Practices
Your teams will have one indoor and one outdoor practice per week. This information is also posted under "LD Team Pages" tab and the drop down with your team.
Indoor practices consist of small group work, including BP, bullpens, and catchers work in addition to a regimented warm up routine. Parking is difficult and limited. Please drop players off and then park if necessary. Also, we ask parents who opt to stay during practice to please make yourself comfortable in the front parents lobby and not the player/team room. Parents are not permitted in the practice/cage area during team practice.
Outdoor practices consist of stretching, agilities, outfield drills with catching, fielding routines and if time allows, rooster games and BP.
Practices are planned and followed by coaches so that each player gains knowledge and awareness of the game with the "Headfirst way" of striding and pace as an emphasis, as well as improving individual skills and baseball IQ.
Tournaments
Each team will play on average 2 tournaments a month with locations varying from Sunnyvale/Santa Clara to Stockton, to Manteca/Ripon and a few other "local" areas within an hours drive. Teams are placed into levels and registered by George Athan. Your Team Coordinator (which we will be asking for volunteers in a separate email) will input the rosters to the host tourney websites.
Team Coordinators will also reach out to all of you via GroupMe, TeamSnap or other to get a headcount by Wednesday so we will know if guest players are needed. Please respond to the Team Coordinator immediately after their outreach.
Tournament game times are usually released on Tuesdays prior to weekend play. Should you go online early and see game times, PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON THOSE GAME TIMES POSTED UNTIL YOU GET THE OFFICIAL EMAIL FROM GEORGE. Often times, game times are released and changes have to be made or teams drop so the times may change. Only go by George's email to the team for game times.
Uniforms
Each HF team will have the same set of black and cardinal tops with players last names as well as two hats (one black and one cardinal). The ONLY difference between Berc teams and HF teams are the hats. Berc players will have the "B" hat and HF players will have "HF" hats. You can contact George and/or Monika with any uniform needs as they arise. All other uniform pieces are purchased by you at West Coast in San Leandro. Those uniform pieces are listed on your team page on our website.
Coaches
Your coaches are the first line of communication should you have on field questions. That being said, please do not approach coaches immediately after games or practices. It is best to send an email to them with your questions and concerns a few hours (at least) following the event. If the issue is not resolved with your coach, reach out to HF Management and we will address.
Many coaches have more than one team and may have a conflict in game times. George does everything he can to schedule around that , but come Sunday, it is unpredictable. There are assistant coaches in place to help if that should be the case. It doesn't happen often, but will on occasion. Please be aware that HF does a thorough job of placing well equipped assistants on each team for this reason.
Coaches should act professional at all times. We rely on feedback from you, the parents, to report any inappropriate or unprofessional behavior as well as give us positive feedback so that we can continually improve and also acknowledge coaches who are outstanding.
Lines of communication
We have a strong team of management, but also have many families to address and tend to their needs. We ask that you reach out to only certain management members that your issues, concerns, questions or comments pertain to.
Mario Iglesias: Team assembly - mario74iglesias@aol.com
Michael Iglesias: Finance - mji0209@aol.com
George Athan: Tournament and practice schedules, Coaches and Uniform distribution - gathan24@yahoo.com
Jimmy Meuel: All Gamers teams - jmeuel@gmail.com
Monika Caltagirone: General info, uniforms and follow up should you not hear back from the management team above.
- Monika.caltagirone11@gmail.com
We strive to provide you a unique baseball experience with a family feel.
There are many other Headfist programs you will be learning about and participating in including, but not limited too...
Bercovich Baseball Foundation (non profit providing scholarships to those families needing help in order to play). Fundraisers including the Awards Banquet, BBF tournament, Tommy T's comedy night and other exciting and fun events all benefit our families in need. Visit the website at bercovichbaseballfoundation.org for more information.
Headfirst Leadership Program"Beyond the Field": Player and Student lead organization started by HF players that provides opportunity for our players to give back to our community. Visit the website at http://www.pointstreaksites.com/view/academy/hf-leadership for more information. Contact me at Monika.caltagirone11@gmail.com if your son is interested in being part of this amazing group of young men.
