FALLS CHURCH KIWANIS LITTLE LEAGUE

Player Safety While Coaching

Emergency Contact Information

Have the following emergency contact info with you at all league events:

Falls Church Police/Ambulance: 911

Kirsten Fatzinger, President: 703-232-5121 or [email protected]

Jeff Walker, Safety Officer: 703-412-7418 or [email protected]

Ellen Witherow, District Administrator: 703-356-9691

Child Protection

Ensuring the safety of our players is paramount. Please follow these rules to help protect our players:

Managers, coaches, umpires, and volunteers who interact with players must complete a volunteer form and pass a background check. Refer any coaches or volunteers who have not done so to the Volunteer Coordinator immediately at [email protected] and have them register as a volunteer on this website, where they can be verified.
Walk-on volunteers or helpers not related to a player on the team or to the coach/manager are not allowed.
Try to always have at least one other adult present if a volunteer is with a player.
Managers and coaches must ensure that each player is picked up before leaving a game or practice venue.

Environmental Factors

Stop play if it gets too dark, or lightning or thunder occur. Clear the field immediately, and do not return until you have not seen any lightning for 30 minutes. Remember that umpires have the final word on stopping or resuming a game due to lightning. Because lower levels typically have no umpire, managers and coaches must be responsible for the safety of player.

Field Care

Prior to practices or games, inspect the field you will be using. If the field is so wet that using it will risk injury to players or damage to the field, move to grassy sections (if they are playable) or cancel the practice or game.

Field care procedures

Gamechanger App Management

FCKLL's website now integrates with Gamechanger Team Manager. This allows coaches a new tool for scoring games, team communications, as well as photo sharing. The app dynamically updates your schedule and roster as changes are made through the season. For coaches in more competitive divisions, the app also allows (for a modest fee) stat keeping, which you have the option to use. It is your choice as to whether you elect to use the Gamechanger app. The FCKLL website has all the functionality required to manage your team -- the app merely gives you more options and most competitive divisions will find the added options create a richer team experience.

To import your team, please make sure to login to your Gamechanger account with the same email as your FCKLL registration and find your team. It’s that easy. Learn more about how to integrate the app with your FCKLL account here.

Available for iOS and Android.

Field Reservations

If another party is using a field which FCKLL has a scheduled event, please reference the Field Permit found at the bottom of the Locations page on website. Additionally, you can contact Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Services at 703.609.8870. Fairfax County NEVER permits soccer on baseball fields, and FCKLL NEVER schedules practices or games outside of permit windows or on non-permitted fields.

Coaching Resources

FCKLL Coaches Handbook
Random Line-Up Generator
Tips for Drills
Little League season resources
Special Rules for FCKLL are found within the Rules & Overview page

Field Maintenance

Maintaining our fields is crucial to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for our players, coaches and officials. It also is a good way to save money for the league, as maintenance costs can quickly add up. You can help keep those costs down by doing your part and following these simple guidelines. Remember, when it comes to taking care of our fields, teams must work together to accomplish this important task.

Before Games

If it has been raining, plan to arrive early to prepare the field. You will need time before the game to fill holes, rake and drag, to ensure the field is in playable condition. This should be an effort by both teams and will help ensure the field is safe to play on without delaying the scheduled start time. All FCKLL fields have a field sponge available to soak up standing water. Please use these to remove all standing water prior to addressing the field further. Please hang the field sponge within the dugout or locker to help it dry faster.

After Games and Practices

Fields should always be dressed after your team has finished practicing or playing a game. By working together with other volunteers, properly dressing a field takes only a few minutes, but goes a long way in preserving good field conditions. Always report safety concerns immediately to your level coordinator or the FCKLL's safety officer. You can find these individuals here.

How to Properly Rake and Drag Infield

Proper raking and dragging techniques help to reduce the formation of a grass lip on the infield edge:

Always rake with a grass edge not into it, and avoid pulling infield material into the grass edge
When dragging the infield stay at least six inches away from the grass edge
Hand screen drag on the infield skin and warning track, and a hand rake on baselines, infield cutouts, pitching mound, and home plate
Do not allow players or other kids to use drags

Detailed field maintenance procedures