charged conference or not ?

AnitanKS · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 19, 2002, 03:56pm

Hi all, I am a coach and am new to ASA. It's our first year in 10U. We're a new team but I brought several of my girls from a much more recreational league to this competitive one and am unsure on some rules even after pouring over the ASA rulebook. In between innings is the coach forbidden from being on the field? We're about 8 games into the season and we've played one USSSA tournament and all along while the pitcher throws her warm-up pitches I have been wandering onto the field to give the girls a last minute pep talk and assure them about where they should be positioned on the field etc. A couple of games ago after two innings the umpire informed my assistant coach at first base that I had been out for my two allowed defensive conferences and that I only had one more and I would have to take the pitcher out. I thought a conference was only charged if you asked for a suspension of play ??? I have been giving the girls their instructions from my side of the chalk line since then, but is this correct ? Thanks for your input. I have learned a lot here.
Anita

Roger Greene · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 19, 2002, 04:19pm

Quote:

Originally posted by AnitanKS
I thought a conference was only charged if you asked for a suspension of play ??? Anita

Anita,
Re USSSA (and Pony or Fed) you are correct. However, your team is alloted one minute from the time the third out is recorded to be ready for your pitcher to deliver to the batter. Have you been taking more than that time? If so the umpire could inform you that you are now taking a conference if you continue to delay play.

Having been a coach in the past, IMO by 10 & u players shouldn't need the coach on the playing field between innings. I've coached from 5&6 yoa to 16 yoa. By 10 yoa my girls only needed to see the line-up card on the fence to know where to go and what to do.

Roger Greene

Gulf Coast Blue · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 19, 2002, 05:02pm

As long as you don't delay the game.......you are OK

ASA allow 1 minute betweeen innings.......just make sure that you are NOT giving instruction beyond that point and you should be fine.

Joel

Larry · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 19, 2002, 11:39pm

Ha Anita! welcome to the Official Form. Yes, you are correct, how can you suspend play if this happen between inning?

AnitanKS · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 20, 2002, 12:46am

Quote:

Originally posted by Roger Greene
[By 10 yoa my girls only needed to see the line-up card on the fence to know where to go and what to do.

Roger Greene

Roger, I wish this were true of my whole team and it IS true of 80% of my players...they are awesome!! But I have one that's never played organized ball before and three that have played and still can't tell you where left is... they just are not in the same "league" so to speak as the rest of my players. Plus we came from a league that had four outfielders (not that that's any excuse). We are playing in 10U but I have eight 9 year olds, three 8 year olds and only one girl who is 10. The one who has never played before never shows up at practice either so I can't work with her... ok ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

Thanks for everyone's advice on this. I have never stayed out on the field past the five warm-up pitches, I get the heck off as soon as they announce that the throw is coming down to second... but I am sure we don't get out on the field and get the five pitches thrown in less than a minute. But I don't see anyone in the league doing that either. We'll have to work on that aspect.
Thanks again,
Anita

Del-Blue · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 20, 2002, 05:51am

Anita,

While it is true that there is a one minute time limit from the last out of one inning to the first pitch of
the next, it isn't enforced very often. There are a couple reasons I will enforce that rule.......The coach is being a pain all game, the team winning is trying to stall, and if the catcher or pitcher is just sitting on the bench and not moving to get on the field. In ASA, the batter is supossed to keep one foot in the batters box between pitches also, which I am also very lax on. These are rules to keep the game moving , and if it is needed, it will be enforced. With that said, there is nothing wrong with the coach being on the field between innings.

Bob

Dakota · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 20, 2002, 09:41am

All of the above are giving you some good input.

I just want to ask if the umpire had previously asked you to speed it up? If so, and you continued to coach between innings for several minutes (even if 5 pitches had not been thrown - after all, getting that done quickly is also your responsibility), he was just reaching the end of his rope, so to speak, and was trying to increase your incentive to get things moving.

When calling young kids ball, keeping the game moving is very important. Littly Lucy in right field has enough trouble keeping in the game instead of watching the butterflies without endless pauses. Keeping the game moving is not just a rule thing - it is also a keeping it fun and interesting thing.

Steve M · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 20, 2002, 10:28am

Something that none of us have mentioned yet, and I think most of us follow this practice. After any charged conference, I will tell a coach "That was your first conference, Coach." or words to that effect. I agree that as long as you have not delayed the game, there should not be a charged conference for what happens in between innings.

Steve M