YAPHANK, N.Y., May 14, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Steel Sports will begin introducing Major League Baseball and USA Baseball's Pitch Smart guidelines into its 2019 programming at Baseball Heaven in an effort to increase player safety.
Starting in April, the Pitch Smart guidelines were fully implemented into Baseball Heaven's spring league for the 8U and 9U divisions, impacting over 160 youth players. On May 17-19, the Richard Becher Memorial Tournament will enforce Pitch Smart guidelines in all divisions and use the weekend as a platform to educate players, coaches and families.
MLB and USA Baseball launched Pitch Smart in 2015, a series of practical age-appropriate guidelines to help parents, players and coaches avoid overuse injuries and foster long, healthy careers for youth pitchers. The guidelines focus on age specific pitch count limits and required rest recommendations.
"Steel Sports recognizes the magnitude of arm overuse as a major safety concern in baseball, and we support the Pitch Smart research and guidelines," Steel Sports Director of Baseball Joe Santilli said. "Given our 'Kids First' philosophy, we want to help lead the way in making Pitch Smart a standard across the youth baseball industry."
In addition to Baseball Heaven's league and tournament implementation, Steel Sports is incorporating USA Baseball's "Introduction to Pitch Smart" training as a mandatory course for all Team Steel coaches in 2019. Team Steel is a youth baseball and softball organization with 40 teams in 8U-18U.
The National Youth Baseball Championships, a Steel Sports-owned event televised on CBS Sports Network and MLB.com, has used Pitch Smart since 2016. Steel Sports will continue identifying ways to incorporate the Pitch Smart guidelines and education into additional programming in 2020.
To learn more about the Pitch Smart initiative, go to MLB.com/pitch-smart.
About Steel Sports
Headquartered in Hermosa Beach, CA, Steel Sports is a social impact business with the mission of inspiring youth to reach their potential, on and off the field, by developing them as athletes and people through the Steel Sports coaching system. Through its "kids first" approach, Steel Sports is establishing a new standard in youth sports and coaching, forging the next generation of leaders by instilling Steel Sports' core values: Teamwork, Respect, Integrity and Commitment. Steel Sports creates a positive youth sports experience for over 100,000 athletes each year.
SOURCE Steel Sports
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