Blue Star Baseball: FAQ's
Friday, November 7Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQ's section. Please take a moment to review the questions and answers here, there is a wealth of information about registration,
tryouts, game times, players who have school on Sunday, practices, mid-week games, uniform requirements, parking at the field, field address, lost and found, picture day, food at the field and more. (Information is subject to change without notice). If you don't find an answer to your question here, please send us an email at info@bluestarbaseball.com (please do not send emails to any other email address, but that one).
Q: When is the Blue Star Baseball season and how many games are there in the season (this information is subject to change)?
A: The 2010 Blue Star Baseball season will tentatively begin with practices at the beginning of February 2010, and opening day in March 2010. The season will tentatively end mid-June (closing date TBD). Each team will play approximately 10 games.
Q: How do I register my child(ren)?
A: Registration begins in October. All parents must pay with a credit card and register their child(ren) online at our website at www.bluestarbaseball.com. Blue Star Baseball does not accept checks, only credit cards.
Q: What are the registration fees?
A: The registration fee starting November 1, 2009 is $175. The registration fees after December 1, 2009 will be $225 (NO exceptions and all players must register and pay online, please do not wait until the last minute to get the $175 rate, we are not responsible for website maintenance and/or technical problems that might occur).
Q: What items are included in the registration fee by the league for the players?
A: The items that are included for each player are: 1 pair of white baseball pants, 1 baseball jersey, 1 baseball hat, 1 pair of baseball socks, 1 pair of baseball cleats, photography package (determined each year), 1 trophy and 1 end of year commemorative calendar. Please note that if you sign your child up after the season begins, we cannot provide pants and cleats, you will need to provide them for your child. Furthermore, once the season begins, we cannot make any size exchanges for the pants and cleats.
Q: Can my child play on a team with his/her friends, that is the only way he will participate in baseball?
A: If your child is playing in T-Ball or Underhand Coach Pitch, you can request that your child be placed with his/her friends. We will do our best to match friends together, however, we can't guarantee final team placement. Please do not send us an email requesting that your child be with his/her friends, there is a place in the registration questionnaire to put in your requests. We cannot accept requests via email! If your child is playing in any other division besides T-Ball or Underhand Coach Pitch, we cannot accept any requests for children to play together. Please keep this in mind when you sign your child up for baseball, we cannot guarantee that your child will be with his/her friends, if you think that it is a make or break situation for your child, than you should consider that prior to registering him/her. We are happy to announce that Blue Star Baseball is made up of children who live both in the San Fernando Valley and on the Westside and who attend up to 25 different schools. It is a perfect opportunity to make new friends!
Q: I am having difficulties registering online at your website, what should I do?
A: It is a league requirement that every parent register their childs information online. There are 3 options on the Registration homepage (Option A, B and C)...If you are having difficulties, please choose Option C and it should work fine. If you are still having difficulties, please check with a friend who has already signed up to see if they can walk you through the online registration process.
Q: Do you offer a multi-child discount?
A: No, we do not offer a multi-child discount. The league costs are significantly greater than the registration fees. Other leagues charge on average of $400 plus per player, require mandatory parent volunteer participation in the league and require the players to raise money via a fundraiser (ie: selling candy, wrapping paper, casino night).
Q: What is the "typical" age break-downs for the different divisions of Bluestar Baseball?
A: Division placements always depend on the number of children in each age group, starting with children league age 14 (age as of April 30, 2010) and working its way down. Historically, Bluestar divisions have been as follows:
**14 and underJuniors (boys only)
**12 and underMajors (boys only)
**10 and underMinors (boys only)
**8 and underMachine (boys only)
**6 and underUCP (co-ed)
**5 year oldsT-ball (co-ed)
**Girls only 8-12 year olds
Q: What happened to the Farm division and where will my league age 9 year old fit in?
A: We changed the names of our divisions. A league age 9, will fit in to the Minors division (10 and under). Kids pitch in Minors (as long as they are 9 or older by April 30, 2010).
Q: My child is 4 and wants to play t-ball, can he/she?
A: T-ball is one division that we make an exception on with regards to league age. So, if your child is league age 5 (date of birth on or after April 30, 2010), he/she can play. If your child will be turning 5 before June 15, 2010, he/she can also play. Please note however, that if your child falls into the aforementioned category and he/she chooses to play (even though he/she is 4), be prepared that he will be playing one extra year of either UCP or Machine Pitch (because in those divisions, we cannot make league age exceptions).
Q: What will the age break-down be for this year and what division will my child be in?
A: Unfortunately, we won't know what the break-down will be until we see how many registrants there are this year and how the tryouts turn out. We can then determine how many teams there will be and how many players will be on each team.
Q: What does league age mean?
A: It is the age of the child as of April 30, 2010 (for 2010 Baseball Season).
Q: My child's birthday is 2 days past the cut-off can you make an exception and put him in a higher division?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot. Just like other little leagues, we follow guidelines of age breakdowns. At times because of birthday cut off dates kids get squeezed. There are a number of kids in the league who miss the cut-off date by just a few days, but we can't make exceptions. Please keep this in mind when you sign your child up to play, so that he doesn't face disappointment about what division he will be playing in for the season. Review the age breakdown mentioned above carefully. Please do not send us an email requesting that we place your child in a higher division because he is so close to the cut-off date. One exception, turns into many exceptions!
Q: Can my daughter play in any division?
A: No, the reason for separating the girls from the boys at the Machine Pitch level is that there are boys that are 9 years old, and one of the midos taught at many of the Jewish day schools that our children attend are the laws of "Snius" or "modesty." Because of this boys and girls do not play on the same team with each other if they are 8 years or older. Our league caters to families that recognize the importance of encouraging their children to not play in a league that practices or plays on Shabbos and/or Jewish holidays. We are thankful that our league attracts a wide range of families from those that are not as observant (who might not mind if their kids play together at any age) to those that more observant. It is our responsibility to try and make sure to fulfill the needs of everyone.
Q: Is there a separate girls division?
A: We are planning on having a girl division for the 2010 season for girls league age seven and up (ie: 7 by April 30, 2010). We have heard from as many as 40 girls that there is an interest, so if your daughter is interested, please sign her up, and if we do not have enough girls, we will refund your money.
Q: When are tryouts and where do they take place?
A: The tryout date for the 2010 Baseball Season is Sunday January 10, 2010. We are working on a division schedule, but the approximate start time will be 11:00 am. All players need to tryout if they fall in the league age for any of the following divisions: Juniors, Majors, Minors, Machine Pitch, UCP and Girls Only. If your child is playing in T-ball they DO NOT need to attend tryouts, they will be notified by the league with regards to their team placement (hang tight!).
Tryouts (along with all other Blue Star Baseball events, unless otherwise noted), take place at the East Valley Baseball Fields 8045 Whitsett Ave in North Hollywood, CA 91605 (at the corner of Whitsett and Strathern).
Q: Is there a make-up tryout date?
A: There is not a make-up tryout date (unless of course the designated date gets rained out). If your child cannot attend tryouts (and is in Majors, Minors, Farm, Machine Pitch or Underhand Coach Pitch), rest assured every player will of course be assigned to a team. Please be patient and we will contact you as soon as we know which team your child is placed on, please do not contact us and ask us.
Q: What is the nature of the tryouts? Is there actually a question of making a team?
A: The tryouts are so that the teams can be drafted and all be of the same competitive level (to the best of our ability to draft "fairly"). Everyone plays and gets on a team.
Q: How can my child prepare for the tryouts?
A: Your child will be doing the following at tryouts:
-At the plate to face a few pitches
-Short stop to field grounders and throw to first
-Run from home to first or second
-Pitch (farm, minors and majors only)
-Catching fly balls
Q: How long will the tryouts take?
A: Tryouts will run for about 15 minutes once your child is on the field. The wait time to get on the field can be anywhere from a few minutes to over one hour. We would like to set up a more scheduled time this year (ie: approximate time slots for each child to come and tryout), we are working on it, and will let you know as soon as we have it figured out. Thank you (as always) for your patience.
Q: Do all players need to tryout?
A: All players need to tryout for Juniors, Majors, Minors, Machine Pitch, UCP and girls. We aim to have the teams well balanced, and in order to do so, we need to properly assess their skills prior to forming the teams.
Q: What should my child wear to tryouts?
A: Preferably baseball pants, cleats and a comfortable t-shirt. If your child does not have baseball pants or cleats, please make sure they are dressed in comfortable sportswear and sports shoes. In addition, a protective cup must be worn at all times while on the field. You can purchase a protective cup at your local sporting goods store (ie: Big 5, Sports Authority).
Q: My child wants to tryout for a different division than what his league age falls in, can he do that?
A: No, he cannot. No matter what, he will be evaluated in the tryouts specific to his division (as per his age). If there is a possibility that he can be placed in a higher division than we will be drafted to the higher division. Please keep in mind that there are no guarantees that he will be placed in a higher division. Our primary goal is the integrity of the league. We will evaluate how many players we have that fall within the typical age breakdown for a specific division and once we determine how many we have, we will then determine whether there will be any room for a player who is younger than the typical age in that division. Please note each division is becoming more and more similar and competitive. Moreover, we realize that there are some kids who are very close to the league age cutoff, this happens in every division and unfortunately we can't make any exceptions, even if the player missed the cutoff by only a few days. Below is the typical age breakdown for each division:
**14 and underJuniors (boys only)
**12 and underMajors (boys only)
**10 and underMinors (boys only)
**8 and underMachine (boys only)
**6 and underUCP (co-ed)
**5 year oldsT-ball (co-ed)
**Girls only 8-12 year olds
Q: My child has school on Sunday, will he still be able to tryout?
A: Of course they will, we will be accommodating Sunday school schedules, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate in tryouts.
Q: How are the T-ball and Underhand Coach Pitch teams formed?
A: The coaches draft the players, but we try to keep 2-3 friends together per team. Please put all team requests in the registration questionnaire when you sign your child up online, there is a specific question that asks who you would like for your child to play with this season. We make every effort to accommodate those requests. Please do not send us separate emails with this information, only include it in the registration questionnaire.
Q: Will there be any teams for just "Westside" players?
A: Yes, we make an effort to have "Westside" teams so that it opens the league up to more players and so that those teams can practice together in the City and carpool together for the games. However, please note that the leagues first criteria in division placement is league age!
Q: When will I find out what team my child(ren) are on this season and what time their games will be?
A: It takes a lot of time for us to get through tryouts and to deal with last minute additions to the league, we work as quickly as possible and encourage all parents to register their kids as early as possible to help ease the process. Once the teams are in place we will send out a game schedule, we aim to send it out at least 1 month prior to Opening Day.
Q: I have more than 1 child playing in Blue Star Baseball, and they are in different divisions, will their game times be at the same time (I don't want to spend all day at the field)?
A: We have a lot of families with multiple children playing in the league (in different divisions), so obviously it is impossible that every family would have their kids playing at the same time. Yes it is a big commitment that you might spend a bulk of your Sunday out at the fields, but that is part of organized sports, so before you sign-up think about this fact. How about looking at it as a nice family activity, bring the whole family (grandparents, aunts, uncles), let them run around the grass, bring a picnic, enjoy the yummy kosher food from the food truck, cheer your kids on and have a great time!
Q: Is there a weekly set practice schedule?
A: Each coach sets up their own practice schedule. Generally speaking most of the
teams do not practice too much during the week (although some coaches try to have weekly practices at a field or at the batting cages). The league is still competitive and the players are encouraged to practice on their own or with their players (if feasible)
Q: What is the earliest game time and what is the latest game time?
A: Game start times vary anywhere from 9:00, 10:00, 12:00, 2:00. With regards to the latest game time, we will not know that until we know how many kids are playing in the league.
Q: Will each divisions game times be the same each week?
A: Most likely no, we try to vary the game times, so that if there is a personal preference or dislike for a particular game time, than we are hopefully being fair and giving everyone the opportunity/requirement to play at different times throughout the season. With that in mind, however, we do make every effort to accommodate the schedules of kids who have school on Sundays. So please make sure you answer the question in the registration form that asks if your child has school on Sunday, so that we are aware of it and can make every effort to accommodate their school schedules.
Q: My child has school on Sundays, will you be able to accommodate this so that he can play in the league?
A: We are trying to put teams together for those kids that have school on Sundays. We will not know if that is going to work until a few weeks after try-outs. Please come to tryouts and if the schedule does not work you will receive a refund.
Q: Will there be any midweek games?
A: For the 2010 season, we are doing our best to try to only have games on Sundays. We have received feedback in the past years that having mid-week games are difficult for children to attend (with school and other activities that they have during the week).
Q: Is there a required baseball uniform to play?
A: Yes, all kids must be properly dressed in baseball attire when attending practices and/or games (see the next two questions for specifics).
Furthermore, during actual game time and practices, the league will provide helmets and bats for the players use on the field (they are not permitted to take these items home with them).
Q: What uniform items do I need to provide for my son/daughter to play?
A: It is your responsibility to provide the following items for your son/daughter for the season, they can all be purchased at your local sporting goods store (ie: Big 5, Sport Chalet, Sports Authority)
--GLOVE--please have it fitted properly at a sporting goods store
--PROTECTIVE CUP (for boys)--a cup is REQUIRED anytime a player is on the field, if a player is not wearing a cup, the umpires will dismiss him from the game.
--SLIDING SHORTS (for boys)---not required, but highly recommended to wear over players boxers or briefs, to avoid chafing.
--COLORED BELT---please wait to purchase it until you know your team color so that it matches your uniform, if your pants do not have belt loops, than you do not need to wear a belt.
Q: What uniform items are provided by the league?
The league provides 1 of each: pair of cleats, pair of baseball pants, jersey, pair of socks and hat. These items will be distributed prior to the season beginning (exact time and date to be determined each season). There will be plenty of cleat and pant sizes to choose from for the players. As for the shirt, the uniform company bases the sizes on the ages of the kids on the teams. It has always worked out great in the past! Please note, if you sign your child up after the cleat and pant handout and/or after Opening Day, the league will not be able to provide these items to your child, and it will be your responsibility to purchase them on your own.
Q: Are the girls required to wear skirts while playing?
A: No, it is their personal decision, some might wear baseball pants under their skirt, others might wear just baseball pants and others might wear just skirts.
Q: What if my son/daughter loses one of the uniform items that are provided by the league?
A: If your son/daughter loses part of their uniform, it is your responsibility to go to a sporting goods store (ie: Big 5, Sportmart) and purchase a replacement item.
Q: Can my son/daughter use a wooden bat while playing in the league?
A: No, the league does not permit the use of a wooden bat.
Q: How are the team names assigned?
A: The divisions fall by Major League Baseball divisions, so we aren't sure what the team names will be until closer to the season beginning.
Q: I am interested in coaching or managing a team, how do I go about doing that and what is the difference between the two?
A: We encourage the parents to get involved, it is a great experience both for them and for the kids! The "COACH" helps the manager run the team and the "MANAGER" Is the Head Coach, handles all team administrative duties, is the team contact with the league and is required for the 2010 season to raise $360 in sponsorship money (per team). In order to be considered for the position of coach or manager, you must register your information online at www.bluestarbaseball.com (there is no fee to do this). There is a place in the registration process to indicate any special requests (ie: if you would like to coach or manage with someone else and/or if you would like to coach/manage your child's team). Please indicate all this information in the registration process, do not send us a separate email with these requests.
Q: Can a company or individual sponsor a team?
A: Of course!!! The sponsorship fee to sponsor a team for the 2010 season is $360.00. You can get your logo/name on the sleeve of the team that you sponsor if you have your money and camera ready art turned into Blue Star Baseball by February 1, 2010 (no exceptions to this deadline).
Q: How do I make a donation to the league?
A: Blue Star Baseball is a non-profit organization run completely by volunteers. All donations are tax deductible (tax id #95-6006492). You can also apply your donation money to an ad in our end of year calendar that is distributed to all of the players. Rates and sizes vary, so please send us an email for more information about sponsorship opportunities.
Q: Is there a picture day, when will it be and what will be the schedule?
A: Picture day will March 14, 2010 and make-up picture day will be March 21, 2010. We aren't 100% sure of the exact schedule for the day yet, but most likely the individual and team photos will be taken approximately 30 minutes prior to your scheduled game time. If you don't have a game scheduled on picture day, you will of course still have your picture taken, either on picture day or on make-up picture day. There will be a team photo and individual photos. A photo package is included in your registration fees. You will also have the option to purchase additional photos, if you wish. With regards to a make-up picture day, the general scheduling time for a make-up day usually 1-2 weeks after the first shoot. All players MUST have the picture form filled out prior to having their picture taken (even if you aren't purchasing extra prints, and you only want the photo package that is included in your registration fees).
Q: When and how will we receive our pictures? What if we want to order additional pictures?
A: The pictures will be sent directly to your home roughly 1-2 weeks after they were taken. If you want to order additional pictures, you need to order them directly through the company.
Q: What is the name of the picture company that you use?
A: Ultimate Exposures, you can visit their website at www.ultimateexposures.com.
Q: Are there food and drinks available for purchase at the field?
A: Blue Star Baseball sells candy and popsicles/otter pops in the canteen at the field, all proceeds go back to the league. In addition, "Kosher on Location" food truck is at the field almost every Sunday selling their wonderful kosher food from either from their meat truck or their dairy truck. Please remember to keep your kids well fed and well hydrated when they are playing.
Q: We left something at the field, is there a lost and found? Is the field open for us to go back and check for the item?
A: All lost and found items are turned into the Kosher on Location food truck (that is at the field every Sunday). Each week they put a box out in front of their truck with any items that have been turned into them. If you have lost something at the field, you can just check the box for it. If you find something at the field, you can just put it in the box. As for the field being open for you to come back and look for your item, the gates are locked each evening after the games. Blue Star Baseball (and its affiliates) are not responsible for any lost or stolen items and/or for any damage to your items. Please note that Blue Star Baseball (and all those affiliated-players, coaches, managers and volunteers) and Emek Teichman Hebrew Academy are not responsible for ANY items that are lost at the field. Please watch your items! If you do lose something at the field, do not send us an email asking if we found out, wait until the following week and check with the food truck to see if it has been turned into them. Immediately following the closing day of baseball season, all unclaimed lost and found items are donated.
Q: Is there a parking lot at the field?
A: Yes, there is a parking lot at the field and plenty of street parking on Whitsett and Strathern. There are a few parking lot rules that you need to keep in mind, first and foremost, please drive slowly and safely, there are a lot of people around the field. Do not park in the middle of the lot, only use the perimeter of the parking lot to park. Please park as close as possible to the car next to you (as if there were lines there). Please plan accordingly and arrive at the field with
plenty of time to park on the street (if need be). Blue Star Baseball is not responsible for any damage to your vehicles and/or to your property in your vehicles.
Q: What is the address of the field?
A: The address of the field is 8045 Whitsett Ave in North Hollywood, CA 91605
(at the corner of Whitsett and Strathern). The fields are called East Valley Baseball Fields.
Q: Are animals allowed at the field?
A: No, animals are not allowed at the field.
Q: I want to practice with my kids, what is the distance from home plate to the pitchers mound?
A: Players league age 12 and under pitch from 44 feet and 60 foot bases. Players league age 10 and under pitch from 38 feet and play on 60 foot bases
Q: How can I get a refund for my registration, my son/daughter has decided that they don't want to play?
A: Prior to February 1st, we will issue a refund for the registration fee minus $25 (processing charge). After February 1st, we will not be issuing any refunds (no exceptions).
Q: I have heard about some Blue Star Baseball Players playing in a Fall league, what is that all about?
A: There are some Blue Star Baseball players who tried out for the Supernova travel teams and were drafted based on their skill levels and their league age (kids ages 10 and 11).
Q: Can my son try out for the Supernova travel team?
A: The Supernova travel team will begin again in the summer of 2010 and there will be open tryouts (after the regular Bluestar season) for any available spots (please note, there are no guarantees that there will be any available spots on the Supernova team).
Q: Do the Bluestar players who are on the Supernova teams go through the same Bluestar draft as the other players?
A: Yes, players on Supernova teams will be drafted just like all the other players for the Spring 2010 season.
Q: I still have more questions that aren't answered here, what should I do?
A: Please contact us via email at info@bluestarbaseball.com. We do our best to answer the emails that we receive in a timely manner.
Thank you for your interest in Blue Star Baseball