Respond to injuries
Stop play when needed, follow emergency procedures, notify the family, and report every injury to league leadership within 24 hours.
Coach’s playbook
Teach the Game. Grow the Player.
Good coaching is equal parts preparation, encouragement, safety, and care for the game. This checklist gives every Santa Su coach the same starting lineup.
Before first practice
A prepared coach builds a better season
Santa Su coaches are volunteers entrusted with player development, safety, sportsmanship, and the daily tone of a team. The expectation is simple: arrive ready, teach patiently, communicate clearly, and put young players first.
Requirements and local rules can change. League-issued instructions for the current season always govern this page.
Opening checklist
Five plays before you take the field
Complete each step through the current league process; do not rely on files saved from an earlier season.
Raise your hand
Share your interest and coaching experience with the volunteer team. Team assignments and openings depend on the season.
Complete clearance
Finish the league-directed Live Scan and background-check process before working with players.
Finish annual training
Complete the current concussion, sudden-cardiac-arrest, and abuse-prevention courses assigned by the league.
Review the rule set
Read the current MLB foundation, PONY exceptions, and Santa Su local rules for your division before practices or games begin.
Meet your support team
Connect with your assistant coaches, team parent, division leadership, scorekeeping support, and field contacts.
Rules hierarchy
Know which book is making the call
More specific youth and local guidance supplements the rules beneath it.
FoundationOfficial Baseball Rules published by MLB.
Youth playPONY Baseball rules and division-specific exceptions.
Local playCurrent Santa Su local rules, procedures, and game-day direction.
Pitching is a shared safety job
- Follow the current division limits and required rest, even when a player appears on another team.
- Track every pitch accurately and communicate totals with the opposing coach and scorekeeper.
- Watch for fatigue, pain, or changed mechanics; player wellbeing comes before finishing an inning.
- Use Pitch Smart as health guidance while following any stricter PONY or Santa Su rule.
Care & reporting
Protect players and leave the field ready
Safety work continues after the final out.
Use approved fields
Practice only at fields assigned or approved by the league. Never assume an open-looking field is available.
Finish the field
Follow league care instructions, secure equipment, clean the dugout, and report damage or unsafe conditions promptly.
Authoritative resources
Start from the source
These national resources support coach education; league-issued requirements and local rules remain controlling.
MLB official rules
The foundation for play before youth-program and local exceptions are applied.
Open MLB rulesPONY rulebooks
PONY Baseball rules and youth-program exceptions. Use the edition assigned for the current season.
Visit PONY rulebooksPitch Smart
Age-based workload, pitch-count, rest, and healthy-arm guidance from MLB and USA Baseball.
Review Pitch SmartCDC HEADS UP
Current concussion education and online training resources for youth-sports coaches.
Visit CDC HEADS UPSafeSport courses
Abuse-prevention education for coaches, volunteers, parents, and youth-sports organizations.
Explore SafeSport coursesSanta Su forms and documents
These are issued by the league rather than a national body. Requirements change between seasons, so use the current league instructions if they differ from anything linked here.
- Santa Susana Baseball Live Scan formTake this to a Live Scan facility before working with players.
- Surepass Live Scan locationsCalifornia DOJ list of nearby fingerprinting sites.
- Accident / injury report formTell the President or Secretary immediately through the manager GroupMe, submit this form within 24 hours, then email info@santasu.com to confirm.
- Santa Susana Baseball field maintenance guideHow Santa Su expects fields to be prepared and closed out.
- Video: infield dragging and lip prevention
- Video: mound and home plate repairs
- PONY pitch count worksheetPrint one per game to track counts for both teams.
- PONY National Rulebook (2025 edition)Confirm the current season's edition before the first practice.
- Tournament pitching record (2025 edition)All-Star and tournament play.
Next at bat
Want to coach at Santa Su?
Introduce yourself, share the division or age group you are interested in, and ask for the current coaching checklist.