Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Sports Rules topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Royal Palm Beach youth league reinstates sling for 8U, keeps coach pitch for 5–6 and sets draft rules for spring
Summary
At its December meeting the Royal Palm Beach Youth League voted to reinstate the pitching sling for 8U in spring, retain coach-pitch for 5–6, and adopt a ranking-guided snake-draft process to determine team order; the board also agreed on rule clarifications and training for coaches.
The Royal Palm Beach Youth League board voted in December to reinstate the pitching sling for 8U for spring play, keep coach-pitch for 5–6 and adopt an independent-rating, snake-draft method to set team order.
Unidentified Speaker 5 moved to bring the sling back for 8U and Unidentified Speaker 2 seconded; the board then discussed operational details including speed settings for younger players, buying additional units and sandbags to secure machines, and offering a coaches clinic to train users. "Sling is back," Unidentified Speaker 1 said after the vote.
The board clarified how pitching formats will be used across divisions: coach pitch will remain for 5–6, and sling pitching will be used in the 8U spring season with possible reduced speed settings for newer players. Members urged a coaching clinic and agreed to procure at least two new slings and sandbags so machines can remain adjacent to fields on game days.
On drafting, the board debated returning to a snake draft versus continuing a point-based system. Members agreed to use an independent rating process per age group to calculate draft order (an independent rater or division-assigned evaluator will compile rankings). Unidentified Speaker 1 described the approach as designed to balance teams while still allowing coaches three “freezes” (pre-selected players) to carry forward.
Board members also weighed sibling-treatment and no-show policies: siblings and must-pair players will be included in the rating total so they affect draft order, and the group discussed measures to reduce manipulation of evaluations, including independent raters or group coach evaluations immediately after player assessments.
Members framed the decisions as operational rather than permanent policy changes: the board asked staff and division directors to write clear rules for coach training, sling operation, draft windows and the independent-rater process before spring registration opens. The board recorded the motions and carried the votes during the meeting; chair said highlights and a draft of rule language would be circulated to coaches.
The board’s next steps: finalize clinic dates, confirm procurement quotes for slings and sandbags, publish updated draft rules and the independent-rater process, and schedule evaluations and the snake draft before the spring season.
