The Shakopee Youth Baseball Association will once again have Free Fall Baseball this fall for kids grades 1-4 who are interested in playing. This is a great time for kids who are new to the game to understand how to play, and a way for experienced players to continue playing in the fall. Here are the details:

Fall Program Details

• Free Fall Baseball will be offered for our Mite and Little League age players, grades 1st – 4th.

• Sessions will be conducted by grade, so all 1st-graders will be together, etc. This is to ensure the safety of each player, as well as provide a level playing field for kids at different experience levels.

• Each session will be 90 minutes long.

• The sessions will be offered on Saturday afternoons for 4 weeks, beginning Saturday, September 10 and running through Saturday, October 1.

• The sessions will entail coaches working with the kids on fundamentals, and then having a mini-game at the end.

• There will not be pre-selected teams. Coaches will sort players into teams during each session. This is an informal way to get kids playing.

• There will be no uniforms provided. It is recommended that players wear baseball cleats (not metal) and baseball pants, but it is not required.

• Each player should provide their own bat, glove, and baseball helmet. We will have all of these things to give away to kids who need them. This equipment is free, and players can keep them after the fall sessions.

Locations

Field locations and times will be determined after registration. Fields will be assigned based on number of registrations at each grade level.

Coaches

In order to have sessions at each grade level, we need parents to volunteer to coach. This will entail getting the kids warmed up, practicing drills, and facilitating games. During registration, you will be able to sign up to coach.

Registration

Registration is available here. The program is free, but each player must sign up to attend the sessions. This will give us a count of players, and determine which field they will play on, how many coaches needed, etc.

We look forward to having your child play baseball with us this fall. It will be a great time to gain new skills and continue playing later in the year. If you have any questions, please contact Rod Hicks (hicksr2002@gmail.com) or Brian Heil (brianrheil87@gmail.com).

Parents,

Thank you for registering for our Free Fall Baseball program. This was a great session for us last year, and the kids had a lot of fun. Each session will last 90 minutes, with 45 minutes of practice and a 45- minute scrimmage. There will not be set teams during the session, but the coaches will break kids out evenly to create teams. Details of the program are below:

Dates

Saturday Sept 10: 2:00-3:30 PM

Saturday Sept 17: 2:00-3:30 PM

Saturday Sept 24: 2:00-3:30 PM

Saturday Oct 1: 2:00-3:30PM

Locations

1st grade: Tahpah Park, fields TBD (1490 Adams St. South). Please park in the back lot by fields 6 and 7.

2nd grade: Muenchow Field 1 (155 Fuller Street, behind the Community Center)

3rd grade: Muenchow Field 2 (155 Fuller Street, behind the Community Center)

4th/5th grade: Muenchow Field 3 (155 Fuller Street, behind the Community Center)

Equipment

Each player should bring a helmet, glove, and baseball bat. We are having a community baseball equipment drive, and there will be some equipment available at the fields on the first day that kids can have for free, based on equipment availability.

Coaches

We rely heavily on coaches to make the sessions run smooth. We would like to have 5-6 coaches per age group to make sure the kids are staying engaged and are being safe. If you are interested in being a coach, please reach out to Rod Hicks (hicksr2002@gmail.com) or Brian Heil (brianrheil87@gmail.com). You do not have to make a full-time commitment. If you can only make some of the sessions, we can still use your help. We will be sending out practice plans to the coaches that they can use as guidance, so you don’t have to be an experienced coach to participate. We appreciate your help in making this a great experience for the kids.

Thanks again for registering your child to play baseball with us this Fall. We look forward to seeing them develop and have fun, and get an early start on the Summer 2023 baseball season.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the SYBA Baseball Swap Meet.

Supporting these events helps support Legion Baseball!

• Every Wednesday night is Burger Night at the Legion
• First Friday of every month is a Steak Fry at the Legion (Fish Fry during Lent)

1266 1st Ave E, Shakopee, MN

Traveling Teams Weather Updates - communicate with your coach

In the event of bad weather, the decision to cancel games and the method of communication are as follows:

1.  If games are canceled before 4:30 pm, the weather hotline (952-233-9502) and SYBA website (www.shakopeeyouthbaseball.com on the “Rainouts?” page) will list games as cancelled.
2.  If weather changes between 4:30 and 5:30 pm and games are canceled only the SYBA website will be updated.  Coaches are encouraged to inform players who may not have access to the website.
3.  Should weather change after 4:00 pm and result in conditions not suitable for baseball the COACHES for the two teams will jointly make the decision to cancel the game.  Coach should inform their players.

This applies to the following levels:

In House

• Mini-Mites
• Mighty Mites
• Little League

Community League - Home Games only

• Minor League
• Valley League
• Sr Valley League
• HS Community League

Check with your coach to find out the status of Community League away games

We are excited to be playing baseball again, but please remember (so we can keep playing): If you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, it’s your responsibility to self-quarantine for 14 days. If out in public, wear a mask, wash hands, & stay 6 ft apart.