Athens Little League: Levels Of Play

Mission and Goal:

To offer a comprehensive youth baseball program that provides opportunities for players of all abilities between the ages of 4-15 to learn and play the games of baseball and softball. The objective of the league is to implant firmly in the boys and girls of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect for authority so that they may be healthy and well-rounded children and will grow up to be healthy and well-rounded adults.

The goals of Athens Little League:

• Provide effective baseball and softball instruction
• Offer an appropriately competitive environment
• Offer a positive community experience that provides a fun, cooperative and family-friendly environment for participants of all backgrounds

LEAGUE STRUCTURE 2013

Majors Baseball [ages 10-12]:

All 10, 11 and 12 year olds are eligible to try out for the Major League, but team numbers and roster space do limit the total number of participants in the Majors. All 11 and 12 year olds must participate in tryouts in order to be eligible to play in either AAA or Major league baseball. At the request of parents, the Board of Directors, led by the Player Agent, may work with parents to place some 12 year olds in the AAA League if it is determined to be in that player’s best interest.

Expansion: Based on projected participation, the league in spring 2013 will expand to eight (8) teams in the Majors (96 players). Expansion in the Majors will occur via option three (3) of the 2013 Little League Operating Manual (p.62). Once the expansion team has made its selections, the established teams then draft in reverse order of the finish of last year’s schedule. No compensatory picks. All trades must be approved by the Player Agent.

Triple AAA Baseball [ages 9-11]

Based on projected participation, six (6) teams will be formed in AAA (72 players). This league will play by Major league rules with a continuous batting order allowing each player to bat and each child plays at least two innings in the field. The league follows Little League mandated pitch counts. 11 year olds not drafted into the majors are drafted automatically into AAA. All others are selected by tryout ability and drafted by the managers of this division. The draft will occur via Plan A (method in first year of operation) of the 2013 Little League Operating Manual (p. 57), as well as options on sons, daughters and siblings (pp.58-59). Games will be 6 innings or not starting an inning after 105 minutes, play by majors rules, with a continuous batting order. Dropped third strike does not apply.

Double AA Baseball [ages 9-11]

Based on projected participation, six (6) teams will be formed in AA (72 players).  This league is our first combination of machine/kid-pitch play, comprised of primarily 9 and 10 year olds who are not drafted into the AAA division. The league uses a continuous batting order allowing each player to bat and each child to play at least two innings in the field. The league follows Little League mandated pitch counts. Teams will be selected via serpentine draft, based on scores achieved at tryouts. Games will be 6 innings or not starting an inning after 105 minutes, combination of machine pitch (2 innings) and balance kid pitch with current minor league rules regarding stealing and a continuous batting order.

Intermediate Baseball [11-13]

Featuring a pitching distance of 50 feet and base paths of 70 feet, a new baseball division for players who are league-age 11-13 will be offered for the 2013 regular season. It will include postseason tournament opportunities, including a World Series. The new baseball division will serve as a bridge between the current “Little League” size field (46-foot pitching distance, 60-foot base paths) and a standard baseball diamond with 60.5-foot pitching and 90-foot base paths.

As a pilot program for 2013, the season dates, tryouts, scheduling and any local rules tba in spring. 11 and 12 Majors players who also play in this division may not throw a number of pitches beyond the point at which they would not be eligible to pitch in their Major League team’s next game.

Challenger Baseball

The Challenger Division was established in 1989 by Little League International to enable boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, ages 4-18, or up to age 22 if still enrolled in high school, to enjoy the game of baseball. Today more than 30,000 children participate in more than 900 Challenger Divisions worldwide. Teams are set up according to abilities, rather than age, and can include as many as 15-20 players. Challenger games can be played as t-ball games, coach pitch, player pitch, or a combination of the three. Athens Little League partners with other organizations like AIRS to provide Challenger division baseball for Athens and the surrounding communities.

Single A Baseball (Machine Pitch) [ages 7-8]

has been called our most exciting division of play. This league features machine pitch baseball and a continuous batting order. Each child bats and each child has to play at least two innings in the field. Teams are selected via serpentine draft, based on scores achieved at tryouts.

Coach Pitch Baseball [ages 5-6]

For 5 year olds who have played a year of tee ball, and all 6 year olds, this league features a combination of pitching from coaches and hitting from the tee. Each child bats in a continuous batting order and all kids play every inning in the field. Teams are selected via serpentine draft, based on scores achieved at tryouts. Score is kept, outs are recorded, but no standings are kept.

Tee Ball Baseball [ages 4-5]

This league features hitting from the tee, continuous batting order, and all kids playing every inning in the field. Score is not kept. Teams are selected randomly.

Junior League Baseball [ages 13-16]

Junior League is played on a full size baseball field. The season begins after middle school baseball season in early April. Teams play into early June with 3 baseball events per week. Games are on weekdays with practices usually on the weekend during the season. Some games require travel to other counties such as Oconee and Madison County.

Girls Softball

6-8 Year old Machine Pitch

This league focuses on teaching girls the fundamentals of softball focusing on fielding, throwing and batting. All games are played using the pitching machine.

9-10 Minor League

This league prepares girls for hitting live pitching and developing pitching skills. Games use both player and coach pitching.

11-12 Major League

At this level girls are encouraged to further develop their skills and fundamentals while also focusing on the strategy of the game. Stealing, sliding and bunting are taught and used throughout game play.

13-16 Senior League

A league for girls who wish to continue to develop their skills and have fun. This level is great for preparing girls for play at the high school level.Our Softball program offers the following levels of play: 6-8 Machine and Coach Pitch, 9-12 year old Kid Pitch.

For more information,contact Frankie Wylie