Reminders For Parents and Fans:

1. Baseball and Softball is a hard game. Remember to tell your child how tough it was for you.

2. Listen to your children, don't lecture to them. Let them tell you what they enjoy about sports.

3. Praise your kids, their teammates, and opponents just for participating, regardless of their athletic skills.

4. Coaches: Remember, every child wants to play during games as much as possible. As a coach, it's your job to make sure that happens within the boundary of safety and Little League International's minimum play rule.

5. Yelling and screaming discourages a child's desire to do well in sports. No one wants to be criticized, especially when playing a difficult game.

6. Try not to take yourself too seriously when it comes to your involvement in youth sports, reminding yourself that there is life beyond youth sports. 

7. Emphasize teamwork with your kids, teaching them to think "we" instead of "me". 

8. Teach your kids by giving them a good example of good sportsmanship: winning without gloating and losing without complaining.

9. Maintain a "Fun is No. 1" attitude. Remind yourself and your kids to laugh and keep a sense of humor. Win or Lose, Baseball and Softball games are suppose to be fun!

•  Players interpretation of what was said by a manager/coach is not always clear
•  Due to emotions, players do not always communicate the whole story or remember all that was said
•  Parents may be able to offer some insight or they may have some concerns when it comes to their child’s well being.

1. Any communication through a player. (Step 1 above)
2. If a player will be late to a team event.
3. If a player will not be able to attend a team event.
4. If there is an emergency issue.  This should be communicated to the Manager/Coach if calling 911 does not apply.
5. If there is an issue regarding a player’s health. (Ex. Injury, eating disorder, illness)
6. If there is an issue regarding unhealthy choices a player is making (Ex. Skipping school, failing grades, rebelling)
7. Logistical questions. (Ex. Time of the game)

1. Do NOT text, email, or call a manager/coach or East Lane LL board member with an “issue or complaint” regarding playing time (unless the Little League minimum play expectations are not being met.  See LL Rulebook), baseball/softball strategy, manager/coaches decisions with player assignments on the field, other players, or with any language that seeks to attack the manager/coach personally or the way they are managing/coaching.

2.   Do NOT confront the manager/coach or a East Lane LL board member before, during or after a team event to discuss playing time (unless the Little League minimum play expectations are not being met.  See LL Rulebook), baseball/softball strategy, manager/coaching decisions with player assignments on the field, other players, or with any language that seeks to attack the manager/coach personally or the way they are coaching.

3.     We instruct our managers/coaches to not engage in any communication that is confrontational, makes them uncomfortable, breaks guidelines or has not been arranged through the an email to the league.  Little League International Rules state that no team manager/coach or player will interact with a spectator or parent in or outside of the dugout during the game.  We also recommend to our team managers/coaches that conversation after a game be focused on encouraging players and to not have conversations that could be emotionally charged. 

To communicate about a problem, an issue, file a complaint or to make a request please complete the following form. Email your communication to [email protected] or to your team's manager/coach. You may also mail it to:
East Lane Little League
5729 Main St #355
Springfield OR 97478

East Lane LL will attempt to respond within 5-7 business days of the receipt of and email at which point an East Lane LL board member will contact you about the result or next step regarding the email.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY
East Lane Little League has adopted a policy to include Zero Tolerance of the harassment of managers, coaches, team parents and players. Harassment of or heckling of an umpire is defined as any physical or verbal objection to a judgment call including but not limited to a call of ball/strike, fair/foul, or out/safe. With managers, coaches, and players, the league includes:

1. ANY form of harassment or heckling. What may seem like nothing to one individual may be just what sends another away from the game, never to return. PLEASE be sensitive.

2. Major infractions of the rules (Little League International or Local) including, but not limited to actual play on the field.

3. Behavior deemed not in the best interest of East Lane Little League, its players and/or volunteers on the ball field or during a game.

Little League plans to maintain its reputation as a FUN program for kids and adults and has given the local league authority to establish disciplinary action where the reputation of Little League may be damaged. This may include gatherings away from the field when in uniform or representing Little League.

All umpires, managers, and coaches are volunteers, donating what may be hundreds of hours during a given season to help kids play ball.  When a challenge arises with another adult, first try to settle it quietly and in an orderly manner AWAY from the players and other individuals. If, in your opinion, this cannot be accomplished, inform a Board Member of your challenge. All volunteers in the program, and folks at the games, are only fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sons, daughters. All who are volunteering may well be learning as they perform the task assigned to them. Remember to be tolerant and patient with each other.

Every player is learning, whether playing or watching a practice or game. They should be instructed, by word and by action, how to handle disagreements or confrontations in a Good Sportsmanship-like manner. As adults, it is extremely important we role model how differences in opinion or potential confrontations SHOULD be handled.

Each Manager and Coach will sign an application and contract specifically stating the league's expectations for behavior on the field and around the kids. Local League Rules state these very same expectations, and are discussed pre-season in a meeting.

The league has established a form for recording adult or player/child disciplinary action taken during the season. Adults may be parents, grandparents, bystanders, managers, coaches, etc. The youth could be registered ballplayers or children just watching from off the field. We expect positive, respectful behavior from our ball players, whether on the field, in the dugout, outside the fence-line watching a practice or game.

The severity of the disciplinary action will be determined by the League Executive Board. NOTE: Disciplinary action by the Board CANNOT be taken without WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION.

Please keep in mind the league will NOT tolerate heckling or harassment in ANY form. Our program REQUIRES volunteerism and it is our goal for everyone to look forward to returning as a player or volunteer. Depending on the severity of a violation, there may be a warning, or an individual may be asked to leave the premises, returning only when they can maintain control. A second warning may include a call to the local Police Department for assistance in escorting the individual(s) from the premises. Exception: If an UMPIRE throws an adult out of a game, they are to IMMEDIATELY leave the premises and not return for that game.

Though we project and hope no violations will occur, we EXPECT any incident to be reported immediately to the League President or Vice President. Within 48 hours of being notified, we will request letters from witnesses so it can be handled in a timely manner. Shared concerns and information is appreciated, but if the incident were severe enough to be a violation, it should be dealt with immediately by the individual(s) involved.