Youth baseball contracts: put your rules in writing

Every youth sports team needs rules. Even better, teams need these rules in writing. And if possible, these rules need to be acknowledged and signed by the players. You should have contracts for parents and coaches, too, and all three are below.

Don’t assume that your rules and expectations are obvious. Don’t assume that just because you talked about your rules that everyone understands them. Put your rules in writing. Discuss them. And require your players to acknowledge that they know and understand them.

Without a contract, it’s far more difficult to enforce your rules. And if things truly get out of hand, you may need a written contract if it gets to the point of needing to remove a player from your team.

That’s a worst-case scenario, and it’s good to plan for that just in case. But the main reason for this is so that you have something you can show a player or parent when they aren’t living up to expectations.

I’ve crafted my own contracts for the Spiders, and what’s in each one is below. The Fungo Files versions live in the team agreements builder. They’re shorter and in plainer words, and you can fill in your team, keep the promises that matter to you, change the wording, add anything from the Spiders versions back in, and print one for every player, every family, and your coaches.

The Player Contract

Performance and Training Expectations. There are basic expectations related to performance and training. Players will always hustle. You will never quit. You will treat practices seriously, but you will also work hard when no one is watching — at home and away from practices and games. Players understand that mistakes happen and are part of the game, but you will learn from your mistakes.

To be a good teammate, it’s important that players embrace their role and understand how they can best help the team. If you ever have issues with your role, you shouldn’t complain. Instead, set up a time to meet with your coach to discuss it.

Expectations of Respect. A big part of being a productive member of a team is respect.

Respect for coaches and parents. They come from a place of experience and are here to help and guide you.

Respect for opposing players, coaches, and fans. You should be competitive, but don’t allow that competitiveness to lead to vilifying the opposition.

Respect for the umpire. The umpires won’t be perfect. They are important, necessary, and don’t get the appreciation that they deserve. You should respect their calls, even when you don’t agree with them.

Respect for practice and game facilities. We are privileged to have use of these facilities. Clean up after yourself and treat them with care.

Behavior Expectations. Several of our rules are related to basic behavioral expectations. Players should practice good sportsmanship — and not just when we win. They need to handle winning with class and losing with grace.

It’s also important to be a good teammate, making sure to support and encourage other members of their team — not just when they are doing well. The most successful team wins and loses together, not as individuals.

There are behavioral expectations that extend beyond the field. Yes, they should represent the team well on the field, but off the field as well. We also know that school is more important than baseball, and grades and behavior away from the field can impact their availability on it.

Health and Safety Expectations. Do not forget to include rules related to health and safety. Expect players to prioritize their safety and the safety of those around them. This is related to wearing the proper equipment and practicing care with bats and throwing baseballs.

These contracts have evolved over the years, and COVID resulted in an update related to health. Even if and when COVID is no longer a concern, it’s a good idea to include a point about health and illness. There’s simply no reason to come to practice or play in a game when sick and risk exposing teammates, coaches, and family members.

Build and print the player agreement →

The Parent Contract

Let’s be honest. If you have team drama, it probably doesn’t start with a player. In most cases, the source is unruly parents. Your team needs a parent contract to outline rules and expectations.

The youth baseball parent contract is a bit more sensitive and complicated. The majority of coaching stress is typically traced back to parents, not the kids themselves.

But I also understand and appreciate how difficult it is to be the parent. If you aren’t coaching, all decisions are out of your control. That is by no means easy.

It’s important, though, to have a list of expectations in writing for the parents. The key is not to make it threatening or confrontational — that starts the tone on the wrong foot. We need to be on the same page, and we need to do this together.

By having a written contract, the parents are then clear about expectations up front and they need to commit to them. That way, there should never be surprises about something that is or isn’t allowed — they signed off on the rules!

There’s a lot here, and for good reason. Not every team is run the same way. Parents need to understand what is expected of them from the beginning. In fact, I encourage you to go over a parent contract and have it signed before a player joins your team. That way, you can catch potential issues early and address them.

I won’t go through all of the details of the parent rules here. Many are self-explanatory. But, here are the primary themes:

Team fees and refunds. Subbing for other teams. Arriving on time. Arriving fueled and with proper equipment. Stay away from the dugout! Respect for the umpires and other team. No coaching from the stands. Positive attitude and good behavior at games. Support the coach’s message. Embrace my child’s role. No public complaints about players or coaches. Child will address concerns about playing time and roles. Volunteer my help. Proper channels of communication with coach.

Build and print the parent agreement →

The Coach Contract

While a contract may be used as a basis of discipline for a player or parent, that’s of course a bit trickier for a coach — particularly the head coach. But the primary reason for these contracts isn’t to make discipline easier.

Instead, these contracts are necessary as reminders and clear roadmaps for what is and isn’t expected. If I violate any of my coaching rules, I expect a parent or fellow coach (even a player!) to call me on it.

All parents and players are required to sign contracts to indicate an understanding of team rules. Coaches are not exempt. There are rules and expectations that apply specifically to these volunteers.

The coaching contract is admittedly quite a bit longer than the player contract. This is meant to help assistant coaches understand our responsibility and also show parents and players what we expect of ourselves.

I won’t detail everything that’s in our coaching contract. But here are some of the themes:

Be a good role model. Play within the rules. Provide and abide by clear, written rules and expectations. Consistently enforce rules. Discipline based on mental, rather than physical, mistakes. Provide more positive than negative reinforcement. Treat all kids fairly (including my own). Be prepared and arrive early. Assign roles in good faith. Enforce safety and not risk the health of players. Respect for umpire, players, and opposing team. Clearly communicate schedules and other info.

There’s quite a bit more. The Spiders version runs to 27 promises. The builder’s version is shorter, and you can add or remove as you please.

Build and print the coach agreement →