1. GENERAL
Q: Who is Sebastopol Little League for?
A: Sebastopol Little League is for boys and girls ages four through fourteen. All skill levels are welcome, from novice to experienced.
For details on age calculation, see below: “How do I calculate my child’s league age?”
Q: What is the general calendar for Little League?
A: Below are the general dates for a typical season.
· Registration – late November through end of January
· Evaluations – January
· Practices start – late February
· Opening Day – early April
· Season runs into early June
· All-Stars runs into early July
Q: My child has never played baseball. Are they too old to start playing Little League?
A: It is never too late to start your child's Little League career. Sebastopol Little League hosts annual evaluations in order to place players in the correct division based on their ability. A late starter will be able catch up to more experienced players within their first season. Although you can play Little League at four years old, a majority of Little League players started their careers over the age of five.
Q: What kind of equipment/uniform do players need?
A: Little League will supply a free jersey and hat to all players. All players will also need a baseball glove, cleats, baseball pants and belt. If unable to afford gear, contact the league, or check the used-equipment table at evaluations. All male participants should wear a cup at all practices and games (absolutely required for catchers). Sebastopol Little League provides batting helmets for teams, but players are also welcome to use their own. No tape, stickers, or markers on personal helmets please.
Q: What sort of bats are used in Little League?
A: Little League International provides complete information here. Sebastopol Little League does provide bats for all teams. Players do not need to provide their own, but if they do, they must meet current Little League compatibility.
Q: How often are practices and games?
A: There are usually 2-3 practices or games per week in Little League.
Q: How can I get ready for the season before practices start?
A: The first thing to do is to get a little physical exercise. Second, play catch. The last thing a player wants to do is throw a ball for the first time that year while at tryouts. Third, take some swings with a bat, whether it’s out in the yard without a ball, or at a batting cage. Always have your child wear a helmet while batting.
Q: Do players in the minors and majors get equal playing time?
A: All players who participate will play! Playing time is not always equal at the older, more competitive ages. But at the younger ages, managers distribute playing time with the goal in mind of creating a fun learning experience for the kids.
Q: How do I contact Sebastopol Little League?
· Questions regarding registration: [email protected]
· Questions regarding players and division placement: [email protected]
· Questions regarding coaching/managing a team: [email protected]
· General league questions or concerns/complaints: [email protected]
2. REGISTRATION
Q: When is registration?
A: There is both online and in-person registration.
· Online registration will be open late November through January
· In-person registration will take place during evaluation days
· Please note that players need to be registered to participate in required evaluations
Q: Should I register online or in-person?
A: We strongly encourage you to register online!
Q: How do I calculate my child's "league age"?
A: The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
For the Little League Baseball age calculator, click here.
Q: Can I request a friend on the team?
A: Friend requests may be made (but no coach requests, please). For a request to be considered, both parties must request the other. Sebastopol Little League will try to fulfill these requests, but cannot guarantee them. We use friend requests to aid in creating Tee Ball and Minor A divisions teams. As kids move up through the divisions, teams are primarily made on the basis of baseball skill to create balanced divisions.
Q: How are registration fees used?
A: Registration fees are used to pay for field maintenance, insurance costs, charter and other Little League fees, player uniforms, and shared equipment such as balls, bats, helmets, catchers' gear, first aid kits, chalk, etc.
Q: How is the registration fee determined?
A: The registration fee is determined by your child's league age. The higher fees for older players are associated with the increased investment the league puts into the higher divisions (i.e. umpires, playoffs).
3. EVALUATIONS
Q: What division will my child play in? Do they need to attend evaluations?
A: Sebastopol Little League has seven divisions: Tee Ball, Minor A, Minor AA, Minor AAA, Majors, Intermediate (50/70), and Juniors.
The table below describes the divisions, and below that are the guidelines for placing each player in a division. Generally, all players who want to play AA, AAA, Majors, Intermediate (50/70), or Juniors need to attend evaluations.
NOTE: Age range below is the "league age", as described above.
| Division | Ages | Description |
| Tee Ball | 4-6 | Players hit off a tee and have fun learning basic skills |
| Minor A | 6-8 | · Coach/machine pitch · Players do not need to attend a skills evaluation day · Teams are formed primarily by school attended and consideration of teammate requests · 7 and 8 year old players with little to no experience should play here |
| Minor AA | 8-10 | · Kids learn to pitch in this division · The amount and timing of pitching during games will be determined by team managers each year · Players attend a skills evaluation day · Teams are formed by draft · 8 year old players may play here if they have played a few years and are skillful · 9-10 year old players may play here if they are new to baseball or need more experience before moving up |
| Minor AAA | 9-11 | · Player pitch · Players attend a skills evaluation day · Teams are formed by draft · 9 year old players may play here if they have played a few years and are skillful · 11 year old players may play here if they are new to baseball or need more experience before moving up |
| Majors | 10-12 | · Player pitch · Players attend a skills evaluation day · Teams are formed by draft · Returning Majors players are drafted first, then players moving up from Minors and new players fill in teams · 10 year old players may play here if they have played a few years and are skillful |
| Intermediate (50/70) | 12-13 | · Play on a slightly larger field (70 foot base paths and 50 foot pitching distance) · Can start to take leads · Good division for 13 year old players who age out of Majors and are not ready for full-sized field |
| Juniors | 13-14 | · Play on a full-sized diamond |
Q: How are players assigned to teams?
A: Generally, players are assigned to teams by a player agent with input from the division coordinator and previous year’s coach evaluations. The specific team assignment process varies.
· In the Tee Ball and Minor A divisions: players are assigned to teams by the Player Agent and division coordinator
· In AA, AAA, Majors and above: managers select their teams in a draft
4. VOLUNTEERING
Q: Do I have to volunteer?
A: No, but we’d love your help! Sebastopol Little League is a volunteer operation and we can always use more help. Our board members, umpires, managers and coaches already donate a lot of time. Helping them in any capacity is greatly appreciated.
Ways to volunteer include: umpiring, managing, coaching, being a team parent, scorekeeping, or helping out at one of our events like opening day. If you’d like to volunteer for any of the above, please email the coaching coordinator at [email protected]
Q: I'd like to help the league by managing a team, but I'm not sure if I have the skills or time. How can the league help me manage a team?
A: Managing a team is easier than you might think. We will host coaching clinics and have meetings to help you teach skills, organize practices, and run the games. We often send experienced coaches/managers to your first few practices and/or games to help you get started. This will help you get the feel of how to run your team and communicate with your families. Please don't let the fear of the unknown dissuade you from coaching or taking on a manager role. Little League is as much about having fun and teaching life skills as it is about teaching baseball.
Each team usually has 2-3 assistant coaches, so missing a game or practice on occasion shouldn't be a problem. Obviously, we'd like our coaches and managers there for most of the games and practices, but we understand that life happens. Again, please don't let the possibility that you'll miss a couple of games or practices dissuade you from managing a team.