Dakota United Adapted Softball Parent/Player Meeting 2011
Coaching Staff:
Jeff Anderson: Co-Head Coach
Mary Hautman: Co-Head Coach
John Tousignant: JV Co-Head Coach
Sarah Papineau: JV Co-Head Coach
Trent Nelson – Assistant Coach
Adapted Athletics in Minnesota: This is a competitive State High School League Varsity sport. The expectations for our
players include good sportsmanship, consistent attendance, honorable competition, serious effort, and a positive attitude.
Placement on the varsity vs the junior varsity squad, lettering, and the amount of playing time a player gets is determined
by their ability, participation, attitude, attendance, and behavior. Most players show up for practices and games with
enthusiasm and demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the season. However, if negative attitudes and behaviors arise
and persist, players will be suspended from practices and/or games (1 verbal warning, parent contacted and then suspended
for 1 week). It is our hope and expectation that each player wants to be at practice each day, wants to work hard towards
self-improvement, and wants to have fun.
Indoor Softball: We play in gymnasiums using plastic bats and whiffle balls; players may hit off a tee if they are unable to
hit a pitched ball. Games are run by umpires and rules are very similar to that of slow pitch softball.
Practice Space: We are practicing at Apple Valley Community Center again this season. The space there is excellent for
our purposes, and the staff has been tremendously supportive of our program.
Schedule: Our schedule and days off are all based off of District #196’s calendar and availability at the AVCC. JV
players are finished after the last regular season game. In past years we have called a few players up to the Varsity for the
Play-offs if there is room on the roster. (The MSHSL has a roster size limit for the post-season). I will send out a weekly
schedule reminder so it is very important that I have correct email address(s).
Transportation:
Practices:
School districts transport players to practice from home schools. Parents are responsible for
transporting players home from practice. Please be sure to arrive at AVCC by 4:30 to pick up your
player. Many parents have formed car pools in the past. If you choose to form a car pool for rides
you will need to write us a note letting us know the specific of the arrangements made.
Away Games:
The school districts will transport students to the AVCC where the game bus will pick them up and
take the team to the game. After the game the team bus will return to the AVCC where
parents/guardians are to provide transportation home. If you wish to drive your student
directly home from an away game, that is fine; we just ask that you check in with one of the
coaches first so as not to throw off our head count.
Please be on time. Every year we end up waiting for an hour or more for a parent to come pick up
their child. This is not fair to us, or them.
Home Games:
Game times have been set for 4:30. Students will be bussed home, and it will be the parents’
responsibility to arrange for transportation to Eagan High School, and then home after the game.
Registration: Registration (forms, physicals, fees) is taken care of with the Athletic Secretary at the student’s home
school. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch should check with their school about assistance with the registration
fee. Transportation is based on registration, so the sooner you register the sooner you transportation will be arranged.
There are 2 forms that are to be completed and turned in to me as well. The first one is the Dakota United Player
Information form (attached). If you have already submitted an Player Information Form this year, you need not complete
another form. If you are unsure or if you have not completed one this form must be completed before your student can
participate in a game. If it is not complete by the first game, your player will not be allowed to continue practicing
until the form is turned in to the coaching staff.
The second form that must be filled out for Dakota United is a Proof of Eligibility form. This form is only required for
players that will be playing Varsity for the first time this season. It will be sent home with all varsity players who are
required to complete one. You may choose to fill one out this season even if your student is on the JV. A player only
needs to complete this form once during their time with Dakota Softball.
Junior Varsity: The focus of our JV team has always been for players to play, have fun, and get better. We keep FUN as
the focus for the JV, and will appreciate your support in this. We will make a commitment to get each player as much
playing time as we can, though it will not always be exactly the same for every game or for every player.
It is possible that we will be needing to split JV into two teams again this year due to numbers. If this is necessary we will
send home a notice and a game schedule that will reflect the split. Note that a JV split will NOT affect practice time. A
split JV gives all players more playing time.
Not all of our opponents will have a JV team. We have scheduled JV scrimmages for days when the away opponent has
no JV. The scrimmages will be at the AVCC and the players will have district transportation like practice. If there is no
opposing JV team for home games, then the JV will scrimmage itself at Eagan High School.
Practice: Practices are from 3:15 to 4:30. We practice Monday through Thursday each week on any day when we do not
have a game scheduled. The only exception to this comes at the end of the season as the State Tournament and Memorial
Day combine to throw our routine off a bit.
Students should wear comfortable clothes appropriate for athletic activity. There are bathrooms available at the AVCC for
students to change clothes if necessary. Athletic shoes are required for practices and games and must have non-marking
soles.
Water fountains are available at AVCC and all game sites. If a player chooses to bring a water bottle from home, please
label it. If a player is not being responsible (throwing/dumping, etc) his/her water bottle it will be taken away – if it should
happen a second time – the player will need to use the drinking fountains. Gym floors are expensive to maintain.
Lettering Policy: Letters will be awarded to all members of the varsity squad, Seniors and Juniors who have been with the
program for at least three seasons.
Pictures: Pictures will be taken in April. More information will be available soon. Watch for picture forms to be sent
home the first week of practice.
Jerseys: Jerseys will be handed out before the first game. These jerseys are for the players to wear on all game days (and
ONLY on game days). Jerseys must be returned to at the end of the season. Players should wear a t-shirt under their
jersey. Players should also wear black shorts or athletic pants and athletic shoes. (please, no jeans!)
T-Shirts/Sweatshirts: We will distribute order forms for “Hawk” t-shirts (short sleeve and long sleeve) and sweatshirts
should your son/daughter decide to purchase one.
Communication: Dakota United incorporates students from 4 school districts and up to 27 schools. We are all in this
together. The better we communicate the easier it is on everybody. Please let the coaching staff know if your student will
not be able to attend a practice or a game for any reason. Please do not assume that we know they are home from school.
Email: An email list for distributing information was created a few years ago in an attempt to improve communication and
reduce paper use. While it was not perfect, overall it has been a great success! It will not be able to replace the hotline all
together, but it has proved to be very useful in our communication. Feel free to sign up more than one email account when
you complete the Player information form. If you need to get a message to us, the quickest way during the day is to send us
an email (jeff.Anderson@district196.org or mary.hautman@district196.org)
Hotline: Please use the Adapted Sports hotline (651-683-6969 ext.#94496) for updated information. This is how you will
be notified if we should be delayed coming home from away games. While the Hotline will still be used, it is beginning to
take a back seat to the web page. It will not have any information for Softball until the Floor Hockey season is completed.
Web Page: Our web page is www.district196.org/rhs/facultyadd.cfm?id=602 . You can also find it by going to the
Rosemount High School web page and navigating to it through the Athletics tab. Our page has forms, schedules, contact
information, a photo gallery, and much, much more! Check it out!