Fall Sports - Season 1

 

Beaver Lake Middle School Softball 2023

 

Welcome to this sports season at Beaver Lake Middle School. We are very excited for the season and look forward to helping all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade players develop, improve, and practice their skills. Every student who participates on Varsity or J. Varsity will have the opportunity to play in eight games against the district’s four other middle schools. BLMS softball is a time to have fun and it can be used as a building block playing in the future. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Below you will find some general information about practice, games and expectations. Thank you for giving your child the opportunity to get involved with a BLMS sport this year!

Practices begin Sept 6th, Wednesday.Have all your paperwork completed before this date so we can count on you to be there 100%! During tryouts we will be looking for the following 8th, 7th, or 6th grade player traits to place them on the appropriate varsity or jv team.

*Individual skills

* Attitude

* Coach-ability

* Teamwork

* Effort

We have certain expectations of the players that will help to shape and propel the team forward:

1. Every player is a member of the team. Be a great teammate. Be respectful to all our players in Bulldog program. We win as a team, we lose as a team. A positive attitude and sportsmanship are critical elements to the success of the team. A player who possesses or brings a bad attitude that hinders or is a detriment to the team or another individual will meet with the coaches to determine their future status on the team.
2. Practice to get better each day - just don’t go to practice, but go to work hard at practice. Everybody wants to win, but not all are willing to work to win. Be a worker.
3. Compete like a Champion, do all the little things Champions do. Be humble and gracious in victory and proud of your effort in defeat.
4. Represent our School, our Team, your Teammates, your Parents with Honor and Pride.
5. Every player must have the appropriate wear and equipment. You will need to bring your own glove. Dress like a softball player: socks, athletic shoes (preferably rubber cleats), athletic wear (shorts, t-shirt, sweats, sweatshirt and/or jacket. A player is issued a uniform jersey, pants, belt, and socks. You need to supply your own hat. You are responsible for returning the uniform cleaned at the end of the season.
6. Attendance and timeliness is a requirement. Playing for a team is a privilege. If a player is absent from school it is considered an excused absence from practice. If a player is at school and doesn’t attend practice it is unexcused. Being sick, having a doctor or dental appointment, and family emergencies are valid excuses. An unexcused absence may result in non-participation in the next game. Players must be at school a minimum of 4 out of 6 periods to be eligible to play in a game on that day. Players/Parents must communicate with the coach in an email regarding their absences whether they were absent from school or not. Please let us know if there is a scheduling conflict with attending a practice and we need to be informed by a parent. The district requires a minimum of 8 practices before competing in the first game.
7. Players are students first. Players need to maintain passing grades (For more details see student handbook). Time management is going to be a critical component to the success of the individual player. Missing practice due to time management issues may hinder a player’s development and may result in loss of playing time in the forth-coming games. If the time commitment will be too much, then players must reconsider their position on the team.
8. Players must ride the bus to games. Parents may pick up players from away matches once they have signed out with the coach. Riding home with another player/parent is prohibited unless a written parental note has been given to the coach prior to the game and the player is signed out with the coach after the game.
9. Coaches, players, officials make mistakes. We are all human after all. Positive cheering from the sidelines is encouraged. Individual coaching and analysis of game performance is a positive way to encourage growth and learn from mistakes. Coaches will not talk to parents about playing time or game strategy. They will be happy to talk about a player’s needs, strengths, weaknesses and school.
10. Practices for the Varsity and JV squads will take place Monday-Thursday after school, from 2:45 - 4:00 p.m. Wed. practices are from 3:40– 5:00 p.m. Due to the late end of the school day on Wed. and a potential conflict with a club team practice a modified schedule for the player may be an option but is under the discretion of the coach and parent.
11. Locker rooms are available to change into athletic wear from 2:35 to 2:45. The locker room will remain locked after that until the end of practice/games. Please plan if you are leaving early because coaches will not be able to open the locker room early while practice or games are occurring. We will meet in the small gym at the beginning of practice before heading out to the field. . Because the participation in after-school athletics is voluntary, all student athletes will be changing in the locker room at the same time. If your student athlete wishes to not change, please have them wear the appropriate practice attire to school for the day.

Please have transportation available for your child immediately following our practices (if they won’t be using the activity bus) and games. Your child should be picked up by 4:10 M,T, TH and by 5:10 on W practice days. It isn’t acceptable for your child to wait on school grounds to be picked up if you’re arriving any later than the above mentioned times. The activity bus will leave BLMS around 4:15 M,T,TH and W it leaves around 5:15. 

Varsity Coach: Pat Dinsmore 425-837-4177 dinsmorep@issaquah.wednet.edu

JV Coach: TBD

PLEASE PRINT THE BELOW PAGE, SIGN, AND RETURN

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We have read the Softball expectations and Code of Conduct. As a Beaver Lake Middle School softball athlete, I intend to follow these expectations, participate and perform to the best of my abilities.

Parent Signature __________________________________

Player ____________________________________________

Date ______________________________________________