BEVERLY — Some Beverly Little League coaches will have to be fluent in subjects other than baseball this season.
The organization's board of directors has adopted a rule requiring at least one coach or manager of a major league team to have passed a class in CPR/first aid.
The Beverly Fire Department and Deputy Chief William Petrosino have responded by offering a free, three-hour class for all Beverly Little League major league managers and coaches on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Building, 502 Cabot St.
Beverly is the first Little League organization in the local District 15 to adopt the policy, according to Beverly Little League Executive President Greg Deschenes.
"Safety is our No. 1 goal for these kids, so it just made sense," Deschenes said. "We already put on a basic safety class for everyone. We just wanted to take it to the next step."
Deschenes said the organization is starting with coaches in its major league and plans to expand the CPR requirement to other levels in future years. Beverly Little League has about 700 players.
"The ball is traveling so far off these bats (at the major league level), and the kids are running so much quicker and throwing so much harder," Deschenes said. "If it helps one kid, then we've done our job."
Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2675 or by e-mail at pleighton@salemnews.com.
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