Game Film Notes
Coaches & Volunteers - Saturday, August 15, 2026
This is the companion to our Players & Families notes. Almost everyone helping this team is also a parent on it, so we encourage everyone to read both. What's in that post is what we're reinforcing on the field; this one covers what we're learning and refining together on the game-day side.
We're early in the season and still finding our rhythms. Some of these notes are reminders, some came directly from Game 1, and some are systems we're putting in place as we go.
Thank you, sincerely, for showing up and taking these roles on. None of this works without you.
Game Day DUGOUT & FIELD ACCESS
For games, only credentialed coaches registered with the NTX Renegades for Fall 2026 should be in the dugout or on the field.
Credentialed coaches this season are Casey, Jon, Richard, Steven, and Adrianne.
Our volunteers — including our GameChanger Stats Recorder, Scoreboard Keeper, Manual Scorebook Keeper, Pitch Count Keeper, Practice Squad members, Team Parent, and Music Coordinator — have important game-day roles, but unless they're also credentialed, those roles need to be handled from outside the dugout and field.
MBSA has been very clear about enforcing credential requirements this season, so this is one we need to be diligent about every game.
Dugout Coaches
The dugout has a lot moving at once on game day. Our biggest responsibilities are keeping the batting order moving smoothly, helping create a positive and engaged environment for every player, and keeping an eye on player safety throughout the game.
Batting Order
The dugout owns the batting order, and one of the most important moments to catch is the third out.
If the third out happens while a batter is still mid-at-bat — because another runner is put out — that batter has not completed his plate appearance. He returns to the plate to start our next inning. Catching that in the moment keeps us from accidentally skipping him.
If the batter completed his plate appearance before the third out, the player who was on deck generally leads off our next inning.
At every third out, answer one question before we transition: Who is our next batter?
Getting that settled immediately keeps the next inning organized and gives us time to have the right player ready.
Music Coordinator Cross-Check
The music coordinator can serve as a second set of eyes on the batting order. If the music lineup and dugout order don't appear to match, check in. That cross-check gives us another opportunity to catch something before the next batter heads to the plate.
Player Environment
Help keep players engaged in the game and pay attention to player-to-player interactions — both in the dugout and on the field. We want the boys supporting one another, staying connected to the game, and treating their teammates with respect.
Bullying, exclusion, or behavior that tears down another player has no place in our dugout or on our field. Step in and redirect when needed.
After the game, please alert the Head Coach to anything that may need follow-up with a player or family.
Player Safety
MBSA has issued Heat Safety Guidelines for the season. Please help us keep an eye on the boys throughout the game.
Hydration: Encourage players to drink regularly throughout the game and make sure water stays easily accessible.
First Aid: Know where our first-aid supplies are and alert the Head Coach or Adrianne Chapman if a player is hurt or isn't feeling well.
Fans & Cooling Towels: Help keep the dugout fans running and cooling towels available when conditions call for them.
Watch the boys: Pay attention to how players are doing physically throughout the game. If something doesn't look right, say something immediately.
Player safety always comes before the game.
On-field Base Coaching
Give the runner a slide cue.
We don't want runners turning their heads to find the ball while they're running. The runner's job is to run; our job is to help him know what's happening behind him. We'll establish and practice our base-running cues in the Coaches Workshop so we're all using the same language on game day.
Keep hands off players while the ball is live.
No guiding a runner, hand on the shoulder, or celebratory high-five while the ball is live. A base coach physically assisting a runner can result in interference and an out. It's an easy instinct in an exciting moment — just one to keep top of mind.
Game Recording & Scorekeeping
Our GameChanger Stats Recorder, Scoreboard Keeper, Manual Scorebook Keeper, and Pitch Count Keeper have a lot happening quickly. Game 1 gave us a good look at how these roles can work together.
Sit together behind home plate whenever possible. Multiple sets of eyes make it easier to confirm runs, outs, pitch counts, and complicated plays in real time.
Work as a team and cross-check each other. If something doesn't look right, check with each other first. Someone may have caught something another person missed.
Bring a mobile hotspot if you have one. Field connectivity can be unpredictable, and having a hotspot gives us a backup if GameChanger has trouble staying connected.
Use an iPad or tablet for GameChanger if you can. The larger screen can make scoring much easier to manage over the course of a full game.
Use the GameChanger community as a resource. Their Facebook group is a great place to ask scoring questions, especially when unusual baseball situations come up.
Save unresolved questions for after the game. Make a note or bring questions to Adrianne rather than pulling coaches away from the field or dugout during live play. We can work through anything that needs clarification afterward.
For everyone else: please give our game-recording crew space to work during live play. They're tracking every pitch and play in real time, and even a quick conversation can cause something to be missed. Please avoid interrupting them or questioning a recorded play while the game is moving.
The goal isn't perfection. It's creating a game-day system that gets smoother and more accurate as we go.
One Team
We're still learning how we work together on game day, just as the boys are learning how to work together on the field.
Own your role, communicate with the people around you, and ask when you're unsure. We'll keep learning what works and tightening things up as we go — the same process we're asking of the boys.
That's the point of game film: Learn. Adjust. Execute.
Read the other half of this week's notes: Game Film Notes — Players & Families
We hope what we share here is useful to our Renegades players and families. We’re learning together, and we’d love to hear from you. Have a thought, question, or something to add? Join us in the comments below.
