Eastlake Little League: Spring 2012 Divisions
AAA Softball (Ages 9-10 some 8’s may be drafted up) teams are formed through a draft process after girls have attended the skills evaluation event in January. This is the first time girls cannot pick teammates. This is considered the first year of competitive softball. Players will expand on the skills taught at AA (prior AA experience is not mandatory). This is the first year that kids pitch in a game. The pitching rubber is at 35 feet and the ball is an 11” safety (squishy) ball. Outs are recorded, there are no walks at this level. The coach of the batter will step in and continue to pitch to a batter after four called balls, until the batter either successfully hits or strikes out.
Players should be able to throw from second base to first, This is also the first year were stealing and sliding is allowed, players may steal third base. Stolen base will not be awarded home on overthrows to third. Players should be able to properly catch a ball or at least understand the technique. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the season. Players will usually have three (3) "events" per week; three practices until season begins, then one practice during the week and one game on the weekend and one game during the week. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from helping throw and catch with the kids during practice, Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, Team parent, etc.
An additional All Star tournament takes place after the league tournament. Players are selected for this team and will compete for the district championship with the possibility to play in the State tournament.
Coast Softball
Coast Softball (Ages 10-11 Some 9’s may be drafted up) teams are formed through a draft process after girls have attended the skill evaluation event in January. This is the highest level of minors softball. Players should have past success at AAA (or have good athletic ability if they are new to Softball) and be ready to work on new hitting skills and pitching at different speeds. Pitching rubber is at 35 feet and the ball is an 11” hard ball (go figure, they call the sport Softball). This is the first level where all pitching is delivered by a child only; true strikes, balls, outs, and walks are recorded. Players must understand the defensive end of the game. Base stealing is allowed at this level. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the year.
Players will usually have three (3) "events" per week; three practices until season begins, then one practice and two games during the regular season. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from helping throw and catch during practice, Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, Team parent, etc.
An additional All Star tournament takes place after the league tournament. Players are selected for this team and will compete for the district championship with the possibility to play in the State tournament.
AAA Baseball
AAA Baseball (Ages 8-10) - Players must be at least Little League Age 9 to play at this level. 8-year olds are welcome to try out for AAA, but there will be a limited number of slots allocated for 8-year olds based on registrations. This is considered the first year of competitive baseball. Players will expand on the skills taught at AA. This is the first year that kids pitch in a game. Players should be able to throw from third base to first, and avoid being hit by a pitch. They should be able to properly catch a ball, or at least avoid getting hit by it. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the year. Players will usually have three (3) "events" per week; three practices until season begins, then two games (1 weekday and 1 weekend) and one practice. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, Team parent etc.
AA Baseball
Sluggers AA Baseball (Ages 7-8) is for players who have at least one year of Sluggers A Baseball. Your child should be 7 years old by April 30th of the playing season to participate. Half of the children who play AA-Ball are 2nd graders. The other half is made up of 3rd graders who aren't 9 years old by April 30th, who are playing their second year of AA-Ball, and 1st graders who are 7 years old. AA-Ball teams are made up of 10 to 13 players and will typically practice one afternoon each week for about 90 minutes and will play 8 games on Saturdays during the season. There will be a 2 to 4 mini-game AA Sluggers Jamboree on the weekend following the regular season. Games are 4-6 innings and typically last 1 ½ to 2 hours. Weekly practices start in early March and the games start in early April. Sluggers AA features a more aggressive style of play and is designed to help your child make the transition from instructional to competitive baseball. Sluggers AA focuses on good baseball fundamentals. An adult pitcher will pitch to your child from a distance of at least 36 feet with a flat overhand pitch. Strikes and strikeouts are called at AA-Ball. Outs are recorded, and three outs will retire the side. Your child will play in at least 3 of the 4 defensive innings (more defensive innings if more innings are played), but may not bat in all innings since outs are recorded. Eastlake Little League's AA-Ball program will attempt to place players on teams grouped roughly by neighborhood elementary schools. If you would like to request a "buddy" for your player to be assigned on a team with, please coordinate with the other family before registering, as we can only guarantee "Mutual Buddy Requests." A mutual buddy request example is: John Smith requests Matthew Jones AND Matthew Jones requests John Smith. Both players MUST request each other as buddies for the request to be granted. Team formation will be determined by: 1) mutual buddy requests (guaranteed), 2) coaching considerations (parent manager and assistant coach volunteers), and 3) neighborhood elementary schools. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Coaching, Field Preparation, Team parent, etc.
A Baseball
Sluggers A Baseball (Ages 6-7) is for players who have at least one year of T-ball experience. Your child should be 6 years old by April 30th of the playing season to participate. Most children who play A-Ball are 1st graders, but some kindergarteners who are 6 years old play. A-Ball teams are made up of 10 to 13 players and will typically practice one afternoon each week for about 90 minutes and will play 8 games on Saturdays during the season. Games are 3-4 innings and typically last 1 ½ to 2 hours. Weekly practices start in early March and the games start in early April. A-Ball is geared toward teaching sound baseball fundamentals, such as proper throwing, fielding and batting techniques. The A-Ball program is your child's first opportunity to hit a pitched baseball (an adult pitcher will pitch to your child). Your child will play in all of the defensive innings and will bat in all innings of a regular game. Eastlake Little League's A-Ball program will attempt to place players on teams grouped roughly by neighborhood elementary schools. If you would like to request a "buddy" for your player to be assigned on a team with, please coordinate with the other family before registering, as we can only guarantee "Mutual Buddy Requests." A mutual buddy request example is: John Smith requests Matthew Jones AND Matthew Jones requests John Smith. Both players MUST request each other as buddies for the request to be granted. Team formation will be determined by: 1) mutual buddy requests (guaranteed), 2) coaching considerations (parent manager and assistant coach volunteers), and 3) neighborhood elementary schools. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Coaching, Field Preparation, Team parent, etc.
T-Ball
T-Ball (Ages 5-6) is your child's introduction to baseball and Eastlake Little League. Your child needs to be 5 years old by April 30th of the playing season to participate. Most children who play T-Ball are kindergarteners, but some preschool children who are 5 years old play. T-Ball is a coed program. Boys must sign-up for T-Ball, but girls can choose to sign-up for coed T-Ball or sign-up to play with all girls in the T/A-Ball softball program. T-Ball teams are made up of 6 to 7 players and will typically practice one afternoon each week for about an hour and will play 8 games on Saturdays during the season. Games are 4-6 innings and typically last 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Weekly practices start in early March and the games start in early April. No prior experience is expected or required. The T-Ball program is focused on teaching basic baseball skills such as fielding and batting in a casual environment. Outs are not recorded and every child plays on both offense and defense in every inning. Eastlake Little League's T-Ball program will attempt to place players on teams grouped roughly by neighborhood elementary schools. If you would like to request a "buddy" for your player to be assigned on a team with, please coordinate with the other family before registering, as we can only guarantee "Mutual Buddy Requests." A mutual buddy request example is: John Smith requests Matthew Jones AND Matthew Jones requests John Smith. Both players MUST request each other as buddies for the request to be granted. Team formation will be determined by: 1) mutual buddy requests (guaranteed), 2) coaching considerations (parent manager and assistant coach volunteers), and 3) neighborhood elementary schools. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Coaching, Field Preparation, Team parent, etc.
Coast Baseball
Coast Baseball (Ages 10-11) - This is the highest level of minors baseball. Players should have past success at AAA and be ready to work on hitting and pitching of different speeds. Must understand the defensive end of the game, and hit successfully at this level. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the year. Players will usually have three (3) "events" per week; three practices until season begins, then two games (1 weekday and 1 weekend) and one practice. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, Team parent etc.
Majors Baseball
Majors Baseball (Ages 11-12) - All 12-year-olds will be drafted onto a Majors baseball team, per Little League regulations. Players must be ready to hit a variety of pitching. Defensive awareness includes where to make the play and how to run the bases. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the year. Players will usually have 4 to 5 "events" per week. 3 practices until season begins, then 2-3 games per week (weekday and weekend) and 2 practices (one field and one batting). Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, Team parent etc.
Seniors Baseball
Senior Baseball (Ages 15-16) - The Senior League Baseball Division is a program for ages 15-16, using a conventional 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Teams will typically have between 12-14 players. Practices start in February and games start in April. There will be approximately 22-25 games during the season and games are 7 innings in length with three outs per inning. New for 2012. The new BBCOR bat performance standard will apply to Senior and Big League divisions starting 1/1/2012 and previously approved BESR rated bats will not be allowed. 2-5/8" diameter bats must meet BBCOR performance standards and must not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces less than the length of the bat (drop -3 only) (e.g. a 32 inch long bat must weigh 29 ounces). Metal or molded rubber cleats depending upon fields utilized.
Juniors Baseball
Junior Baseball (Ages 13-14) - The Junior League Baseball Division is a program for ages 13-14. Players must have had success at Majors, and be ready to add more skill and strategy to their game. Defensive awareness along with knowing where to make the play and how to run the bases becomes a more critical part of the game. Base stealing, sliding, and lead offs are allowed starting at this level. Diamond size is an 80 foot base path with a 54 foot pitching distance. Depending upon the number of players that register to play, there is a possibility that we may move 14U players up to a conventional 90-foot base path diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Teams will typically have between 12-14 players. Practices start in February and games start in April. There will be approximately 22-25 games during the season and games are 7 innings in length with three outs per inning. Bat size goes up to a maximum of 2-5/8" diameter and 2-1/4”diameter bats may still be utilized if approved for use in Majors and lower division play. It is our understanding that existing BESR rated bats are still approved for use during the 2012 season. Metal or molded rubber cleats depending upon fields utilized
Juniors Softball
Juniors Softball (Ages 13-14 some 12’s may be drafted up) teams are formed through a draft process after girls have attended the skill evaluation event in January. Players must have had success at Majors, and be ready to add more skill and strategy to their game. Defensive awareness is key as leading off is allowed at this level. Strategy and knowing where to make the play and how to run the bases becomes a more critical part of the game. Base stealing, sliding, and lead offs are allowed at this level. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the season.
Players will usually have four (4) "events" per week; four practices until season begins, then two games (during the week) and two practices. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, etc.
An additional All Star tournament takes place after the league tournament. Players are selected for this team and will compete for the district championship with the possibility to play in the State tournament.
Additionally the Juniors World Series of Softball will be hosted in Kirkland. As the host of the tournament district 9 is awarded an automatic bracket place in the tournament. This is a great opportunity for the girls to have a memory of a life time by competing in a National Tournament.
Majors Softball
Majors Softball (Age 12, some 11’s may be drafted up) teams are formed through a draft process after girls have attended the skill evaluation event in January. Players must have had success at Coast, and be ready to hit a variety of pitching speeds. Pitching rubber is at 40 feet and the ball is 12”. Defensive awareness includes where to make the play. Players should understand how to run the bases. Base stealing and sliding are allowed at this level. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the season.
Players will usually have four (4) "events" per week; four practices until season begins, then two games (1 weekday and 1 weekend) and two practices during regular season. Parent participation is necessary from drills during practice to umpiring, Field Preparation, Score Keeping, etc.
An additional All Star tournament takes place after the league tournament. Players are selected for this team and will compete for the district championship with the possibility to play in the State tournament.
AA Softball
AA Softball (Ages 7-8) - Players who have at least one year of A Soft T-Ball are typically enrolled in AA. However first time players will fit in just fine. This program features a slightly more aggressive style of play and is designed to help your child make the transition from instructional to competitive softball. This program not only focuses on good softball fundamentals, but also teaches advanced softball skills such as base running. An adult pitcher will underhand pitch to your child. A hitting T may be used after several attempts of coach pitch if the child is still developing skills of hitting pitched balls. The ball is a 9? safety (squishy) ball. Parents are strongly encouraged to participate by helping throw and catch during practice, field prep, umpiring during the regular season.
AA teams will generally practice twice a week in the preseason for one hour. During the regular season teams will typically have two (2) softball events during the week, a weekday practice and a weekend game.
AA teams will play approximately 10 games during the regular season, depending on scheduling considerations and weather. Outs are recorded, however the entire team will bat every inning. Games are usually 1:50 minutes or four innings
We will TRY to keep girls together by school grade given the April 30th cut off date can force them into a different division. At this level we TRY to place players on teams roughly grouped by elementary school. Mutual buddy requests are allowed (i.e. Libby H. requests to be on the same team as Megan L. AND Megan L. requests to be on the same team with Libby H.).
Team formation will be determined by: mutual buddy requests, coaching considerations (manager and assistant coaches), Preferred Practice days, elementary school, and non-mutual buddy requests in that order.
A Soft-T-Ball
A level Softball (Ages 5-6) - This program is geared toward teaching sound softball fundamentals, such as proper throwing, fielding and batting techniques in a casual environment. This is your child's first opportunity to hit a pitched softball or use a hitting T. An adult pitcher will underhand pitch to your child. A 9” safety (squishy) ball is used.
Teams will be limited to seven players. This will keep the children more involved (nothing happens in the outfield at this level) and allow them to play a variety of positions. With smaller size teams each player will get more instruction from coaches. However we will need more volunteer managers and coaches.
Teams will generally practice twice a week in the preseason for an hour. During the regular season, teams will typically have two (2) softball "events" during the week, a weekday practice and a weekend game. Teams will play approximately 8 games during the regular season, depending on scheduling considerations and weather. Outs are not recorded, and every child plays on both offense and defense in every inning.
We will TRY to keep girls together by school grade given the April 30th cut off date can force them to a different division. At this level we TRY to place players on teams roughly grouped by elementary school. Mutual buddy requests are allowed (i.e. Libby H. requests to be on the same team as Megan L. AND Megan L. requests to be on the same team with Libby H.).
Team formation will be determined by: mutual buddy requests, coaching considerations (manager and assistant coaches), Preferred Practice days, elementary school, and non-mutual buddy requests in that order.
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