HYBRID POLICY

Must meet these requirements -

• All hybrid coaches must apply through ESBA hybrid chair
• Hybrid coaches MUST coach a spring team
• All players MUST play or have previously played spring rec
  
• Practice time is NOT guaranteed

• Hybrid tournaments are not guaranteed during the rec season
  • No tournaments are to be scheduled during rec playoffs
  • If hybrid weekend tournaments want to be guaranteed, teams must budget in running a clinic with approved professional coaches for the rec league (bronco and mustang can work together) and work with hybrid chair to reserve the weekend(s)

• Team name and uniforms must be approved by hybrid chair
  • Uniforms MUST meet the East Side bylaws or they will NOT be allowed. The guidelines are very simple and contain two specific items:
  • New ES logo on the front of the hat and to be worn at every tournament
  • The WORDS “East Side” prominently displayed on the FRONT of the jersey “East Side” must be a minimum 3 inches in height all the way across the chest
    
  • Thunder and Lightning are reserved for summer all star teams only, not hybrids
  • Existing East Side board approved logos are acceptable:
    
    • Hurricanes, Cyclones, Tornadoes, Earthquakes and Fire
• Must register all tournaments under the name “East Side ________”
• Hybrid practices do not take priority over rec practices
• All pitch counts need to communicated with the hybrid chair and each players rec coach

See bat chart below for additional details:

Pony 
Drop 10 for USA Bat
Drop 5 for USSSA Bat

Colt
BBCOR -3

LEAGUE AGE POLICY

April 30th is the standard league age cutoff.  The August 31* league age cutoff is East Side Baseball's optional "play up" date (with the exception of the Rookie League).  This was put in place to give players the option of playing up with school age friends.  The following should be considered if you choose to use this optional cutoff date:

• This does make them the youngest players in the league
• This disqualifies them from playing down in a summer tournament team
• You cannot change leagues after close of open registration    
• You can change this choice in subsequent seasons

LIGHTNING POLICY

As soon as lightning is seen or heard, or if lightning is detected within 8 miles of the park using online weather apps, practice and competition should be suspended immediately. All players, coaches, umpires, officials and spectators should leave the field and seek shelter immediately. Move to a sturdy enclosed structure or a fully enclosed vehicle with the windows rolled up. Dugouts and pavilions DO NOT provide adequate protection from lighting. Safety is the number one consideration; common sense and good judgement should be used at all times. Parents dropping off unattended children should have a safety plan in place for their child. It is safe to head back to the field 30 minutes after the thunder and lightning have come to an end.


CONCUSSION POLICY

East Side Baseball Association (ESBA) recognizes that adolescent athletes are particularly vulnerable to the effects of concussions.

To comply with the passage of House Bill 284, and to ensure the ongoing safety of our youth athletes, ESBA has adopted the following protocols effective January 1, 2014:

• Prior to the beginning of each athletic season, an informational sheet emphasizing the risks of concussions shall be distributed to the parents/guardians of all youth athletes.
• Any youth athlete who participates in youth athletics and exhibits signs of a concussion must be removed from the game, practice, competition or tryout and be evaluated by a health care provider.
• Any youth athlete who is deemed by a health care provider as having sustained a concussion shall not be permitted to return to play until he/she receives clearance from a health care provider for a full or graduated return to play.

COVID POLICY
esba policy regarding covid fall 2021


ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
esba zero tolerance policy


SOLICITATION AND PRIVACY POLICY

East Side Baseball Association recognizes that its sole purpose is to provide a quality program of youth baseball to the east Cobb community.

As a Federal 501(c)3 charitable organization, it is not appropriate for ESBA to solicit or collect funds for other charitable organization or causes. Additionally, the association cannot be in the position of favoring some and turning away numerous others.

ESBA accepts the responsibility to protect and maintain control over its members’ personal information maintained on its data bases. Use of member information is prohibited from any use for or by external organizations without express authorization of the ESBA President, and then only when directly related to ESBA business and within the anticipated interests of the membership. Such use may include notice of ESBA events such as registration, skills evaluations, travel team tryouts, camps and clinics for ESBA, or other such events clearly beneficial to all members.

It is intended that email communications from ESBA data bases to members be limited in frequency and degree of importance. Members should feel comfortable that their personal information held by ESBA will be respected and protected from inappropriate use. Board representatives and Commissioners must also follow these guidelines when communicating to members of their leagues. Communication to and among a league’s coaches are more open and frequent, but care must still be exercised in the appropriate use of ESBA information as described above.

ESBA Sponsors are not granted access to the member information, though Sponsors are not precluded from such access when in conjunction with an approved special program benefiting ESBA.


HOLIDAY POLICY

Does East Side Schedule Around Religious Holidays?

East Side Baseball Association was founded by members of New Providence Baptist Church, but remains a secular community organization, not affiliated with or sponsored by any religious organization.  It is not ESBA’s role to “honor” religious holidays or occasions, and should not be expected to avoid activities on religious holidays any more than any other area youth sports or secular organizations - schools, government, banks, the Atlanta Braves or Tech and Georgia football.

However, when multiple teams may potentially be missing players on certain special days, ESBA tries to schedule around days such as Easter Sunday and Jewish holidays.  This is for practical reason, not for the purpose of honoring a religious observance, for which our large, diverse membership may have many during the year.
 
ESBA attempts to schedule around the playing dates affected by three Jewish holidays.  However, when the holiday falls on a weekend, it can affect up to 75% of a league's games for that week, possibly causing permanent loss of games if not played, or severe disruption of the traditional schedule or pitching inning allowances.  Inclement weather make-up games and high participation numbers can also affect days scheduled.
 
It is ESBA's position that any such scheduling efforts will maintain the full number of games normally and traditionally played each season, and that entire Saturdays will not be totally avoided, except for spring break.  A limited number of weekend games will be scheduled on holidays - those that cannot be played on another day of the same week.  Then, an attempt to avoid certain hours conflicting with worship services or special times of day will be made.
 
Most everyone misses a ball game on occasion - might be due to an illness, or a business commitment, or a wedding or a funeral.  ESBA Playing Rules provide for teams to pick up fill-in players if short-rostered.
 
ESBA also schedules around Georgia Milestones and fall and spring breaks, SAT exams and receives numerous requests not to play on a variety of other days - other religious holidays, teacher work days, school field trips, band concerts, numerous graduations, competing sporting events, etc.  Obviously, it would be difficult to conduct any semblance of a satisfactory baseball season for the majority if any and all requests were honored.  The board and scheduling committee must consider each issue and its impact on the majority and the season's schedule, but remembering it's just kids playing baseball…