Lunenburg Youth Baseball & Softball (LYBS) will provide a positive atmosphere to provide our children with opportunities to grow into excellent community members through the play of baseball and softball. All members of the LYBS community have a role to play in creating this positive atmosphere. Our expectations are that everyone involved will model and encourage our athletes to be hard working, dedicated, gracious in winning, and losing, and overall, a good teammate.

Please read the Parent’s Code of Conduct below and review the Player’s Code of Conduct with your child. All players, coaches, parents, and spectators will be held to the Code of Conduct below.



PLAYERS WILL:

1. Always display good sportsmanship and team-play, no matter what the situation or score may be.
2. Respect your coaches and umpires who are in authority, following their direction and encouragement, with a good attitude.
3. Respect all players, league officials, umpires, and spectators.
4. Make every attempt to be on time and ready to play for all games and practices.
5. Keep language encouraging and age appropriate. Do not use abusive or profane language.
6. Embrace healthy competition which does not include taunting or humiliating any other player.
7. Do not question an umpire’s call. Your coaches will always be the one to have respectful conversations with the umpires.
8. NOT abuse, mistreat, or mishandle any LYBS equipment or property (e.g., throwing batting helmets, leaving trash in the dugouts/field)



COACHES WILL:

1. Be positive role models.
2. Display and instill in players the principles of good sportsmanship and team play.
3. Conduct themselves in a manner that best serves the interests of the players.
4. Do their best to provide the players a positive experience.
5. Ensure that winning and/or losing teams do so in a manner which exhibits respect and good sportsmanship.
6. Treat all players, parents, spectators, and league officials with respect.
7. Provide instruction in a manner that is constructive and supportive, and not derogatory or demeaning.
8. Never ridicule or demean players, other coaches, umpires, parents, spectators, or league officials.
9. Never tolerate behavior that endangers the health or well-being of a child.
10. Teach the game of baseball to the best of their ability.
11. Be drug and alcohol free while at any LYBS event.
12. NOT use any tobacco products or e-cigarettes in the dugout, playing field or park.



Specifically, the code in conduct in regards to umpires is as follows:

1. Negative, derogatory, demeaning or insulting comments to an umpire, especially a junior umpire, won’t be tolerated and can lead to immediate suspension or dismissal. Complaints against coach behavior can be made at any time by any participant, spectator, or the umpire(s) to the league representatives. It’s advised to keep all communication with junior umpires to an absolute minimum even for what appears to be large errors in calls.
2. Comply with the calls and decisions of league officials and umpires on the field without argument and observe all rules, policy and procedure as established or endorsed by LYSB with the utmost respect and graciousness.
3. All disagreements needing more attention will be handled by communicating the my division coordinator, or those league representatives available to support the concern.
4. Official complaints about umpires, calls, rule disagreements can be made through league representatives after a game.
5. On field-rule disagreements can be discussed between head coaches and the umpires, but should be kept to a focus on the rule and not an argument or disagreement. Once the umpire has firmly decided the call, the coach must accept it and decide post-game follow-ups with league representatives if necessary.
6. Personal attacks on the umpires.



PARENTS AND SPECTATORS WILL:

1. Be positive role models by encouraging your child to maintain good sportsmanship when winning, losing, playing, or cheering from the bench.
2. Teach or reinforce the importance of being a team player including the proper way to handle disappointment, while still being a positive member of the team.
3. Conduct themselves in a manner that best serves the interests of the team and all the players.
4. Do their best at home to provide encouragement to their child to work on the game at home, practicing the things they have learned while with the team.
5. Make certain that their children show respect for all other players, coaches, officials, and spectators.
6. Never ridicule or demean players, coaches, umpires, or league officials in any public forum.
7. Agree to inform the coach of any disability or ailment that may affect the safety of their child.
8. Comply with the decisions of league officials. 
9. Support the rules, regulations and bylaws as established or endorsed by the LYBS.
10. NOT question an umpire’s call or call out to any umpire for any reason.
11. Never approach a coach immediately after a game to voice complaints or to offer advice. Reach out to coaches to voice your concerns the day after a played game to ensure respectful communication is offered at the proper time to be heard.
12. Be drug and alcohol free while at any LYBS event.
13. NOT use any tobacco products or e-cigarettes in the park.
14. Parents and spectators are expected to bring all complaints and concerns first to the head coaches of the respective team to try to resolve the issue. If it doesn’t get resolved, parents and spectators can bring complaints, concerns and disagreements to the league representatives to get the most positive results. An official complaint can be filed, or simple communication with the league can be started.