Hendersonville Heat

Mission, Core Values, Team Rules & Team Governance

The Heat’s Mission

The Hendersonville Heat is a non-profit baseball travel team providing a community
service to children that love the game of baseball and want to play at the most
competitive levels in middle-Tennessee. The organization is dedicated to developing
ball players and young people through Christian values, exceptional coaching, highly
competitive game play, and teaching the values of hard work, dedication, teamwork,
good sportsmanship and overcoming adversity.

The Heat’s Core Values

• Honor God
• Player Development
• Parental Harmony
• Team
• Winning
• Financial Responsibility
• Commitment

Honor God
The team will honor God. The team does not, however, require that players or
parents on the team subscribe to any particular faith or Christian denominational
theology. The team founders are Christians, but welcome all those that share a
passion for the game, and that the staff feels will be a good fit for the team.

Player Development
The Heat is all about the kids; about developing each player to the best of their
abilities in the game of baseball. Players will be taught to play well a minimum of two
positions. There is on-going instruction on all aspects of the game. In addition to the
Heat staff, additional instruction will be brought in from outside sources such as
other coaches, teams and clinics.

The Heat are also committed to developing better young people by teaching them life
lessons that will improve their chances at success in life. As a result of the Heat
experience, young people will learn the values of hard work, dedication, teamwork,
good sportsmanship and overcoming adversity.

Parental Harmony
The number one reason travel teams fail is because the parents can not get along.
Parents’ thoughts and concerns are welcomed and encouraged, but must be done in
an objective and respectful way. The organization wants involved parents. Parents,
however, understand that the staff must make what they believe are the best
decisions for the team.
Team
This is a baseball “team”. The team always comes before the individual desires of the
parent or player. All players must earn their positions based on their abilities and
skills, but also on intangibles such as attitude and work ethic, which combined will
provide the best chance for the team to win games.

Winning
The Heat are committed to being a very competitive baseball team that will play and
win at the highest levels of the age brackets we compete.

Financial Responsibility
The team will be operated within its financial means as provided by the funds it can
generate through sponsors, parents and fundraisers. The team’s books will always be
open to any parent and government organization. Parents will receive an estimated
annual budget and quarterly financial statements that clearly show funding sources
and uses.

Commitment
Commitment is required by the players, parents and staff. The Heat staff is
committed to developing the players, provide the players a truly unique life
experience and planning as far out as possible to allow families to plan. Players are
committed to supporting the team by always giving their best, dependable on-time
participation at team events and following team rules. Parents are committed to
getting their kids to team events on time and supporting the kids emotionally and
financially.

Team Rules

For any organization to be successful there must be operational guidelines and rules
that allow the team to function efficiently and fulfill its mission. The rules are
designed to set expectations, and provide a more objective frame work for decision
making. The rules will be revised from time to time, as best determined by the
executive committee.

Respect
At all times players are expected show respect to:

• Their fellow team members

• The staff
• Their parents
• The officials
• Other teams’ players and coaches

Player Positions
The coaching staff is charged with determining who the best players are for each
position. Players have to earn positions through their skills, stats and intangibles
such as attitude and work ethic. Player positions will be changed through the season
based on player development and team needs.

Punctuality
All players are expected to be at practice, warm ups and games on time and ready to
start.

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Participation
All players are expected to participate in all team events. The staff is dedicated to
planning all team events as far in advance as possible to allow for family planning.
There will still be times, however, where additional practices are required that were
not originally planned. It is understood that families will have conflicts at times. The
staff must be notified as far in advance as possible if a player will not be able to
participate in any team activities.

Work Ethic
Players are expected to give 100% in practice and at games. Players will be pushed
physically, and are expected to give their best and not complain. Players are
expected to run on and off the field.

Attitude
Players are expected to bring a positive attitude to every team event. Whining and
disrespect to others will not be acceptable.

Emotional Toughness
Emotional toughness will be developed and expected of the players. Players will be
expected to learn to deal with adversity in a positive and even keel fashion.

Trash Talking & Foul Language

Trash talking and foul language is not permitted on the Heat. Other teams may
engage in such activities, but we will always show respect to our opponents. Coaches
will be responsible for determining what is and is not trash talking.

Player Additions
There will be need from time to time to add players due to turnover. Player additions
will be based on player skill, work ethic, love for the game, attitude and the staff’s
evaluation of the parent/family fit on the team. Player additions may be through
parent recommendations or official tryouts held by the team.

Player Removal
It is the staff’s desire that every player that is chosen for the team have a long and
successful experience with the Heat. Inevitably, however, some players and parents
will not perform to team standards or simply wish to leave the team. The following
policy will be applied in the event the executive committee feels a player is not
performing up to team standards:

• Warning 1: The head coach will verbally discuss the issue, corrective action
required and time line with player and parent and inform the general
manager.
• Warning 2: The head coach will request that the general manager send a
written correspondence to player’s parents indicating again the issue,
corrective action required and the time frame for such corrective action. The
head coach will discuss it with the player and parents again.

If after two warnings the corrective action is not sufficient, as judged by the
executive committee, the player and family will be asked to leave the team. There
will be no refunds.

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Parent Involvement
The travel team is very much about families, and parental involvement on the team
is encouraged and critical to the team’s success. The coaching staff will inform all
parents either through email or meetings regarding substantial team issues and
concerns. It is the parents’ responsibility to offer supportive feedback to the
coaching staff in a timely manner. Coaching decisions, however, must be left to the
agreement of the coaching staff.

Education Priority
Doing well in school is more important than baseball, and players are expected to put
educational commitments before baseball. There may be times where a player needs
to leave school early for a tournament, and the team will do all that is possible to
comply with school policies. If a player is struggling in school, as determined by his
parents, the head coach will be notified. If the player needs to reduce time playing
baseball to get his grades up, the player will stay on the roster for up to six months
even without full team participation. After a maximum of six months, the parents
and head coach will meet to determine the best path.

Team Governance

Team Meetings
There will be regular team meetings to keep the parents informed of team activities.
Meeting agendas and minutes will be prepared by the General Manager. Parents will
be consulted on important issues, and their opinions and feedback will be listened to
and appreciated.

Staff Elections
Elections for the General Manager, Head Coach and Executive Committee will be held
annually after the Spring/Summer season, unless determined otherwise by the
Executive Committee. The new staff will assume the team immediately to begin
planning for the following season. The General Manager and Head Coach will choose
their respective staffs.

Emergency elections can be held at any time to fill a position if the position is
vacated or at least 67% of the families feel a change is needed.

Each family gets one vote. Alternate players’ families do not get to vote; only full-
time team members.

Decision Making Policies

For any organization to maximize its mission there must be clear final decision
making authority. Organizations can not be successfully run by committee.

1. The Executive Committee will resolve substantial team issues through

majority. It will consist of the head coach, general manager and three other at
large parents as decided in the annual election. A substantial issue could be a
major team purchase, elections or another major issue deemed worthy by at
least three members of the executive committee.

2. The coaching staff reports to the head coach. Final on-field decisions
ultimately rest with the coaching staff.

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 3. The team has a variety of staff volunteer positions outside of coaching. These
positions will be coordinated through the general manager. Final off-field
decisions ultimately rest with the general manager.

Guiding Document
This document will guide team decision making. It is a living document that will be
changed and amended from time-to-time, as the team’s needs are identified by the
executive committee, after consulting the parents and providing reasonable time for
feedback. This document will be updated at least annually, and those changes will be
posted on the team’s web site.

Local League and Tournament Play

There are many opportunities for competitive play in local tournaments and leagues
that do not require overnight stays in hotels. The Heat will largely focus on playing
within a 90-mile drive of Hendersonville. Still, there may be a couple of tournaments
that require overnight stays, but these will be brought before the parents for a vote
and planned as far in advance as possible. When available, team funds will be used
to reduce the travel burden as determined by the executive committee.

Financial Reporting & Responsibility

All families will receive a financial report on the team at least twice per year. Each
year the executive committee will prepare a team budget for all parents to
understand and comment. Based on parent feedback, a final budget will be decided
by the executive committee for the year and updated twice annually. In addition to
sponsors, parents will be expected to contribute fees from time-to-time determined
by the executive committee. Annually, the team would like to keep the player fees at
$300 - $400 or less, but it will depend on many factors, including such things as
sponsor participation, playing schedule and the need for uniforms.

Non-Profit Organization
The team may be requesting 501c3 non-profit status, and if granted will file all
appropriate paperwork as required by the federal and state governments. This status
allows us to be a charitable donation. If that status is not achieved, we will be a
marketing opportunity for companies and they will be able to take the deduction in
that form. The team does have tax exempt status with the state of Tennessee.

By signing below, the player and parent(s)/guardian(s) indicate they clearly

understand the team mission, values, rules, and the parent(s)/guardian(s)
understand the governance as outlined in this document.

_________________________________________________________________
Player Date

__________________________________________________________________
Player Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Date

__________________________________________________________________
Head Coach Date

__________________________________________________________________
General Manager Date

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