rev. 1/16/18
The objective of our organization is player development, both in terms of baseball skills and character traits. In order to provide the optimum player development experience, we have adopted the following policies and procedures*.
Objectives
The Texans organization takes great pride in teaching your children the great game of baseball and in developing your respective child’s baseball skills. It is our pleasure to see your enthusiasm at each practice and game as you watch your kids play and improve. Our primary objective is to focus our energy into developing the Texans as an organization so that your child might continue to improve as he progresses from one age level to the next. To this end, our focus is not on a particular team or team’s record, but is strategic in nature and includes all of the players, coaches, parents and administrative staff that contribute to the organization’s success.
Because our goal is for organizational success, you will probably not have the same coach or manager at each game or tournament. However, because we have a distinguished and competent staff of coaches, each team will have the opportunity to play with coaching professionals that thoroughly understand the game of baseball and have the knowledge and ability to be successful.
The Texans approach may be counter-intuitive to other select teams. This means we choose not to follow the “my team” or “daddy-ball” approach as many other select baseball teams do. Instead, the Texans organization has made the development and instruction of each player its main priority so that players are prepared to compete and play for their respective high school teams when that time arrives.
Commitment
The Texans are committed to the development of your children, both as baseball players and as young men (and women). We expect trustworthiness, honesty, and commitment from all coaches, players, parents, and anyone involved with the Texans. We expect that you will commit to the Texans and NOT have your son playing on other teams while your son is on a Texans roster.
Competitive Events
While we are playing to win, our primary focus is on player development, which is to enhance and develop each child’s individual skills. The Texans will offer a competitive environment. The organization understands that while most skill development occurs during practice time, we will also use sanctioned tournament games, as well as organizational scrimmages and inter-squad scrimmages with other organizations to further develop players.
Playing Time
Players are put on the field on the basis of pursuing and achieving specific goals developed with their coaches. While we always strive to win, this is secondary to pursuing specific player objectives. We provide equal opportunity for all players, but this does not generally translate to precisely equal innings, at-bats, pitch count, etc.
Parents and Guardians Participation
We hire professional coaches to manage our teams and develop our players. We have very limited needs or opportunities for participation in team activities by parents other than support as a fan, and none that involve contact with the players.
Parents and Guardians cannot:
1. Enter the dugout, playing or practice fields, or any other area intended for the players.
2. Address the players or coaches on the field or in the dugout during the game, other than non-instructional fan support. Parents requiring communication with a player should contact the team manager who will deliver the message or have the player leave the dugout to receive the message directly.
3. Communicate with the coaches on matters regarding the Fort Bend Texans other than by e-mail or by appointment. It is not appropriate to discuss your player’s situation during informal meetings with the coaches or when the coaches are involved in other activities. This includes before games, between games, during games, or immediately after games.
4. Communicate in a disrespectful manner to a player, coach, another parent, team manager or tournament official.
5. Discuss any baseball related matters, including playing time and tournament availability with the game coach. These matters must be addressed with the General Manager, Head Pitching Coordinator or Head Coordinator.
6. Behave in a confrontational, abusive, or divisive manner including actions such as openly criticizing coaches, players on other teams, or team or tournament officials. This includes activities such as openly criticizing player performance and distributing statistics without team permission.
Parents and/or Guardians who violate these policies will be subject to reprimand with penalties including removal from playing area, suspension, and expulsion of the Parent/Guardian/Player, and/or removal of the player from the roster without refund.
Team Assignment
Players are assigned to teams and age divisions based on Coaches’ evaluations, relevant tournament and league rules, and the overall needs of the program. Players develop by both competition and success, and we attempt to develop the best plan possible in each individual case.
For all 8th graders (both 13U and 14U players), the Texans Policy is that these players will practice and play on a 60’/90’ size field. The purpose of this rule is to prepare the boys for their Mickey Mantle (or Babe Ruth) tryouts which will generally occur in April of each year.
Guest Players
The Texans invite guest players to participate with our teams at the discretion of the Head Coach. We do not routinely accept guest players because the primary purpose of the program is to serve the player development objectives of the players who plan to participate in the full schedule of games. Guest players, however provide the capability to produce a full roster when players (or player positions) in the program are not available, provide exposure of their skills and abilities to Texan players and coaches, and are exposed to the program as potential new players.
Availability
The Texans schedule their participation in tournaments and events based on the projected availability and participation of players. Players are required to submit their availability (i.e. projected attendance) to their respective team coordinator or to the head coordinator in advance for all scheduled games, practices, and team events. Availability should be submitted by e-mail, and players should provide availability updates as their personal schedule changes.
Players are encouraged to participate in appropriate activities (school, church) other than baseball, and the coaching staff understands when players are not available for selected games or events.
Players who do not report their availability and/or fail to report when expected are subject to reduced playing time, suspension, or removal from the team without refund.
Refunds
The Fort Bend Texans do not offer refunds on regular season team fees for any reason including player injuries, ineligibility, discipline , suspension, expulsion, unavailability change of plans, game cancellation or player relocation.
Refunds on Travel Team Fees are based on the following schedule:
* Travel Team Fee Deposits are Non-Refundable*
Travel team fees net of deposit are 100% refundable if notice is provided on or before April 30
Travel team fees net of deposit fees are 50% refundable if notice is provided on or before May 31.
No refunds for travel fees will be given for notice provided after May 31.
Costs and Payment Schedule
Seasonal fees vary by team, and are determined by the number, location, and cost of tournaments, and primary coaching assignments. All players (and their legal guardians) are considered committed and obligated to pay all fees for the season. Payment terms are provided in the registration process. Failure to pay any fees may be grounds for suspending a player from practices and/or competitive events.
Your cooperation and consideration is appreciated with regard to these policies and the philosophy of the Fort Bend Texans organization. We look forward to continued success this spring and summer and are pleased to have the opportunity to work with your children.