Cave Spring American Little League offers Little League Baseball programs for youth, ages 5 through 18, in the southwest portion of Roanoke County, Virginia.

We are an inclusive, non-profit organization of players, families, and volunteers, open to all who live within our geographical boundaries, using the facilities of the Roanoke County Department of Parks and Recreation and the time, service and support of dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors.

We are a chartered league of Little League International, a non-profit organization, founded in 1939, operating worldwide, striving to develop in its players the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play.

Welcome to our league! Please read on!

Mikey O'Brien, a former CSALL player, Hidden Valley High School player, and current professional baseball player for the New York Yankees organization, is hosting a local youth baseball camp to be held on November 7th, 2009 at Hidden Valley High School.  There will be two sessions: Session 1, from 9AM until 12 noon for ages 6 through 10;  Session 2, from 2PM util 5PM for ages 11 through 14. All proceeds from the clinics support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

The camp will be led by Mikey, along with current and former pro players, college players, and coaches. Time will be alloted for a question and answer period at the end of each session. The camp will cover pitching, hitting, fielding, and much more. Players should bring glove and bat, and wear tennis shoes. Each session is limited to the first 60 applicants. Registration deadline is November 3rd.

A registration form can be downloaded from this website: just click on the "Downloads" menu item on the left side of this webpage, and look for instructions to download a PDF file containing the form.

Cave Spring American Little League supports this event, as beneficial for players, and because it promotes research to find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes. Come out, meet Mikey O'Brien, and support this worthwhile event!

This section provides answers to frequently asked questions about youth baseball and our league.

WHAT IS CAVE SPRING AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE?    Cave Spring American Little League (CSALL) is a non-profit organization of volunteers, players and families, offering recreational baseball programs for youth, ages five to eighteen, in the southwest portion of Roanoke County, using the facilities of the Roanoke County Department of Parks and Recreation.

HOW DOES THE MAJORS/MINORS PLAYER DRAFT WORK?   Majors Division teams are comprised of 10, 11 and 12 year olds. Minors Division teams are comprised of 9, 10, and 11 year olds. These are the only two divisions which have age overlap.  Players are selected for these divisions by a draft. Once drafted onto a majors team, a player stays with that team through age 12.

Each season, Majors teams begin with a roster of returning players who will be age 11 or 12. After tryouts are complete, all of the Majors managers meet for the Majors Player Draft. Players are drafted in rounds, each team selecting one player in each round, until team rosters are full (12 players per team). Only players age 10, 11 and 12 are eligible for play in Majors.

After completion of the Majors Draft, the Minors team managers meet for the Minors Division Draft. All players age 9, and all players age 10 and 11 who were not drafted by a Majors Division team, are drafted onto a Minors Division team.

After completion of both drafts, all players age 9, 10, 11 and 12 have been assigned to a team.

JUNIORS, SENIORS AND BIG LEAGUE DRAFT     The Juniors Division is comprised of players age 13 and 14. These players are selected by a draft similar to the system used in Majors and Minors. Parity among the Juniors Division teams is a consideration in the draft process. All players age 13 and 14 are placed on Juniors Division teams.

The Seniors Division (ages 15 and 16) typically has one team and no draft is needed. This division is usually combined with the Big League Division, and the team competes against teams from other local leagues. 

WHEN DO PRACTICES AND GAMES START?     The following is GENERAL information, and may not apply to every team.  For ages 12 and under, teams are formed around the last part of March.  Team meetings and practices begin during the first week in April.  Coaches will contact players individually to let them know of their team assignments and the practice schedule.  Generally, each team will have one weekday practice, usually starting around 5:30 or 6:00 PM, and a Saturday practice, sometime between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The pre-season practice schedule ends when games begin, near the end of April.

Games begin during the last week in April or first week in May.  Each team usually has one weekday game, and one Saturday game each week. There are in-season practices in some divisions. Coaches will provide detailed schedules for their players.  

The season ends around the first week in June for ages 12 and under, coinciding closely with the Roanoke County school schedule.

For ages 13 and over, we start with "Open Spring Training" in early April. Teams will be formed in late April and games begin in May. These age groups usually continue play through late June.  

HOW DOES CSALL DIFFER FROM OTHER RECREATIONAL BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL GROUPS IN THE AREA?     All recreational sports groups in Roanoke County operate by approval of the County Department of Parks and Recreation. There are numerous sports and recreation groups under this umbrella, including baseball and softball organizations throughout the county. There are also recreational baseball and softball organizations in the City of Roanoke and the City of Salem. In the southwest portion of the county, there are three organizations which offer baseball or softball programs:

1. Cave Spring American Little League (That's us). We offer youth BASEBALL programs for boys and girls from ages 5 through 18. With the exception of 5 year olds, players must reside in the specified CSALL territory (generally north of US Rt 221).

2. Cave Spring National Little League (Our Little League neighbors to the south). They offer similar youth BASEBALL programs as CSALL, but players must reside within different geographical boundaries (generally south of US Rt 221) www.eteamz.com/csnll

3. South County Softball League Offers SOFTBALL programs for girls, ages 5 through 18. www.southcountysoftball.com

For information on other recreational sports in Roanoke County visit Roanoke County Parks and Recreation at www.roanokecountyva.gov/Departments/ParksRecreationAndTourism/Default.htm

WHAT ARE THE AGE OR PLAYER GROUPINGS WITHIN CSALL?   CSALL usually operates with eight playing divisions, generally grouped by age. For a complete explanation of these divisions, click on the "DIVISIONS" item in the menu bar at the left side of this screen.

HOW ARE TEAM ASSIGNMENTS MADE?  Players are assigned to a team in one of eight divisions, depending on player age. Players age 5 through 8 are assigned to teams by league officials. The goal here is to have parity among the teams in the younger divisions. Players age 9 and over (and 8 year olds who requested to be eligible for the draft) are drafted by coaches following Player Evaluations (tryouts). ALL ELIGIBLE PLAYERS WHO REGISTER PRIOR TO STATED DEADLINES WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A TEAM. For more information on the divisions, age groupings and teams within the divisions, click on the "DIVISIONS" item in the Menu Bar on the left side of this screen.

WHAT DOES "LEAGUE AGE" MEAN?  League age is the basis for assignment of players to specific playing divisions ( T-Ball, Minors, Majors, etc.). A player's league age is his/her age as of 11:59 PM on April 30th.

WHAT PLAYER EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED? In all divisions, players need to have their own fielding glove. The league furnishes team shirts, hats and socks to players. Baseball pants are usually purchased by players at the direction of the coach. Cleats are not necessary for 5 and 6 year olds, but become more important for age 7 and over, and are the responsibility of the player. Other safety equipment (batting helmets, catcher equipment, bats) are provided by the league. Protective cups are recommended for male players at coach pitch level and above, and are required equipment for catchers. Players may bring their own bats to games and practices, but they must meet Little League requirements. Ask your coach if you have questions about required or recommended equipment.

WHY ARE TRYOUTS REQUIRED? Although tryouts are required for some divisions (Usually Minors, Majors, Juniors and Seniors), all players who register will be placed on a team. Tryouts are used to evaluate player skill with the goal of achieving parity among the teams in each division. Cave Spring American Little League Baseball is open to all who live within our geographic boundaries and who have a league age of 5 through 18.


WHERE CAN BASEBALL EQUIPMENT BE OBTAINED?  Any sporting goods store or discount department store will have most of what you will need. If you are looking for bargains, plan on coming to the CSALL "Garage Sale" ! Used equipment (gloves, bats, cleats, pants, etc. will be available). The dates, times and location of this sale will be announced later. We anticipate that good quality equipment will be available and the prices will be VERY low! Check this out before buying new equipment, particularly for the younger players.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN GAME SCHEDULES BE OBTAINED?  There will be game schedules for each division available in the CSALL On-Line Calendar, which you can view by clicking on the CSALL On-Line Calendar Headline on the home page. Schedules may also be available for download from this web site. Check the "Downloads" menu item on the left side of the screen to view the downloadable schedules. All downloadable schedules are in the following formats: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat PDF. Coaches will also have printed schedules available.

HOW ARE RAINED-OUT GAMES HANDLED?  Every effort is made to play games on schedule.  In the event of rain, team managers are expected to communicate with one another prior to the game and decide whether weather and field conditions are suitable for play. The method of communication is at the discretion of the coach. If there is uncertainty about the weather, players should proceed to the field and be ready to play. The manager should stay at the field until the scheduled game time if players were not notified.

PLEASE NOTE: We are adding to this section frequently because of many questions from new players and parents. We will try to let you know what to expect, from Opening Day ceremonies, to team practices, games and post-season tournaments, Little League World Series, and CSALL "Fall Ball". Check back often for updates.

The CSALL Fall Baseball program had a good turnout, with more than 75 players participating. Four teams in the 9 through 12 age group competed in a game schedule, learning new skills, and having fun along the way.

REMINDER: Registration for the Spring 2010 season begins on January 15th, 2010.

CSALL fielded four All-Star teams this season. Three of the four  teams (Our  10/11,  11/12, and 13/14 year olds) won their Virginia District 12 Little League Championships.  The 9/10 year olds finished their District 12 play with a record of 2 wins and 3 losses. Congratulations to the players, coaches, families and fans!

The Yard    A new Indoor baseball/softball training facility, which opened in November, 2007, located on Starkey Road, within a mile of our own Starkey Field Complex. CSALL coach Ricky Gregg, with co-owner and former MLB player George Canale, have teamed up to offer a facility with indoor batting cages, using arm-type pitching machines throwing regulation baseballs, and indoor pitching facilities. Professional instruction and individual memberships are available, or you can call for a cage time on a day-to-day basis. Call The Yard at 556-3660, or visit their website: http://www.yardbaseballandsoftball.vpweb.com

Rip City   An  Indoor Training Facility located inside The Salem Health and Wellness Center in Salem, Virginia. Opened in 1997 by former pro Dave Christianson (San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers) the Professional Instruction and Training Programs available here have equipped players with the skills necessary to play Little League, High School, College and Pro Ball. On the net at www.ripcitybaseball.com

Thunder Valley    A family entertainment center, located on Apperson Drive, across from the Salem Valley 8 Theaters.  Facilities include outdoor covered batting cages, but there is no instruction available. The batting cages are part of a larger complex which includes Mini-Golf and Go-Kart racing.