Goals & Policies

Headfirst Baseball Team Goals

• To challenge each student-athlete at levels he or she has yet to experience athletically, while simultaneously giving each boy the best, most fun athletic experience he or she has ever had.
• To develop and push each player to the limit of his or her baseball potential and help him or her realize his or her dreams in the game.
• To develop a style of play that is unique to Headfirst Baseball — a “Gamer” style of play that emphasizes effort over outcome and the “we” over the “I”.
• To aid in the emotional and personal development of each of our players — to help them understand the importance of commitment, the value of thinking outside of themselves and taking responsibility for their own actions, and developing a work ethic.

Headfirst Gamers Rules, Policies & Procedures

Please note that some of these rules and policies are relaxed for players at our younger levels.

A) Commitment

One of the greatest lessons we can teach our players is a proper sense of commitment. We expect that playing for the players will be a substantial commitment of time and resources – one that we expect to match with our commitment to developing each ballplayer. We also know that many of our ballplayers are heavily committed to school activities and other extracurriculars – and we support these things. We expect team commitments to be a priority over most other things in each boy’s life – and as a result he will likely miss dances, sleepovers, other sports and some family engagements during the season. This commitment level will increase as the ballplayers get older and rise through the ranks of our program.

Travel team players: please see the Headfirst Gamers Baseball Absence Policy for more information.

B) Timeliness

We will emphasize to our Gamers the importance of being on time for practices and games but realize that, in most cases, the boys will not be driving themselves and that the demands placed on parents and carpools are enormous. Gamers will be asked to be ready when their feet hit the ground at practice and games (especially when late). Boys or girls who are late yet stroll in with shoes untied and shirt tails un-tucked will be considered in violation of Gamers rules.

C) Communication

We feel it is extremely important that each Gamer communicate directly to his coaches whenever possible. Gamers OF ALL AGES will be expected to communicate issues involving missed practices or games, team-related topics, uniform problems, etc. directly to his coaches. The chain of command for dealing with issues is as follows:

• Player speaks to assistant or head coach
• Player speaks to Gamers Director Brendan Sullivan
• Parents speak to assistant or head coach
• Parents speak to Gamers Director Brendan Sullivan

While the lines of communication between families and our coaching staff will remain open on virtually any topic, any issue related to playing time or position playing MUST be dealt with by the player only. Parents are not, under any circumstances, to discuss or approach these issues with coaches.

It is our hope in setting these policies that our players take the onus of communicating directly with their coaching staff to continue learning the concepts of accountability and responsibility – and that they grow more comfortable speaking with adults, especially about uncomfortable subjects.

D) Our Positive Culture

We are extremely proud of the positive culture we have created around our program. We will have a ZERO tolerance policy regarding negativity of any kind towards umpires, our players or opposing players.

E) Uniforms

As our seasons approach, we will deal with the purchase and distribution of our Gamers uniforms. At practice, each Gamer will be required to wear black socks, white and black pinstripe baseball pants, a black baseball belt, a practice t-shirt, a Gamers hat and baseball cleats or spikes if he owns them. For games, the practice t-shirt will be replaced by a jersey. We feel it is important that our players wear their uniform properly and treat it with respect – and take responsibility for their own equipment. Uniform violations (forgotten or misplaced items) may result in extra conditioning work at practice (for violators and their teammates) as well as a reduction in playing time. The same will hold for gloves and/or bats left behind at practices or games.

F) Games

During games, we ask that the dugout and surrounding areas be for players and coaches only. Please provide your ballplayer with all he or she needs before the game and allow us our time with them. Gamers will carry their own equipment bags (regardless of the size) at all times. Seemingly innocent interactions between ballplayers and parents/fans often disrupt the team concept we are trying to create. Gamers will be allowed to check in with families in between games of doubleheaders and we will ENCOURAGE them to engage during the rides home from games. We will almost always invite parents to listen to our post-game talks.

In the Gamers program, parents will be parents and fans only. Our professional staff will take care of the coaching. There will be no coaching from the stands allowed. We consider it immaterial whether the coaching tips are correct or incorrect – all tips (whether whispered or yelled) are considered against the rules. We are very aware of the danger of over-coaching and cannot possibly correct every mistake we see on the field. Parents are welcome to ask questions about something their son or daughter is doing or should be working on – but these questions should never be asked during practices or games. Questions after games or practices are always welcome.

We will also have rules during games that will apply to our ballplayers. These rules will be announced to them at the beginning of the season and made very clear. We will enforce these rules strictly – but positively. We will have little or no tolerance for:

• communication problems dealing with missed practices or games
• uniform violations
• failure to sprint on and off the field in between innings
• failure to sprint through first base on balls hit into play
• throwing equipment
• negativity of any kind to umpires or opponents

Violation of these rules will often result in a loss of playing time and sometimes immediate removal from a game.

G) Academics

In the Headfirst Gamers Program, academic pursuits always should be looked upon as more important than athletics.

The Gamers Directors are well aware of the importance of school work and maximizing one’s academic potential. Gamers coaches have been hired, among other reasons, because they were able to achieve, through academic hard work and dedication, the title of student-athlete at each academic grade level. Academics allow all of us the opportunity to play baseball, not the other way around. Every season, Gamer players are continually challenged to study harder and increase their attention and dedication level to homework assignments and classroom participation. This is accomplished each season with the occasional requirement that all Gamers share their report cards/evaluation reports with the Headfirst coaches. While of course these reports are kept private, the Gamers Directors feel strongly that each player understands his or her coaches’ demand for hard work both on and off the playing field.

Throughout their experiences with the Gamers, players will be challenged to put forth extra energy and concentration on the baseball diamond and in the classroom. Gamers coaches will often “check in” and advise players that require a little extra support academically. We believe that being a Gamer involves a commitment of effort and attitude on and off the baseball field.