Little League is a program of service to Youth Baseball. It is geared to provide an outlet of healthful activity and training under good leadership in the atmosphere of wholesome community participation. This movement is dedicated to helping children become good and decent citizens. It inspires them with a goal and enriches their lives toward the day when they must take their places in the world. It establishes the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play.
The Amesbury Little League Board of Directors has implemented a "Zero Tolerance" policy in regard to ANYONE present at an ALL sponsored event, whether on the field or off. Our main desire is to ensure all league events remain safe for all present.
The term "Zero Tolerance" encompasses a wide range of actions or verbiage directed from one person to another, or to a whole group of people. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Making derogatory comments about an official’s call or making defaming statements to umpires themselves.
- Note: Spectators must not engage with the umpires regarding their calling of the game.
- Making derogatory comments about any manager or coach's ability to coach, or the decisions they make concerning the players on their teams.
- Making derogatory comments to any player, on the field or off, for any reason.
- Any negative remark made from one spectator to another which incites verbal altercation.
- Any aggressive physical altercation made by anyone.
This policy is being implemented to help ensure that these conditions are maintained. Anyone present at league events should be aware of the League Policy concerning acceptable behavior.
Reference is made to the “Little League Baseball Official Regulations and Playing Rules (OR& PR)” specifically Regulation XIV(a) which reads: "The actions of players, managers, coaches, and umpires and league officials must be above reproach. Any player, manager, coach, umpire or league representative who is involved in a verbal or physical altercation, or an incident of unsportsmanlike conduct, at the game site or any other Little League activity, is subject to disciplinary action by the Local League Board of Directors." Additional reference is made to Rule 4.07, which reads: "Any manager, coach or player ejected from a game is suspended for his or her team's next physically played game and may not be in attendance at the game site."