About Us
Playing Time Policy
What constitutes reasonable and fair playing time can be an emotional and divisive issue for parents, players, and coaches. This reflects the tension between two fundamental goals of the Royals Baseball program;
- Our emphasis on player development; and
- The necessity of preparing our graduating players to compete at the college level.
Preparing our players for the college game requires instilling a competitive drive as those college players who do not compete do not play. A Royals Coach must have the tools and flexibility needed to encourage the competitive spirit in his players. The allocation of playing time is a legitimate way to motivate hard work, discipline, positive attitude, focus, and game performance.
At the Premier level, there are many variables that play into the determination of playing time as Premier players are close to reaching college eligibility. The Premier Coach will need to use playing time as an incentive to encourage behaviours that are required of a player both on and off the field. In contrast to younger PBL divisions, off-field training and conduct become much more significant factors. More players are also considered “pitcher only.” There will generally be a larger roster on the Premier team than on any of the other teams, and competition for positions must continue throughout the calendar year. That said, players who have been named to the Premier team should have the opportunity to play and to earn playing time accordingly.