[Sportsandrec] {Spam?} RE: {Spam?} Information on Starting a Beep Baseball Team in North Seattle
Robert Moore
robertjmoore at embarqmail.com
Fri Jun 3 00:16:08 UTC 2016
Jacob,
I would contact Kirk Addems
At the Light house for the blind.
I can not tell you what exactly he might be able to offer you but I know
from USABA that he was very involved in athletics and might at least be
able to offer you some contacts at the least.
Good luck.
Go make it happen. Beepball is an awesome sport.
Robertt
-----Original Message-----
From: Sportsandrec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Jacob Struiksma via Sportsandrec
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2016 5:35 PM
To: 'Daniel Heathman'
Cc: Jacob Struiksma
Subject: [Sportsandrec] {Spam?} Information on Starting a Beep Baseball Team
in North Seattle
Hey Everyone,
I am attempting to start a Beep Baseball team here in North Seattle.,
and hopefully this is a dream that can be realized as soon as this upcoming
spring and/or summer, but several things are needed to make this happen.
First, players are needed; they must be legally blind. At least six players
are needed to have a legal team. Second, a sighted pitcher and catcher
are required. Third, we need a coach; this person can be blind or sighted.
Fourth, equipment and a location to practice. The location for practices
and games must be on or very close to a bus line. Fifth, volunteers!
Volunteers are very much needed and welcome! Don't think as a volunteer you
have only little to offer, because even the smallest task is essential to
facilitate things running smoothly and safely.
Last but not least, sponsors both big and small are needed to help with
procuring equipment and uniforms for the team. Every dollar helps! I have
attached documents that is more specifically detailed as to what is needed
and information about the sport of Beep Baseball. Anyone interested, please
contact me via email, phone, or in person. Looking forward to hearing from
you!
Sincerely,
Jacob Struiksma
206-387-7736
jacobstruiksma at gmail.com
Things need for getting North Seattle beep baseball team started
1. Come up with team name and colors
2. Location of practice and time schedule day of week and day of weekend
3. Board of directors
4. Beep baseballs
5. Two bases
6. Field to play on grass or turf
7. Chargers for the beep baseballs
8. Bat bag
9. Uniforms (shirt, pants, need pads, gloves, hats)
10. Sleep shades
11. Batteries 9 volt
12. Water cooler with spigot
13. First aid kit
14. Pa system
15. 6 blind players
16. 4 sighted players (pitchers, catcher, spotters)
17. Somewhere to store equipment
18. Transportation of equipment or players
19. Base operator
20. Player attendant
21. Announcer
22. Umpire
23. Coach
24. Assistant coach
25. A volunteer certified in first aid or a certified first
responder, preferred EMT/paramedic
Marketing materials
1. promotional t-shirts
2. promotional hats
3. flyers
4. website
5. social media (face book, twitter, YouTube, meetup.com)
6. key chains
7. news media
8. photographer
9. fund raising
10. sponsorship
11. raffles
12. Car washes
Candy bar sales, raffles, bowl-a-thons and/or walk-a-thons, eat-ins/cookouts
(chili,
1. Pancake, spaghetti, BBQ, etc.), craft sales, baseball tournaments, golf
tournaments, etc.
The National Beep Baseball Association - Starting a Team
How to start a Beep Baseball Team
Starting a new beep baseball team takes dedication and commitment. The
following items are needed in order to be successful:
List of 3 items
. Funding
. Players
. Dedicated Volunteers
List end
Funding:
Funding is needed to buy and repair equipment, to pay for transportation and
lodging for tournaments, to buy uniforms, and to pay registration fees.
Dedicated Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to donate their time for a variety of tasks; the main
ones being working with the team as Pitcher, Catcher and/or Field Spotters.
Other tasks might include providing transportation to and from practices and
games, marking and setting up/taking down the field for practices, charging
Beep baseballs, maintaining the equipment, attending team meetings, and fund
raising.
Players:/h2>
Players the last ingredient necessary for a beep baseball team is at least
five or six blind or visually impaired individuals willing to play the game
of
Beep baseball.
Beep Baseball Overview
Beep baseball can be an expensive sport. Money is needed for special
equipment, travel, lodging and miscellaneous expenses. Special equipment is
necessary
To play the game. It requires special 16-inch audio softballs that beep
which cost approximately $34 each, special 4-foot tall foam cylinder bases
that
Buzz at a cost of $300 per set, and blindfolds that cost approximately $5 to
$12 each for the batters and fielders (Note: All players must wear
blindfolds.).
No special bats are required. Any legal softball bat is allowed. No special
uniforms are required. However, if the team plays in tournaments and/or the
World Series of Beep Baseball, they at least need to have T-shirts that have
the player's number imprinted on them.
In order to play other visually impaired beep baseball teams, most teams
must travel to other cities for a weekend tournament or a scrimmage game. If
they
Attend a weekend regional tournament; there are tournament entry fees,
transportation costs and lodging fees.
Dedicated volunteers
Several dedicated volunteers are crucial for a team to survive. These
volunteers may have several duties. A few key people are needed to be the
pitcher,
Catcher and spotter(s). They must be willing to attend all practices and all
tournaments which may require taking time off from their jobs to attend the
weekend tournaments and taking a one week vacation to attend the World
Series.
Continuity is vital! A pitcher must know his/her batters and know where to
place the ball for each batter on his/her team. This knowledge comes from
constant
practice. The batters must know and trust their pitcher, they must be
familiar with his/her rhythm for pitching, and have faith that he/she will
get the
ball on their favorite bat at just the right spot for a great hit. The
catcher must work closely with the pitcher to set an accurate target for
each batter
as well as to know if each batter is set up properly in the batter's box.
Each field spotter needs practice learning the defensive strategies so the
fielders
will feel comfortable with their spotter(s) and trust their calls.
the team
Beep Baseball teams usually have two practices a week and practice for
approximately two hours per practice. Usually one practice is on a week
night during
the middle of the week and the other is on the weekend.
This method or practice schedule may not necessarily work for every team,
but the more practice completed, the better a team will become.
Practice usually starts as soon as the weather cooperates. Volunteers are
usually needed to transport the team members to and from practice. These
people
could rotate and are not required for every practice as long as someone is
available for the task. A volunteer or spare player needs to be the base
operator
(activating the base so the runner can run to the buzzing base). One or two
people are needed to mark the field and set up and tear down the bases for
practice. This must be someone who has knowledge of how a beep baseball
field is laid out. It could be one of the other volunteers such as the
pitcher,
catcher, etc. Someone else is needed to be sure that the equipment is
ordered and is in working order in time for each game. Equipment should be
ordered
in the off-season (September - January) to allow time for the equipment to
be made and shipped. This includes keeping the beep balls charged. It takes
approximately
twelve (12) hours to fully charge a beep baseball (NOTE: A beep baseball
must be completely discharged before it can be recharged).
The local Pioneers group" are a good source for volunteers. Team meetings
and organizational meetings will also occupy the volunteer's time. Quite
often
players will need rides to and from the meetings.
Unless a team is lucky enough to get total corporate sponsorship, someone
must coordinate the fund raising. This fund raising is usually done during
the
off-season from September to March and could include such activities as
candy bar sales, raffles, bowl-a-thons and/or walk-a-thons, eat-ins/cookouts
(chili,
pancake, spaghetti, BBQ, etc.), craft sales, baseball tournaments, golf
tournaments, etc. Everyone on the team must be willing to help with the fund
raising.
If volunteers and players pull together and share in the various tasks, and
the team is successful with their fund raising efforts, they should have an
operational beep baseball team. If the team also is fortunate to obtain
corporate sponsorship, they could have some relief from the eternal fund
raising
activities.
Getting a beep baseball team started--and keeping it going--takes work,
organization, and dedication, but it can be fun and rewarding.
Questions for the NBBA
As always, any member of the NBBA, the Public Relations Group or the
Secretary is always available to assist in answering any questions you might
have
in starting a team.
Read Beep Baseball in a Nutshell, a guide for creating a Beep baseball Team
Contact the NBBA Secretary at:
Stephen Guerra
NBBA Secretary
1501 41st St, NW | Apt G1 | Rochester, MN 55901
Phone:
data/call_skype_logo
866.400.4551 FREE Extension 2
the NBBA Secretary, Stephen Guerra
Beep Baseball in a Nutshell
Copyright 1976, 2014 by the National Beep Baseball Association
Introduction:
Spectators who witness today's style of Beep Baseball are delighted and
amazed. They see athletes who are visually impaired dive on to the ground to
stop a beeping ball and run full speed 100 feet toward the sound of a
buzzing base to score a run. They see desire, determination, teamwork and in
many cases skilled performances of players with visual impairment having fun
in the midst of extreme competition. They also witness an occasional injury.
Beep baseball is not a game for those who are concerned about a scraped
elbow. Safety is a high priority, but due to the nature of the game, some
injuries do occur. As with any sport, players know this and fully accept the
injury risks for the sake of playing a sport they love.
Beep Baseball Overview:
Understanding the game is relatively easy, but there are differences from
baseball. A contest lasts six (6) innings unless more are needed to break a
tie. Teams can be co-ed. A team has three outs per inning, and umpires have
the right to eject unruly players or spectators. There is no second base.
First and third bases, four foot padded cylinders with speakers, are placed
one hundred feet down the respective lines and ten feet outside the foul
lines. This is to prevent a runner from colliding with a defensive fielder.
The bases contain sounding units that give off a continuous buzzing sound
when activated. The batter does not know which one will be turned on. When
the ball is hit, the base operator activates one of the bases. The runner
must identify the correct buzzing base and run to it before the ball is
fielded by a defensive player. If the runner is safe, a run is scored. In
other words, there is no running from one base to another. A player does one
of three things when batting: hit the ball and be put out by the defense,
hit the ball and score a run, or strike out. A batter is allowed four (4)
strikes and one (1) pass ball. The fourth swing must be a clean miss.
To better understand how the game is played, keep in mind that each team has
its own sighted pitcher and catcher. The pitcher attempts to place the ball
on his hitter's bat.
The ball is pitched from a distance of no less than twenty feet from the
front of Home Plate. According to the rules, a pitcher is obligated to
clearly verbalize two words. He or she says "ready" just before the ball is
about to be released. This alerts all players the ball may soon be hit. As
the ball is being released, the pitcher says, "pitch" or "ball." The batter
allows a split second before starting his/her swing. If contact is made, one
of the two bases is activated and it becomes a race between the runner and
the defense. Also, a hit ball must travel at a minimum forty (40) feet to be
considered fair. A ball that travels one hundred seventy (170) feet in the
air is considered a home run, worth two (2) points as long as the batter
makes it to the buzzing base in 30 seconds. A hit ball grazing or rebounding
off the pitcher is ruled a "no pitch". It helps for pitchers to be quick and
agile.
A pitcher never fields or bats, but the role is critical. Most pitchers are
good athletes with competitive spirits. Their success is in direct
proportion to the number of runs their team scores. High ERA's are
preferable.
Defense:
Playing defense is a challenging aspect of the game. There are six defensive
players in beep baseball. Not all teams use the same defensive placement of
their players. Most teams use the same numbering system to identify the
direction the ball has been hit. One thru five or one thru six in pie shaped
wedges emanating from home plate on both sides of the field are the only
numbers allowed. Five or six being the common, overlapping numbered zone, up
the middle of the field. Some teams reverse this and have the 'one zone' be
the up the middle, with a "five" or "six" call being along the base line.
The narrower the zones, the more precise the information the fielder has to
respond to. There are one or two sighted spotters positioned in the
outfield, one on either side of the field. A good spotter should be aware of
fielders at all times and stay out of the way of the play, not distracting
the fielders, who are intent on the ball.
When a ball is hit, a spotter will quickly call the number indicating the
general direction the ball is traveling. The number does not signify a
person so much as the zone the ball is heading to. A spotter is allowed to
call one number, one time. The only exception is if both spotters call the
same number. Each spotter takes half the field to call the one thru five or
one thru six numbers. A "three" call alerts the fielders to move toward the
center of the half of the field of the spotter making the call. The
players coordinate their defensive moves according to the number called.
Some spotters use inflection in the number to indicate a 'short' ball, or
air/fly ball or pop up. Most teams stagger the depths of player placement
for freer lateral movement, usually but not always consisting from base line
to center field, side to side and a specific amount forward or backward.
Each team decides on various players' areas of fielding responsibility.
There are no set ways to arranging how a field is set up. Each team develops
its own defensive strategy of fielder placement. Some shift more players to
right field if a left-handed batter appears, for instance. Some have two
players in the 'short' depth area to play dribblers; others elect to only
have one player in order to have another player further back. Some teams
have two deep fielders, others have only one roving behind.
The players can verbally communicate with each other and frequently do. "By
me right" or "By me left" is a helpful statement to fielders further back.
Players are free to speak to each other as long as it does not supersede the
pitcher's cadence.
A defensive player does not throw the ball to another player to record an
out. Outs are earned by fielding the ball before the runner reaches the
base. In the umpire's opinion, the fielder must have the ball in hand and
off the ground to constitute possession. Players do not snatch balls out of
the air. Many attempts have been made to catch an air ball, but in the
N.B.B.A.'s history, there have been less than half a dozen instances of a
hit ball being caught. Should it happen, it does immediately retire the
side!
Good defensive players learn to use their bodies and the ground to block hit
balls, and then pick up the beeping ball and display it for the umpire's
call. Because most fielding is done in this manner, flat grassy areas, free
of protruding sprinkler heads, pot holes, trees and bushes, are preferred.
Quiet lawns or soccer fields are often best.
Many teams keep individual statistics on their players. Good hitting teams
may have several players with batting averages of .500 or above. Players
proudly admit they enjoy the thrill of swinging at a pitched ball and making
solid contact, charging down the base path full speed to score a
run. They like the exhilaration of diving to cleanly field a well hit ball
to make an out. Even the most modest players are happy to vividly describe
the put-outs they've made.
Beep baseball has evolved into a wide-open, competitive game. Each year new
and improved training and coaching methods are introduced. Throughout the
country and internationally, there are now many good players and teams. As
time goes by, Beep Baseball continues to expand.
Organizing a team:
Organizing new teams to play competitive Beep baseball is not a simple
matter. More than one ingredient is necessary in molding a group of
individuals into a coordinated unit.
Essentials are: dedicated sighted help, players and
reliable equipment and practice fields. Absence of any one of these
requirements is guaranteed frustration.
A team of outstanding Beep Baseball players would flounder without benefit
of dedicated sighted help. Successful teams have sighted help who are
willing to devote the time it requires to become skilled at pitching,
catching, and number calling, (also known as "spotting") and to help out for
fund raising, transportation to practices and tournaments. It is a team
effort for all.
New teams are generally started in one of two ways. Either a person who is
blind learns about beep baseball and recruits other players and sighted
help, or a person with sight, usually one with enthusiasm for new and
innovative projects, meets a person who is blind and introduces them to the
game. Either way, recruiting has to commence. A minimum of six players with
visual impairment and four people with sight are required. Finding recruits
with a visual impairment is not as hard as some may think because players do
not have to be totally blind. Many beep baseball players are partially
sighted. They are all required to wear blindfolds while batting or fielding.
When starting a new team, contact organizations and agencies who provide
services for the blind and low vision about seeking players for a team
Reach out to local civic groups for sighted volunteers to assist your team
Tools for success:
Review the different equipment needed for playing Beep Baseball at:
http://www.nbba.org/equipment
Identify if a team is located near you:
http://www.nbba.org/teams
Attend regional tournaments or practices if possible to observe how other
organized teams handle various situations, practices and team procedures.
Each team adopts its own character and methods. However, there are
similarities that have resulted from experience. Next, obtain a copy of the
official N.B.B.A. Rules. They can be reviewed or downloaded from the below
link:
http://www.nbba.org/rules/current_nbba_rules.pdf
Contacting the NBBA:
You can also contact the NBBA Secretary for help or advice for beginning a
team:
Stephen Guerra, Secretary
National Beep Baseball Association
1501 41st ST, NW | Apt G1 | Rochester, MN 55901
Phone: 866.400.4551 Extension 2
Email: secretary at nbba.org
Good luck and Play ball!
From: The National Beep Baseball Association Secretary, Stephen Guerra
[mailto:nbbasec08 at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2016 5:47 AM
To: jacobstruiksma at gmail.com; pr at nbba.org
Subject: RE: Information on Starting a Beep Baseball Team in North Seattle
Jacob-
I am also part of the PR committee and will be glad to send you the
documentation you are seeking for the start of a beep baseball team.
Respectfully yours,
Stephen Guerra, Secretary
National Beep Baseball Association
1501 41st Street, NW,
Apt. G1
Rochester, MN 55901
All checks or other financial instruments should be sent to:
P.O. Box 290
Glenview, Il 60025
Office phone of the Secretary: NBBA Secretary, 866.400.4551 Ext. 2
<tel:866.400.4551> Direct Mobile: NBBA Secretary Mobile, 507.208.8383
<tel:507.208.8383> The NBBA Tournament Committee: The NBBA Tournament
Committee, 866.400.4551 Ext. 4 <tel:866.400.4551> Office of Public
Relations: Office of Public Relations and Marketing,
866.400.4551 Ext. 5 <tel:866.400.4551>
NBBA Secretary, Stephen Guerra <mailto:secretary at nbba.org> Visit the NBBA on
the Web <http://www.nbba.org/> Read all the News published about the NBBA
and Beep Baseball <http://www.nbba.org/news> Watch all the videos about Beep
Baseball <http://www.nbba.org/videos>
Connect with the NBBA on
Twitter <http://twitter.com/nbba>
Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/NBBAPublicRelations>
From: Jacob Struiksma [mailto:jacobstruiksma at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2016 2:18 AM
To: pr at nbba.org
Subject: Information on Starting a Beep Baseball Team in North Seattle
Dear Mr. Boudreaux,
My name is Jacob Struiksma, and I am very interested in
forming a new beep baseball team in North Seattle. I am well aware of the
team in South Seattle; however I have decided not to play on the team due to
the long commute I have to make to practice. I really love to play beep
baseball, as does several of my friends, but traveling so far makes it
extremely difficult to make practices on a consistent basis. I am looking
for any information you can provide that would help facilitate my dream in
starting a new team closer to my home in North Seattle. I have spoken to my
friends, both blind and sighted, who are very interested but do not know
much about the sport. Are there any videos and/or printed materials you may
know of that I can show to further interest and increase awareness of our
beloved sport?
Sincerely,
Jacob Struiksma
206-387-7736
jacobstruiksma at gmail.com
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