FAQ's
East Orange Little League Frequently Asked Questions
Questions
- What is the structure of East Orange Little League baseball and softball?
- What equipment will my child need before the first practice or game?
- Are there any uniform supplies my child needs?
- When do I pick up my uniform?
- What are the appropriate ball sizes for baseball and softball?
- Is it possible to register late?
- When does the season begin?
- How long will the season last?
- When will I find out what team my child will play on?
- When will the practices begin?
- How often and long will my child practice?
- Where will my child practice?
- Are scrimmage games permitted during practice times?
- What days and times are the games played?
- If my child is unhappy with the team they are placed on, can they switch teams?
- If my child decides to quit, is it possible to get a refund?
- What division will my child play in?
- What is League Age?
- Are teams assigned by drafts?
- Does my child have to try out to make Little League?
- Can I keep my child down in a lower division or bring him/her up a division a year early?
- My child has no experience. Can they still play?
- Can my child be placed on a team with one of their friends?
- Do girls play baseball?
- Where are East Orange Little League games played?
- Do the teams play games or practice in the rain?
- If my child is unable to attend practice, will he/she still get to play in the game?
- Are there any rules around minimum playing time?
- Are there conduct rules that apply during games?
- What rules does Little League use to play?
- Are there time limits on games?
- What do you do if someone gets hurt?
- Who umpires East Orange Little League games?
- What documents are needed to volunteer?
- What are the responsibilities of a manager and a coach?
- How many managers/coaches can be on a team?
- Are there any coaching resources available?
- I think my son / daughter is a pretty good player. How does the league choose All-Stars?
- Do I have to participate in any fundraising?
- Who is responsible for staffing the Snack Bar at the East Orange Little League complex?
- Does EOLL have a lost and found?
- What does the league do with my email address?
- Is smoking permitted at Bithlo Park?
- Do we offer assistant for handicap people to and from the parking lot to fields?
- Who do I contact if I have a problem that needs to be resolved by the league?
- What is available on the website?
- We're new to the EOLL. How can I ask questions and/or get answers that are not mentioned on here?
Organization
Equipment
Registration and Season Start
Division and Team Assignments
Games and Rules
Volunteers
General
Answers
- What is the structure of East Orange Little League baseball and softball?
East Orange Little League is comprised of multiple divisions / levels of play in both baseball and softball: (Baseball) T-Ball, coach pitch, rookie, minor, major, junior and senior. For softball, the leagues of play are coach pitch, rookie, minor, major, junior and senior. This spring, 2010, EOLL will look to build a softball T-ball league as well. Depending upon the age level of the players, the playing fields are slightly different in terms of length of base paths, distance from pitching mound, and distance to the outfield fences from home plate.
Little League has established age cutoffs to ensure players develop appropriately in terms of skills, knowledge, and sportsmanship. East Orange Little League 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 Director of Baseball or Director of Softball.
Pitching distances are scaled to the ability of the players in proportion to the size of the diamonds. The scaled down diamonds in the lower divisions allow the players to make the same plays made by the upper division players on larger diamonds.
East Orange 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.
- What equipment will my child need before the first practice or game?
Players should arrive at their first practice with a glove, hat, GRAY baseball pants or BLACK softball pants with NO piping or pinstripes, and rubber molded cleats. A baseball bag is recommended to transport bats, batting gloves, water bottles, hats, and other items. The league provides batting helmets and bats, but if a player is providing their own batting helmet, it must have a face guard.
- Are there any uniform supplies my child needs?
A uniform consists of a pair of baseball pants, belt, a baseball jersey, a hat, and a pair of all-in-one baseball socks. East Orange Little League will provide each player a team jersey and a team hat. Due to individual fittings, players need to provide the baseball pants, belt, and socks. The player keeps the jersey and hat. Managers will provide more specifics as necessary. Rubber cleats are highly recommended, and steel spikes are not allowed. A protective cup is required by all divisions for (male) players. 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. To Top
- When do I pick up my uniform?
Uniforms will be given to the team managers for distribution. The manager will then figure out the best way to distribute the uniforms to the players. To Top
- What are the appropriate ball sizes for baseball and softball?
All baseball divisions use a 9 inch circumference baseball. In T-Ball a special T-Ball safety ball is used. In softball, minors and below use an 11 inch circumference softball and majors and above use a 12 inch circumference softball. To Top
- Is it possible to register late?
Additional/late registrations are accepted up until the player evaluations in the spring and team assignments in the fall (usually a few days after the last registration date).. To Top
- When does the season begin?
Please check the East Orange Little League calendar on the web page for exact league dates and events. Typically, the spring season begins on the first or second Saturday in March and extends through the Saturday in May 9 days prior to Memorial Day. A hat ceremony evening, along with an Opening Day event kicks off the first games of the spring season. The fall season typically begins the Saturday after Labor Day and completes the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. To Top
- How long will the season last?
In the spring the East Orange Little League regular game season usually lasts from 13-14 weeks from March through June, including division playoff games. The season is extended for players that are selected to the District 24 All-Star tournament teams. Please consider your vacation plans if you have a child that may be selected to these teams. In the fall the season starts in early September and ends in late November. To Top
- When will I find out what team my child will play on?
All teams should be formed by late January or the beginning of February for spring and in mid to late August in fall. Your child's manager will notify you of the team's first meeting and/or practice. If you don't hear from a team manager by mid-February in the spring or the last week of August for fall, please contact a league official. To Top
- When will the practices begin?
East Orange Little League targets the beginning of February for all teams to start practicing for spring and mid-August for fall. 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 or second week of March in spring and the second weekend in September in the fall. For Majors and above, practices typically begin the week after draft night. Actual first practices will depend upon weather and formation of teams. Managers who would like to add a practice or change their practice times should contact their player agent to facilitate this request. To Top
- How often and long will my child practice?
Practice frequency and duration are up to the team manager and vary based on the division, but usually last from an hour to two hours. To Top
- Where will my child practice?
East Orange Little League schedules field practice times at the Little League complex. However, due to weekday games in the spring, practice times at Bithlo are almost non-existent, so many teams are assigned a local park or other sports field to conduct practice. You will know where your child will practice once your child is placed on a team and your manager contacts you. Currently, community fields are used in Eastwood, Waterford and Wedgefield. To Top
- Are scrimmage games permitted during practice times?
Little League Regulation IX (h) permits pre-season practice games between teams in the same division in the same league, provided such practice is done out of uniform. Once the regular season begins, practice games are not permitted. To Top
- What days and times are the games played?
All teams in East Orange Little League are scheduled for at least one game a week, and in some divisions teams are scheduled for games twice a week. Game days are played Monday through Saturday, with no games on most Fridays. Saturday games will generally start at 8 AM in the morning and the last games of the day usually start at 7 PM. Weekday games generally will begin at 6:30 PM. Games may begin earlier prior to Day Light Savings time. It is East Orange Little League's desire to have games be completed by 9pm on weekdays. 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. To Top
- 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 the player agent for the division for consideration by the Director of Baseball / Director of Softball. Approval requires extenuating circumstances, so any request is highly unlikely to be approved, and in most cases we will ask that the player remain 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. To Top
- If my child decides to quit, is it possible to get a refund?
A refund is available upon request prior to the close of registration. A refund of 50% is available if a request is received prior to Opening Day. After Opening Day, NO REFUNDS are permitted. To Top
- What division will my child play in?
Divisions are broken up by the league age of the player.
5 years/T-Ball (also 6 year olds who did not play T-Ball as a 5 year old)
6 years/Coach Pitch
7-8/Rookie League
9-11/Minors * see question about Majors Draft
9-12/Majors * see question about Majors Draft
13-14/Juniors
15-16/Seniors
17-18/Big League - What is "League Age"?
Little League divides players up by age in the different divisions. League Age is used to make those assignments. Baseball league age is the age the player will be on May 1 of the coming year. Softball league age is the age the player will be (or was) on January 1 of the coming year. For the Fall season a player adopts the league age they will have for the coming spring season. Example: Fall 2009 season a player's league age is determined by their age on May 1, 2010 (baseball) or Jan 1, 2010 (softball).
- Are teams assigned by drafts?
In the Fall season, all teams in all divisions are randomly assigned.
In the Spring, all team assignments in Minor division and lower are random. Players league age 9 have the option to "opt out" of the Major division draft and be assigned to a minors team. If a 9 year old wants to be eligible for the draft they need to attend player evaluations. All players league age 10 and above need to attend evaluations. However, players league age 10-12 who are returning to a spring major team do not need to attend player evaluations.
All players 13 and up attend player evaluations and the teams are drafted and deplete the entire player pool by division (juniors and seniors).
The 9-12 age players fall into one of 3 categories
1) Returning major players (played on a major team the previous spring) (DO NOT need to attend player evaluations)
2) 10-12 year olds eligible for the major draft and 9 year olds opting into the draft. (MUST attend player evaluations)
3) 9 year olds opting out of the draft (DO NOT need to attend player evaluations)The Major division will fill their teams with:
- Returning players (Category #1 above)
- Players selected from the pool of draft eligible players (Category #2 above).Each team will keep selecting players until they have 12 players. By regulation, all 12 year olds must be drafted.
Minor division teams will be randomly assigned from:
- Players from the pool of draft eligible players (Category #2 above) NOT selected in the Major draft
- 9 year olds opting out of the draft (Category #3 above) To Top - Does my child have to try out to make Little League?
All children who register will be assigned to a team. No one is "cut" and not assigned to a team.
In the Fall season, all teams in all divisions are randomly assigned. There are no "try outs", but there are "player evaluations" in the spring for the older divisions to allow managers the opportunity to evaluate the skill levels of the players. Evaluations normally consist of a few opportunities to throw, catch, run, hit, and pitch. The managers then conduct drafts within each division to populate the teams. This is done to try to create teams of relative skill level so the games will be more evenly matched.
5-8 year olds/Do not attend player evaluations
9 year olds/No, if they desire to play in Minors
9 year olds/Yes, if they desire to be considered for the Major division draft
10-12 year olds/Yes, unless the played on a Major team the previous spring
10-12 year olds/No, if they are a returning Major player from the previous spring
13+ years/Must attend player evaluations to be drafted to a teamThe league will publish the schedule for player evaluations. Normally the player evaluations will be held on the Saturday following the final sign up weekend with times slotted by league age. There will also be a makeup player evaluation held for those who cannot attend. All players who are required to attend evaluations MUST attend one of the two evaluations or petition in writing the Board of Directors to be permitted to play. At the evaluations, players will throw, run, field and hit, as well as those interested will pitch. Usually the evaluation is about two (2) hours, but the length of the evaluation will depend upon the number of players who are participating. To Top
- Can I keep my child down in a lower division or bring him/her up a division a year early?
East Orange Little League strongly supports age appropriate competition and development. East Orange Little League does not allow players to move up a division early or to play down a division to develop additional skills without approval from the DISTRICT 24 ADMINISTRATORS. 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 Director of Baseball / Director of Softball and forwarded to the District Administration for approval. To Top
- My child has no experience. Can they still play?
Absolutely! East Orange Little League is committed to making baseball and softball fun for all ages and all levels of play. To Top
- Can my child be placed on a team with one of their friends?
East Orange Little League used to permit such requests. However, we now have such a large league (over 700 players) that trying to accommodate the special requests became an overwhelming task and impossible in many instances. Instead, players are drafted in majors and above (spring only) or distributed randomly in divisions without a draft. However, parents may manage and coach together in an effort to place their players on the same team as these are the only special requests permitted.
- Do girls play baseball?
Yes, girls can play baseball if they choose to do so. However, East Orange Little League also has a softball league that begins with age 5, allowing the girls to play softball t-ball, moving all the way up to the senior division. To Top
- Where are East Orange Little League games played?
East Orange Little League utilizes the baseball and softball fields at Bithlo Park, 18501 Washington Avenue, Bithlo, Florida 32820. A shortage of available field space forces East Orange Little League to use community parks for practice. Some of the divisions will play other local Little Leagues in both home and away games when there are not enough teams at EOLL to form an in house league (typically 4 teams). To Top
- Do the teams play games or practice in the rain?
Should it rain on a game day, first and foremost, the parks and recreation division will make a decision based on the fields status (whether they are playable or not). Once the game begins, the game umpire makes the weather decisions. Bithlo Park is equipped with a lightning detector and any time the alarm sounds, whether a game or practice, everyone MUST leave the field area and go the parking lot. Should the lightning distance itself, an 'all clear' alarm will sound.
Regarding practice, if there isn't a lightning issue, or a concern about the fields from the parks staff, then your manager makes the final determination about practice if there is rain or the threat of rain.
The rain number to call for more information is 407-568-1146. To Top
- If my child is unable to attend practice, will he/she still get to play in the game?
Little League requires that all players play a minimum of two innings in the field and get a minimum of one (1) time at bat. However, it is very important that your child attend as many of the practices as possible so that he/she can continue to improve their skills while also working with the other players to learn to play as a team. Ultimately, time of place, as well as position of play, is determined by each team's manager. To Top
- Are there any rules around minimum playing time?
Rules vary by division regarding playing time.
T-ball and Coach Pitch: all players play in the field and all players bat each inning.
Rookie: Continuous batting order (no offensive substitutions, every player is on the batting lineup even if they don't play the field that inning) with 10 fielders
Minor: Continuous batting order with 9 fielders on defense.
Majors and above Fall: Continuous batting order with 9 fielders on defense.
Majors and above Spring: 9 players in the batting order with substitutionsMinimum play for Rookie and above is one at bat and two innings in the field. Note: any player who arrives after the start of the game is not required to get minimum play at the manager's discretion .
- Are there conduct rules that apply during games?
Absolutely. East Orange Little League does not tolerate foul language or taunting 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 complex for additional games.
- What rules does Little League use to play?
Little League plays under a rule set published by Little League International out of Williamsport, PA. The rules are based on the Official Baseball Rules (OBR) used by Major League Baseball (MLB) with some changes for the safety of younger players and adaptations to play the game on fields with bases 60 feet apart versus 90 feet apart.
In addition, each Little League publishes their local ground rules. Most of these center on how the minor division and below will play their games. For example, some leagues use various combinations of machine pitch, coach pitch, and kid pitch in the younger divisions.
- Are there time limits on games?
Yes, the time limit varies by division. Shorter time limits also come into play on weeknights to prevent keeping kids out late on a school night. To Top
- What do you do if someone gets hurt?
If either during practice or during a game a player gets hurt, please notify a site director. The site director will complete an accident report form to document the incident. The snack shack has ice packs available. To Top
- Who umpires East Orange Little League games?
All umpires at East Orange Little League are volunteers. In the lower divisions (rookie and minor), the umpires are typically volunteer parents and managers / coaches of EOLL players in those divisions, or players from the older divisions learning how to umpire. In the upper divisions (majors, juniors and seniors), the umpires are typically volunteer District 24 certified umpires and umpires in training working toward their certification. All umpires are afforded the opportunity 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 Coach Pitch divisions, coaches manage the flow of the game.
- What documents are needed to volunteer?
At registration or when your complete your paperwork to volunteer, you will need to complete three (3) volunteer information forms plus provide a copy of your driver's license. The forms are available on the Volunteering page of this website. To Top
- 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, developing a practice format, creating a lineup card for every game, coordinating umpires, 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 mid-February to start of June. Time commitment is usually around 8-10 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 drills, or other assistant duties. Assistant coaches should commit to be at all practices and games, generally about 6-8 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. To Top
- How many managers/coaches can be on a team?
Every team has a manager approved by the Board of Director. 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. All managers and coaches MUST submit a Little League International application to the league prior to the start of practices, because they come into contact with players. In addition, an Orange County Park Recreation volunteer application must be completed. To Top
- Are there any coaching resources available?
Yes, on the EOLL web site, there is a listing of available resources. In addition, all managers receive a league handbook with resources also included. To Top
- I think my son / daughter is a pretty good player. How does the league choose All-Stars?
Prior to the last game of the season, teams in the Majors and above for both baseball and softball will have the opportunity to vote for whom they believe are the top players in their divisions. The players will vote to place the first seven (7) players on each All-Star team and then each manager chosen to coach an All-Star team will complete the All-Star roster with his own selections. Be sure to be cognizant of your family's summer vacation schedule if you believe your player might be picked to play for the EOLL all-star team. The district All-Star tournament is normally the first two weeks of July. The sectional and state tournaments are on the following weekends. To Top
- Do I have to participate in any fundraising?
East Orange Little League relies on fundraising to help support the operations of the league. Player registration fees alone are not enough to cover the needed operating capital required for equipment, facilities maintenance and repairs, uniforms, etc. East Orange Little League supplements player registration fees with league sponsors and fundraising. Each team is encouraged to take part in the league wide fundraising activities. Furthermore, league parents may choose to participate in the EOLL sponsorship program. Please visit sponsorship on the website for these opportunities. To Top
- Who is responsible for staffing the Snack Bar at the East Orange Little League complex?
Upon registering a player for participation in East Orange 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 East Orange Little League's concessions volunteers are responsible for stocking, serving and assisting the site directors during their shifts. Children 13 years and older are able to volunteer in the snack shack. Please do your part in support of operating the concessions stand. Your team's shift is purposely scheduled as not to interfere with your player's game time. To Top
- Does EOLL have a lost and found?
Yes, currently the lost and found is kept in the league's equipment shed. Please see a BOD for assistance. To Top
- What does the league do with my email address?
The EOLL feels strongly about communicating with our parents about all aspects of our league. Your email address will be used solely for communication from the league about league news, sponsor promotions or notification of special clinics held for your player. Sponsor promotions are sent out through the BOD and your e-mail address is not shared with the sponsors. To Top
- Is smoking permitted at Bithlo Park?
As of the spring 2010 season, smoking IS NOT permitted at Bithlo Park per county rules. In addition, the Orange County Parks do not allow the use of alcohol on the property. To Top
- Do we offer assistant for handicap people to and from the parking lot to fields?
Yes. Please find a member of the Board of Directors for assistance. To Top
- Who do I contact if I have a problem that needs to be resolved by the league?
If 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 player agent (who is a Board Member assigned to oversee that Division). Contact information is on the East Orange Little League web site. You are also welcome to attend a Board meeting and express your concerns directly to the Board with prior approval from the President. The East Orange Little League Board meets monthly, at minimum, and the schedule of these meetings is posted on the web site. To Top
- What is available on the website?
The league's web site is www.eoll.org. 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 member of the board of directors. To Top
- We're new to the EOLL. How can I ask questions and/or get answers that are not mentioned on here?
Contact any member of the board of directors and they can either answer your questions or point you to the proper person on the board who can. To Top