Eastlake Little League: Spring 2009 Divisions
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.
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.
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) - Players who have at least one year of Sluggers A Baseball are typically enrolled in the Sluggers AA program. 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 Sluggers AA Baseball. Parents are strongly encouraged to participate by score keeping or umpiring during the regular season. Sluggers AA teams will generally practice twice a week in the preseason for 90 minutes. During the regular season, most Sluggers AA teams will typically have 2 baseball events during the week, one practices and and one game. Sluggers AA teams will play approximately 10 games during the regular season, depending on scheduling considerations and weather. Outs are recorded, and three outs will retire the side. Your child will play in at least 3 of the 4 defensive innings, but may not bat in all innings since outs are recorded. Parent participation is necessary on many levels from Coaching, Field Preparation, Team parent etc.
A Baseball
Sluggers A Baseball (Ages 6-7) - Players who have at least one year of T-ball are typically enrolled in the Sluggers A program. Sluggers A is geared toward teaching sound baseball fundamentals, such as proper throwing, fielding and batting techniques. The Sluggers A program is your child's first opportunity to hit a pitched baseball. (An adult pitcher will pitch to your child.) Sluggers A teams will generally practice twice a week in the preseason for an hour to 90 minutes. During the regular season, Sluggers A teams will typically have 2 baseball "events" during the week, a weekday practice and a weekend game. Sluggers A teams will play approximately 9 games during the regular season, depending on scheduling considerations and weather. Your child will play in at least 2 of the 3 defensive innings, and will bat in all innings of a regular game. 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. 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. T-Ball teams will typically practice once a week for about an hour and will play 8 "games" during the regular season. Outs are not recorded, and every child plays on both offense and defense in every inning.
Eastlake's T-Ball program will attempt to place players on teams based roughly grouped by elementary school. Mutual buddy requests are allowed (i.e. John S. requests to be on the same team as Tim J. AND Tim J. requests to be on the same team with John S.). We recommend that you click on the "Tell a Friend" button above to inform your friend you are selecting them for your Buddy Request and coordinate with them to request you during their registration process. Team formation will be determined by: mutual buddy requests (guaranteed), coaching considerations (manager and assistant coaches), elementary school, and non-mutual buddy requests in that order.
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 year.
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 in 2009. 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 is allowed at this level. Standings are kept and there is a tournament at the end of the year.
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.
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 game 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 Softball
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 can not 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 year. 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.
NEW FOR 2009: 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 (was AA Division II)
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
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.). We recommend that you click on the "Tell a Friend" button above to inform your friend you are selecting them for your Buddy Request and coordinate with them to request you during their registration process.
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 (was AA Division 1)
“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.
NEW FOR 2009: Teams will be limited to seven players. This will keep the children more involved (nothing happens in the out field 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. .
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.). We recommend that you click on the "Tell a Friend" button above to inform your friend you are selecting them for your Buddy Request and coordinate with them to request you during their registration process.
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.