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What is the objective of RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE baseball? According to our By-Laws, the objective is to: “implant firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect for authority, so that they may be well adjusted, stronger and happier children and will grow to be good, decent, healthy and trustworthy citizens. To achieve this objective, the RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE will provide a supervised program under the Rules and Regulations of Little League Baseball, Incorporated. All Directors, Officers and Members shall bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or winning of games is secondary, and the molding of future citizens is of prime importance.” What is the structure of RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE baseball? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE Baseball offers five levels of play for children aged 5-12: T-Ball (5 and 6 year olds), A (6-8 year olds), AA (8-11 year olds), AAA (9-12 year olds) and Majors (10-12 year olds). Depending upon the level, the playing fields are slightly different. We utilize dirt infields as much as possible for our youngest players so as not to retard the ball’s roll in reaching the fielders. When utilizing fields with outfield fences, they are the furthest for our oldest players. For the AA, AAA and Majors levels, RLL is actually comprised of two leagues: National and American. RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE also has a CHALLENGER Division for physically and emotionally challenged children of all ages. RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE has established age cutoffs to ensure players develop appropriately in terms of skills, knowledge, and sportsmanship. RLL has established age brackets that players need to participate in; however, there are situations where some players may play down due to safety risks upon approval of the Player Agent. RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE is managed by an elected Board of Directors that administer the league in line with established bylaws. The league is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization. How does RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE assign players to divisions and teams? All players are assigned to an appropriate division by the RLL Player Agents based on: - Participant's Playing Age (age as of April 30, 2008) - Previous Little League experience (number of seasons played and previous divisions) - Coach/Manager evaluations from any previous season - Number of players/teams at each level that can be accommodated by available fields - Overall benefit to league (e.g., competitive balance, scheduling, etc) - Tryout results (if applicable) Who needs to tryout for the 2008 Spring season? Everyone who meets the age and residency requirements who wants to play Little League can play. Tryouts are used as part of the team assignment process in order to establish balanced teams and to place players in divisions. More specifically: All players of Playing Age 8-12 as of April 30, 2008 wanting to play in the Double AA through Majors divisions need to attend a tryout. Players who want to play T-Ball or Single A are not required or permitted to tryout. Please contact a RLL Player Agent with any tryout-related questions. When does the season begin? Please check the RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE calendar on the RLL web page for exact league dates and events. Typically, the spring season begins on the first week in April. An Opening Day event kicks off the first games of the season. Our Fall Training and Development season typically starts during the first week of September. How long will the season last? The RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE regular game season usually lasts from 9-10 weeks from April through mid-June, and including division playoff games. The season is extended for players (ages 9-12) that are selected to the District 4 All-Star tournament teams. Those games last through late-June or mid-July. Uncommon success could lead to games August in Williamsport, PA. Please consider your vacation plans if you have a child that may be selected to these teams. The Fall season lasts through the end of October. What is District 4? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE is within Virginia’s Little League District 4. Reston American and Reston National are 2 of 13 leagues within this District, which includes most of Northern Fairfax County, Falls Church, Arlington and Alexandria. The District 4 website is www.va4.org. Where are RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE games played? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE utilizes the baseball fields maintained by Fairfax County Park Authority and Reston Association. Field locations can be found on the RLL web site under the "Locations" link. Inclement weather and field closure information can also be found on the RLL website under the “Field Closures/Rainouts” link. What days and times are the games played? All teams in RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE are scheduled for at least one game a week, and in some divisions teams are scheduled for games twice a week. Majors Division teams are scheduled for several 3 game weeks. Game days are typically Monday through Saturday. T-ball and A-Level games are only scheduled for Saturdays, and no more than one per week. Saturday games will generally start between 9:30am and 6:30 pm. Weekday games generally will begin between 5:30 and 6:30pm. Games may begin earlier prior to Day Light Savings time. It is RLL’s desire to have games be completed by 9pm on weekdays on lit fields, and safely prior to sunset on unlit ones. We end younger players’ games earlier to coincide with their typically earlier bedtimes. There is no time limit on Major division games. It is recommended that players arrive at the field 45-60 minutes prior to game time so they can properly warm up, and managers can get the line-up cards ready prior to the start of the game. Challenger games are played on Sunday Afternoons. Who umpires RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE games? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE uses a combination of adult volunteers and paid trained youth umpires for AA, AAA and Majors games. In the lower division (AA), the umpires are trained youth umpires and volunteer parents of RLL players in those divisions. In the upper divisions (AAA and Majors), the umpires are certified adult volunteers and trained youth umpires. All umpires are required to attend training clinics. A plate umpire and a field umpire are used in all games; unless a scheduling issue arises causing a shortage of available umpires. In the T-Ball and A divisions, coaches manage the flow of the game. When will the practices begin? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE targets early-late March for all teams to start practicing. The goal is for teams to be in a position to begin practices at least 3-4 weeks before Opening Day, which is the first week of April. For AA, AAA, and Majors, practices typically being the week after draft night. A and T-Ball practice typically begin in late March. Actual first practices will depend upon weather, field conditions and formation of teams. How often and long will my child practice? Practice frequency and duration are up to the team manager. Generally, it is recommended that A and T-ball teams practice no more than one time per week for no more than one hour, although that may vary by team. AA, AAA, and Majors teams may practice 2 times a week prior to the season and one time per week after the season starts. AA, AAA, and Majors teams generally practice for two hours a session. Where will my child practice? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE schedules Team practice times at fields that RLL receives permits for from Fairfax County. You will know where your child will practice once your child is placed on a team and your manager contacts you. T-Ball and A-Level teams are usually built utilizing children from similar areas (such as the same elementary school). Practices at that level are usually held near the players’ homes. AA, AAA and Majors practices are more spread out since the teams are built via a draft based on talent rather than geography. What equipment will my child need before the first practice or game? Players should arrive at their first practice with a glove, hat, baseball pants, and rubber molded cleats. A water bottle is also strongly recommended. A baseball bag is recommended to transport bats, batting gloves, water bottles, hats, and other items. Boys who will catch in A-Level, and all boys at AA and above must wear a protective cup. Are there any uniform supplies my child needs? A basic uniform consists of a pair of baseball pants, a baseball jersey, a hat, and a pair of all-in-one baseball socks. RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE will provide each player a T-shirt jersey, pants, socks, and a team hat. At the Majors division players will also receive a belt, mesh jersey, and mock turtle neck shirt with team name on the neck. Generally, the pants, socks, hat and T-shirt jersey are the player's to keep. Belts and mesh jerseys (Majors division) must be turned in at the end of the season. The jerseys don't provide much warmth, so it is a good idea to purchase a long-sleeve baseball shirt to match the color of your child's team. Your manager will provide more specifics as for the color. Rubber cleats are highly recommended, and steel spikes are not allowed. A quality leather glove is a must! It is recommended to stay away from vinyl and simulated leather gloves that may be cheaper, but tend to cause the player a great deal of frustration. It is impossible to form a pocket in gloves made of vinyl or simulated leather. Therefore, the ball tends to pop out when the player attempts to catch it. All players should bring a windbreaker, jacket, or sweatshirt to every game and practice, especially early in the season. When will I find out what team my child will play on? AA, AAA, and Majors teams are formed through a draft held the first week in March. A and T-Ball teams are formed by mid to late March. Your child's manager will notify you of the team's first meeting. If you don't hear from a team manager by mid-March or early April (depending on the level), please contact a league official. Can my child be placed on a team with one of their friends? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE allows friends to request to be placed on the same team together only in the T-ball division. In the A division, a request may be made, but there is no guarantee that it will be approved. Players are distributed based on ratings in a balanced process to form teams. In the AA, AAA, and Majors divisions, there are absolutely no requests due to the player selection process of the draft. The upper division teams are created using a balanced draft process that helps to promote even and competitive leagues. If my child is unhappy with the team they are placed on, can they switch teams? Only in extreme cases does the league allow children to switch teams after the teams have been formed. Such requests must be made in writing to RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE's divisional Commissioners for consideration by the Player Agent. Approval requires extenuating circumstances, so any request is highly unlikely to be approved, and in most cases we will ask the player remains with their team. Team balance is established early on, and changes of this type are difficult if not impossible to implement without upsetting the balance that has been established. If my child decides to quit, is it possible to get a refund? You may apply for a full refund (less $5 processsing fee) before the draft or team assignment. Between the draft and the first day of practice, refunds are 50%. There are no refunds after the first day of practice. Can I keep my child down in a lower division or bring him/her up a division a year early? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE strongly supports age appropriate competition and development. RLL does not allow players to move up a division early or to play down a division to develop additional skills without approval from the Player Agent. The only time an adjustment may be made is when there is a safety risk to a player playing in their age appropriate division. At that time, a parent request needs to be made to the Player Agent. A decision will then be made as to whether to allow the player to play down. You’ve mentioned a Player Agent frequently. What is a “Player Agent”? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE is a member league of Little League Baseball, Incorporated. As such, it utilizes a structure developed by this parent organization. One of the League Officers is the “Player Agent”. The role of the Player Agent in the Little League Program is one of the most important to the successful operation of a local league. The volunteer who elects to serve as the Player Agent of the league takes on an exacting assignment, but one which offers rewards in the satisfaction of a well balanced league. The Player Agent assists the league president in carrying out the important responsibility of establishing and maintaining the eligibility of player personnel. However, the final responsibility for the qualification of player candidates and league personnel resides with the president. In general, the Player Agent represents the league president in the supervision of the player selection system or draft, maintains complete player records, trading and replacements, eligibility and team rosters. Are there any rules around minimum playing time? Rules will vary per division regarding playing time. In the T-ball division, all players play in the field and all players bat in a continuous batting order. Continuous batting orders are used for the other divisions; however, fielders are limited to 9 players. There are minimums for innings played in the field in all divisions. Refer to the local rules posted on the RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE web site. Are there Time Limits on games? T-ball games are limited to 1-hour. A division games are limited to 1 hour 30 minutes. AA games are limited to 2 hours (no new inning can be started after 1:45 minutes). AAA games are limited to 2 hour 30 minutes (no new inning can be started after 2 hours). There is no time limit for Majors division games. How many managers/coaches can be on a team? Every team has a manager approved by the Board of Directors. Each team's manager can have as many assistants as they can find for practices, but only two assistant coaches are allowed in the dugout during games. Any manager or coach that comes into contact with players MUST submit a National Little League volunteer application to the leagues President. What are the responsibilities of a manager and a coach? The team manager oversees the management of the team throughout the season. They are responsible for setting a practice schedule with the league’s game scheduler, developing a practice format, creating a lineup card for every game, and ensuring kids get their minimum playing time in each game. Managers are the focal point of the team and must be committed to following through with managing the team from early March through early June. Time commitment is usually around 6-8 hours a week depending upon division. Managers need to be able to commit to be at all practices and games. Managers also must attend a pre-season coaching clinic provided by the league, and a manager's meeting with the division representative. As well, they must schedule and conduct a parent meeting prior to the first practice of the season. Managers are assisted by a volunteer team parent that helps with things like concession stand scheduling, fundraising events, uniform distribution, and picture day. Two assistant coaches are allowed in the dugout during games. However, a manager may elect to use more than two coaches during practice. Coaches provide support during practice to ensure kids get enough attention while developing their skills. Coaches are under the guidance and direction of the manager. Typically, a manager will design a practice format and have assistants take care of coaching small groups of players, assisting with batting practice, hitting fungos, or other assistant duties. Assistant coaches should commit to be at all practices and games, generally about 4-6 hours a week depending upon division. Coaches need to attend a pre-season clinic provided by the league. All actions of an assistant coach during games are the ultimate responsibility of the manager. Are there conduct rules that apply during games? Absolutely. RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE does not tolerate foul language or taunting aimed at anyone (but specially aimed at umpires and opponents) at any level by the players, parents, managers, or coaches. Any spectator, player, manager or coach that is warned is subject to being ejected from the premises and banned from the field for additional games. What is the playoff structure? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE teams play an entire regular season with the final standings establishing the seeding for a post-season single-elimination tournament (AA, AAA, and Major divisions). This approach allows all of the teams to work on developing the skills of each and every player on the team. Managers do not have to win every game, and as a result, they can play kids in positions where they can learn without the overriding pressure to "not lose". The end product is a playoff tournament where every game is a good contest, and the lower seeded teams often rise up. This is by far the best approach to overall player development. Who is responsible for staffing the Concession Stand at Fox Mill District Park? Upon registering a player for participation in RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE, the player's parent(s) agree to serve a shift in the snack bar when asked by the Team Parent. Each team must staff their shift as scheduled by the Concessions manager. Each team typically has 1-2 shifts to fulfill at some point during the season. The RLL's Concessions Coordinator is responsible for stocking, opening, and setting up the concessions stand prior to the first game each day. Please do your part in support of operating the concessions stand. Do I have to participate in any fundraising? RESTON LITTLE LEAGUE relies on fundraising to help support the operations of the league. Player registration fees only account for only a portion of the needed operating capital required for equipment, facilities maintenance and repairs, uniforms, etc. RLL supplements player registration fees with league sponsors and fundraising. Each team (AA, AAA, Majors) is expected to participate in the league's annual fundraising activity. Who do I contact if I have a problem that needs to be resolved by the league? If at any time you have a problem or just want information, you can e-mail the league at any time. However, please first discuss any concerns with your child's manager, then with the division's Commissioner (who is a Board Member assigned to oversee that Division). Contact information is on the RLL web site under the "Board of Directors" link. You are also welcome to attend a Board meeting and express your concerns directly to the Board with prior approval from the President. The RLL Board meets regularly throughout the year, with meeting locations varying. Check the RLL website “Calendar” link for dates and locations. What is available on the website? The league's web site is at www.restonlittleleague.com. The site offers all the information you need to stay informed about events, schedules, rules, board member contacts, sponsorship information, baseball clinics, umpire training, etc. If you have a question that is still unanswered, please contact any Director. Contact information is available on the website under the “Board of Directors” link. |
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