be considered if you choose to use this optional cutoff date:
- This does make them the youngest players in the league
- This disqualifies them from playing down in a summer tournament team
- You cannot change leagues after close of open registration
- You can change this choice in subsequent seasons
LIGHTNING POLICY
As soon as lightning is seen or heard, or if lightning is detected within 8 miles of the park using online weather apps, practice and competition should be suspended immediately. All players, coaches, umpires, officials and spectators should leave the field and seek shelter immediately. Move to a sturdy enclosed structure or a fully enclosed vehicle with the windows rolled up. Dugouts and pavilions DO NOT provide adequate protection from lighting. Safety is the number one consideration; common sense and good judgement should be used at all times. Parents dropping off unattended children should have a safety plan in place for their child. It is safe to head back to the field 30 minutes after the thunder and lightning have come to an end.
CONCUSSION POLICY
East Side Baseball Association (ESBA) recognizes that adolescent athletes are particularly vulnerable to the effects of concussions.
To comply with the passage of House Bill 284, and to ensure the ongoing safety of our youth athletes, ESBA has adopted the following protocols effective January 1, 2014:
- Prior to the beginning of each athletic season, an informational sheet emphasizing the risks of concussions shall be distributed to the parents/guardians of all youth athletes.
- Any youth athlete who participates in youth athletics and exhibits signs of a concussion must be removed from the game, practice, competition or tryout and be evaluated by a health care provider.
- Any youth athlete who is deemed by a health care provider as having sustained a concussion shall not be permitted to return to play until he/she receives clearance from a health care provider for a full or graduated return to play.
REFUND POLICY
Upon request of the player’s parent, the Registrar [email protected] will refund the registration fee of a withdrawn player as follows:
A full refund less $10 (to cover administrative costs) if the player withdraws by tryouts;
A 50% refund if the player withdraws by the 6th game of the season;
No refund if the player withdraws after the 6th game of the season.
HOLIDAY POLICY
Does East Side Schedule Around Religious Holidays?
East Side Baseball Association was founded by members of New Providence Baptist Church, but remains a secular community organization, not affiliated with or sponsored by any religious organization. It is not ESBA’s role to “honor” religious holidays or occasions, and should not be expected to avoid activities on religious holidays any more than any other area youth sports or secular organizations - schools, government, banks, the Atlanta Braves or Tech and Georgia football.
However, when multiple teams may potentially be missing players on certain special days, ESBA tries to schedule around days such as Easter Sunday and Jewish holidays. This is for practical reason, not for the purpose of honoring a religious observance, for which our large, diverse membership may have many during the year.
ESBA attempts to schedule around the playing dates affected by three Jewish holidays. However, when the holiday falls on a weekend, it can affect up to 75% of a league's games for that week, possibly causing permanent loss of games if not played, or severe disruption of the traditional schedule or pitching inning allowances. Inclement weather make-up games and high participation numbers can also affect days scheduled.
It is ESBA's position that any such scheduling efforts will maintain the full number of games normally and traditionally played each season, and that entire Saturdays will not be totally avoided, except for spring break. A limited number of weekend games will be scheduled on holidays - those that cannot be played on another day of the same week. Then, an attempt to avoid certain hours conflicting with worship services or special times of day will be made.
Most everyone misses a ball game on occasion - might be due to an illness, or a business commitment, or a wedding or a funeral. ESBA Playing Rules provide for teams to pick up fill-in players if short-rostered.
ESBA also schedules around Georgia Milestones and fall and spring breaks, SAT exams and receives numerous requests not to play on a variety of other days - other religious holidays, teacher work days, school field trips, band concerts, numerous graduations, competing sporting events, etc. Obviously, it would be difficult to conduct any semblance of a satisfactory baseball season for the majority if any and all requests were honored. The board and scheduling committee must consider each issue and its impact on the majority and the season's schedule, but remembering it's just kids playing baseball…
SOLICITATION AND PRIVACY POLICY
East Side Baseball Association recognizes that its sole purpose is to provide a quality program of youth baseball to the east Cobb community.
As a Federal 501(c)3 charitable organization, it is not appropriate for ESBA to solicit or collect funds for other charitable organization or causes. Additionally, the association cannot be in the position of favoring some and turning away numerous others.
ESBA accepts the responsibility to protect and maintain control over its members’ personal information maintained on its data bases. Use of member information is prohibited from any use for or by external organizations without express authorization of the ESBA President, and then only when directly related to ESBA business and within the anticipated interests of the membership. Such use may include notice of ESBA events such as registration, skills evaluations, travel team tryouts, camps and clinics for ESBA, or other such events clearly beneficial to all members.
It is intended that email communications from ESBA data bases to members be limited in frequency and degree of importance. Members should feel comfortable that their personal information held by ESBA will be respected and protected from inappropriate use. Board representatives and Commissioners must also follow these guidelines when communicating to members of their leagues. Communication to and among a league’s coaches are more open and frequent, but care must still be exercised in the appropriate use of ESBA information as described above.
ESBA Sponsors are not granted access to the member information, though Sponsors are not precluded from such access when in conjunction with an approved special program benefiting ESBA.
COVID POLICY
ESBA Policy Regarding Covid
ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
ESBA ZERO Tolerance Policy