Babe Ruth League Coaching Education Center. Powered By Ripken Baseball

What is the Babe Ruth League Coaching Education Program requirement?
The requirement is that all baseball and softball coaches affiliated with either organization must complete coaching education and become certified to coach.

What are the online courses being offered through ASEP?

• Coaching Advanced Baseball: The Ripken Way for Babe Ruth Baseball Coaches
• Coaching Advanced Softball: The Ripken Way for Babe Ruth Softball Coaches
• Coaching Youth Baseball: The Ripken Way for Babe Ruth Baseball Coaches
• Coaching Youth Softball: The Ripken Way for Babe Ruth Softball Coaches

Which course should I take?
Click here for a comparison of course content and features included in the "youth" and "advanced" courses.

How much does the course cost?
The "youth" courses are $19.95 each. The "advanced" courses are $24.95 each. Certification is valid for your entire coaching career with Babe Ruth League, Inc.

How do I purchase the course?
Click on the Coaches tab and follow the simple prompts. You will need a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card to make the purchase through the Web site.

What is the format of the course?
The courses are Web-based, with all content (reading material), animation, audio clips, quizzes, and test being delivered over the Internet.

Will I receive course materials in the mail prior to taking the course?
No, nothing will be mailed to you; all course content is delivered electronically through the online course. Once you purchase your course, you can take it immediately; you do not need to wait for anything to be mailed to you.

But the shopping cart made mention of "shipping and handling" and asked me to select a "shipping method" and to provide a "shipping address." Doesn't that mean something will be sent to me?
Even though references are made to "shipping" on the shopping cart and payment pages, nothing will be sent to you. Neither will you be charged shipping for the online course. You do not need to select a "shipping method"; simply leave that field as the default selection and proceed through the checkout. No shipping charges will be added (state taxes will be added, however).

How long is the certification valid?
Effective February 1, 2008, any coach who successfully passes the Babe Ruth League Coaching Education and Certification Program will receive a certification that is valid for their entire coaching career with Babe Ruth League, Inc. This also applies to any coach who has already taken and successfully passed the Babe Ruth Coaching Education and Certification Program.

How long does the course take to complete?
Coaches should expect to spend two to three hours going through the "youth" online course or six to eight hours on the "advanced" course. Careful reading of the PDF book and other materials found within the course will require additional time (well spent!).

Can someone not affiliated with Babe Ruth League or Ripken Baseball take the course?
Yes, but we would recommend the coach consult his or her organization to ensure that the Babe Ruth/Ripken version will satisfy the coaching education requirements of the non-affiliated organization. If a person is taking the course for his or her own professional development and not to satisfy a requirement, the coach would simply select "Other" from the drop-down menu during the registration process.

Will coaches receive a certificate of course completion?
After successfully completing the course, coaches have the ability to print a certificate of completion and wallet card directly from the site. However, we will not be mailing certificates.

How do I print my certificate?
To print a certificate of course completion, visit the Coaches area of the site, sign in using your e-mail address and password, and click on the Certified text link. (You cannot print a certificate if you haven’t completed the course.) From that screen, you’ll be given the option to print your certificate and e-mail your course transcript.

Can courses be purchased in bulk?
Yes, league administrators have the option of purchasing multiple courses and distributing them to their coaches. The first step in this process is to contact Babe Ruth League headquarters for an administrator code. Click here for detailed instructions on how to purchase in bulk.

Will there be a National Coaches Registry for the site?
Yes, there will be an NCR, but it will not be open to the public. Only administrators will have access to the registry to run reports for their individual leagues.

What are the technical requirements for viewing the course?
Click here for a detailed listing of technical requirements.

Is there a classroom (in-person) version of the course?
Some leagues have asked about classroom instruction and, while we realize that some would prefer this method, we will only be offering the courses online. With more than 200,000 coaches affiliated with Babe Ruth League, one can appreciate the ambitiousness of the task. In selecting a program, we felt it necessary to meet three main objectives: the program be easy to implement for administrators, the content be delivered consistently to all coaches, and the courses be affordable. We at "home plate" reviewed many coaches training courses, and we are confident the online courses offered by ASEP are the most convenient, consistent, and cost-effective way to train our coaches.

Classroom courses are considerably more work for league administrators (scheduling and conducting clinics, handling inventory, grading tests, tracking certifications) and, with the print material required, classroom clinics are often more costly to deliver. It’s also difficult to ensure consistency of course delivery, as classroom courses are often only as good as the instructor. For these reasons (lightened workload for administrators, low cost to coaches, and consistent delivery for all) the Babe Ruth League Ripken Baseball Coaching Education and Certification Program is solely an online program.

What if I don’t have access to a computer or the Internet?
Many public libraries have computers with Internet access free of charge, and community centers often have computers available for public use. Some schools may even offer free access to the general public. Friends, relatives, and neighbors are also places to turn for Internet access. It’s simple—and often free—to set up an e-mail account through major Internet providers such as Yahoo! and Microsoft’s Hotmail.

How will the course requirements be enforced?
Currently, the policing of the certification program rests with the local league and local league president. Any coach who refuses to take a certification program will not be allowed to coach in the local league or coach a tournament team. Starting in 2008, coaches who are coaching a Babe Ruth Baseball, Cal Ripken Baseball, or Babe Ruth Softball tournament team will have to show their certification card as part of their tournament documents.