Coach's Season Guide

Before the Season Starts

Your season starts long before opening day. The coaches who run the best teams spend the off-season thinking about their roster, their practice philosophy, and their parent communication plan — so when kids show up for the first practice, there's a structure ready for them.

Get your roster early and reach out to families by email before the first practice. Introduce yourself, share the schedule, and set expectations around attendance, equipment, and volunteering. Parents who feel informed from day one are partners; parents who feel left in the dark become problems.

Review the LYB Bylaws — know the rules before someone challenges you on them
Set your practice schedule and share it immediately after roster assignments
Identify your assistant coaches and divide responsibilities (pitching coach, base coaches, lineup)
Order your equipment bag inventory — confirm balls, catcher's gear, and bats are accounted for
Survey your players on experience level so you can plan appropriate early practices

Running a Great Practice

The best practices are structured, move fast, and end on time. Kids disengage when they're standing around waiting. Plan every minute of your 90-minute practice on paper before you show up.

A proven structure: 10 minutes warm-up and throwing, 20 minutes fundamental station work (split players into 2–3 groups rotating through skills), 20 minutes team defense (infield/outfield, bunt coverage, rundowns), 30 minutes live batting practice or scrimmage work, 10 minutes recap and individual feedback.

Start on time — every time. It signals you take this seriously
Keep players moving. No drill should have more than 4 players waiting in line
End every practice with something fun — relay races, home run derby, a quick scrimmage
Recap with the team before dismissal: 1 thing done well, 1 thing to work on tomorrow
Never let a kid leave practice feeling worse about themselves than when they arrived

Note: Use the Practice Plan Templates resource for age-specific 90-minute practice outlines you can use as-is or adapt.

Communication with Parents

Parent communication is the most common source of coach frustration — and almost all of it is preventable with proactive updates.

LYB uses the built-in Parent Portal at lacrescentyouthball.org as the official communication channel for all teams. Log in to your coach account to send announcements, post schedule updates, and message your roster directly — parents receive notifications automatically when you post. You do not need to manage a separate group text or email chain.

The 24-hour rule is standard coaching practice: if a parent wants to discuss a playing time concern, they must wait 24 hours after the game. Agree on this at the first parent meeting, put it in writing, and hold the line.

Use the LYB Parent Portal (lacrescentyouthball.org) for all team announcements — every parent on your roster is connected automatically
Post a Sunday update every week during the season: upcoming schedule, what to bring, one highlight from last week
Post weather cancellations or field changes through the portal as soon as confirmed — parents are notified instantly
Hold a parent meeting in the first week of practice — set expectations in person, then direct parents to the portal for all future updates
Share your coaching philosophy early: development first, winning second
Never discuss another player's performance with a parent — only their own child

Note: All official team communication goes through the LYB Parent Portal — not personal email or group text. This keeps a record, ensures every parent gets the same message, and protects you as a coach.

Game Day Management

Arrive 45 minutes before game time. Use the first 20 minutes for infield/outfield warm-up, not standing around. Post your lineup before warm-ups end so players know their position and bat order.

LYB uses the web app scorer at lacrescentyouthball.org for official game scoring. Open it on your phone or tablet before first pitch. The scorer tracks batting order, positions, and pitch counts — and calculates rest days automatically. Parents can follow the live score through the Parent Portal without texting you for updates during the game.

Arrive 45 minutes early — set the tone with punctuality
Have your lineup posted before warm-ups end
Open the LYB web app scorer before first pitch — tracks batting order, positions, and pitch counts in one place
Assign one coach as scorer every game — pitch counts must be tracked accurately from pitch one
Rest-day calculations are automatic in the app — no manual math required between games
Parents follow the live score through the Parent Portal — no sideline text interruptions
Post-game 5-minute team huddle — always end on a positive

Note: The LYB web app scorer is the official record for game scores and pitch counts. Pitch count disputes are resolved using app data — paper scorebooks are not the official record.

Guide

How to run a great practice, communicate with parents, and manage your team throughout the season.

All Coaching Resources

Related Resources

Practice Plan Templates Heat Index Policy LYB Official Bylaws

Access your team roster, lineups, and player stats in the coach portal.

Coach Login