FBLI League Contract

and Guidelines

Participating in baseball (the Game), whether as a player, coach, official, or spectator, should be a fun experience. However, youth sports related incidents, ranging from bullying and cheating, to sexual abuse and murder, give the sport a black eye and a bad reputation. People are leaving the sport for the wrong reasons and with bad memories. The conduct of spectators, coaches, officials, and players is increasingly unacceptable both on and off the field.

FARMINGDALE BASEBALL LEAGUE acknowledges and supports the many excellent volunteers, coaches, officials, and parents who are in the vast majority and who practice and subscribe to the fundamental principles of good sportsmanship, fun, respect and positive development of the Game. We would like to assist the further these values and make the Game even better and more enjoyable. We would like to celebrate the positive elements of the game that will overwhelm those negative elements or incidents that at times taint the reputation of the Game today. We believe this is a time to be proactive in advocating a program that is totally positive. We encourage the majority to confidently come forward with affirmation and support FARMINGDALE BASEBALL'S efforts to make our Game better and our children's participation in it more wholesome and enjoyable.

We feel that participation in youth sports plays a significant role in the development of a young person's values, morals, social maturity, physical and mental fitness. It is our goal to promote acceptable conduct which includes:

- Respect for persons.

- Protection from harm.

- Development of ethical conduct toward others.

- Ideas of justice, fairness, and equity.

- Caring attitudes.

- Freedom to enjoy, to flourish, to grow, to improve.

- Respect for the Game.

Therefore, it is a requirement that every participant abide by the rules and guidelines of the League. A participant is defined as (but not limited to) a player, coach, official, administrator, or spectator. The objective of the League is to promote and insure acceptable behavior by participants. We will insist on the following requirements:

- Every Tournament/Travel player will be required to sign the Player's Contract as a condition of participation.

- Every Manager or Coach will be required to sign the Coach's Contract as a condition of participation.

- Every Tournament/Travel parent will be required to sign the Parent's Contract as a condition of their child's participation.

As part of our Universal Rules, we require our players and coaches to adhere to a code of conduct. If any manager or coach is ejected from a game, he or she must appear before the Executive Board before managing and/or coaching another game. Violation of our Universal Rules can lead to suspension from the League.

Farmingdale Baseball League, Inc.

"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball.

The only problem is - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." - Al Gallagher, 1971