Q1.
How many practices and/or games do you play during a week? At what time are games played? I registered my child several weeks ago and have not heard anything. When will I know something about what team my child is on and when practices will begin?
Answer:
The league limits managers to three events per week: 0 games & 3 practices; 1 game & 2 practices; 2 games & 1 practice, etc. The practice times, dates, and locations are at the discretion of the manager -- though generally all activities are held at the MALL Complex (12900 Westmere). Once the teams are formed for each division, the manager of your child's team will be the one to communicate with you.
Kid Pitch Divisions will form in early-to-mid February and start practicing shortly thereafter. For Machine Pitch and Tee Ball, these divisions form in late February. Therefore, you may not be contacted for a few weeks as things get organized. Be patient ... someone WILL be in contact with you. Watch the Home Page for League-wide announcements and updates. If your child is registered to play, then at least one parent should be a registered user of the website in order to receive email blasts.
Games are scheduled using a combination of weekday evenings with start times between 5:30 - 6:00PM for early games and 7:30 for late games (kid pitch only for late games) and Saturdays. Sunday games have not been scheduled in the past except in the case of make-ups. In recent years, we have tried to schedule the majority of games on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays -- though other days are occasionally used. Practice days are chosen by the Team Managers and are also based on field availability.
Final schedules for both games and practices depend on how many teams form for each division.
Q2.
What are the important dates for the 2020 Season?
Answer:
Here are the key dates for 2020 Spring Season: (PREMILINARY)
· On-Line Registration Begins - Early-November
· Registration Ends (Kid Pitch Divisions) - Mid February
· Registration Ends (Tee Ball, Machine Pitch) - Late February
· Skill Assessments (REQUIRED for all Kid Pitch Divisions) - Week of February 10-15 2020
· Practices Start (Kid Pitch Divisions) - Mid February
· Practices Start (Tee Ball, Machine Pitch) - Late February
· Opening Day (Games Start) - Saturday, March 7, 2020
· Carnival and Picture Day April 4- Kid pitch games only
· Regular Season Ends - Early May
Other important dates:
- Walk-up Registration – To be Determined. On-Line registration is preferred.
- Tryouts/Skill Assessments – Specific dates & times for each age to be posted on Website in the coming weeks.
- Practices – begin as soon as teams have been drafted/formed ... usually late-February for Kid Pitch Divisions; 2 - 3 weeks later for Tee-ball and Machine Pitch.
- MALL / MAGSA Carnival and Picture Day – April 4
- Regular season ends – Mid-May with playoffs starting immediately afterward for Competitive Divisions only. Playoffs usually end prior to Memorial Day.
Q3.
Where are your games played? How do I know what field to go to?
Answer:
All of our games are played at 12900 Westmere. (See "Directions" under "About Us" tab on this site for specific directions). Each division has a primary field on which most is its games are played. Fields are numbered 1 - 10 (see Field Layout under About Us on Home Page). Field #2 was used by Majors Division through the 2013 season. The Intermediate Division will now use this field.
Q4.
What all is included in the registration fees?
Answer:
Our registration fees include:
- A 10-14 game schedule INCLUDING playoffs for all Competitive (Kid Pitch) Divisions. A 7- to 10-game season for the Instructional Divisions (No Playoffs for these two divisions).
- A uniform (hat & shirt) during the regular Spring season. NOTE: Details about pants, belts & socks (bought by parents) will be provided by the manager of the team.
- Certified umpires for all Kid-pitch leagues (Minor American & Minor National, Majors, Intermediates, Juniors & Seniors).
- All catcher's gear, balls and pitching machines for games/practices. All field maintenance (including mowing, chalking, & repairs).
- All utilities to operate lights, water, restrooms, and concession area.
- A season of fun at the ballpark with your child's friends and families.
Please see the associated chart linked below to see how MALL spends its funds on an average per child basis.
CHART
Q5.
Can I request to play in a different division than my child's age would normally dictate?
Answer:
Yes, there is a special request box when you enter your child's information that allows you to make these types of requests. Keep in mind, playing up in the next division is not guaranteed and is reviewed on a case-by-case basis after Assessments. If you are allowed to play up in an older division, you will be asked to sign a waiver stating that you understand the risks of allowing your child to play with older children and that you agree to release MALL from all liability resulting from your decision to play him/her up, including injury or lack of playing time.
Q6.
Will my son/daughter be required to tryout for a team (Note: tryouts are better referred to as "assessments")?
Answer:
It depends on the division the child will be playing in. All competitive divisions (kid pitch divisions) are required to tryout during their designated tryout dates and times. For MALL, the following competitive leagues have Tryouts/Assessments: Minor American, Minor National, Majors, and Intermediate.
Q6.
Why do you have tryouts/assessments?
Answer:
Tryouts/Assessments are held so that teams can be as evenly matched as possible during our competitive season. All kids who get assessed are selected in a draft by the managers of their division. MALL does not allow preselected teams in competitive divisions. It is our league's philosophy that the season will be more enriching to all of the children of the league if teams are evenly matched.
Q8.
What happens during tryouts/assessments?
Answer:
Tryouts/Assessments take place at the MALL complex and consist of simple baseball fundamentals. Currently players are asked to:
- field ground balls from the shortstop position and throw to first
- catch balls at first base
- field fly balls from centerfield
- hit balls from a pitching machine or league coach
- run the bases (home to third)
Gear – Players need to:
- Wear cleats
- Bring their own bat, glove and helmet
- Baseball pants are NOT required for assessments (but player may wear them)
If you are planning to purchase a bat, make sure you obtain a Little League approved bat (the latest list is usually updated on the home page ... announcement section in the center column).
Q9.
Which is the correct Division?
Answer:
Registration Process
Selecting a Division
Some have asked, ”which is the correct Division?” Keep in mind the following:
The registration system will default to a certain division based on how close the birth date is to the cutoff (August 31 for Little League).
Another rule of thumb (but not absolute) for selecting the appropriate division (your selection … not the system’s) is:
Division composed of .
Tee Ball primarily Pre-K and K
Machine Pitch primarily K and 1st graders but some 2nd graders
Minor American primarily 2nd and 3rd graders but some 4th graders
Minor National primarily 4th and 5th graders but some 3rd
Intermediate primarily 6th & 7th graders but some 5th
Jrs primarily 7th & 8th graders
During tryouts (player assessments), if there is a need to move a player from a division for which he was registered , coaches can make a determination at that time based on the assessment, age and playing experience. Parents would be consulted during this process in order to make the best decision for the player and family alike.
Q10.
Can I sign up to manage or coach through on-line registration?
Answer:
Yes, there is a volunteer's form you can fill out during registration that will allow you to complete all of the Little League required information for managing. All Little League organizations are required to perform background checks on volunteers who work with the kids in the league. By registering on-line you are greatly assisting the management of this process.
Q11.
What equipment and supplies do I need to purchase for my child?
Answer:
Tee Ball: Required - Baseball Glove, Baseball Helmet. Optional: Bat, Baseball Cleats
Machine Pitch: Required - Baseball Glove, Baseball Helmet. Recommended: Bat, Baseball Cleats
Kid Pitch: Baseball Glove, Baseball Helmet, Bat, Baseball Cleats
All Catchers in Kid Pitch Divisions are required to wear an Athletic Cup. For Machine Pitch, it is required if the child is actually receiving the pitch from the machine.
All divisions: Baseball Pants, Socks, Belt (determined by Team Manager/Head Coach)
You should send your child to all practices and games with a filled water bottle .
Q12.
What forms of payment do you take during on-line registration?
Answer:
We currently accept MasterCard, VISA, and Amex through the on-line registration process. We only accept cash or checks during our walk-up registration process. There is a 3.5% credit card fee added to the total.
Q14.
Can I sign up to sponsor a team during on-line registration?
Answer:
Please see this link
OR
Yes, in the Registration volunteer section you can specify that you are interested in sponsoring a team. A league representative will contact you with further instructions.
Q15.
Why am I asked to participate in fundraising activities when I am already paying a registration fee?
Answer:
MALL is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization. The organization is run entirely by volunteers. MALL raises some of its funds from registration fees, but must pursue donations from fundraising activity in order to cover all its costs. As such, MALL asks all participating families to assist in annual fundraising activities.
The chart at the following link summarizes how MALL spends its money on an average per child basis. Please note that the average cost per child is in excess of the registration fee.
CHART
Q16.
How do I request a refund if I need to withdraw my child?
Answer:
Contact the MALL Administrator (link on home page). Requests are handled on a case by case basis by the Board of Directors.
DUE TO THE PROCESSING COSTS INVOLVED FOR THOSE REQUESTING REFUNDS FROM MEMORIAL ASHFORD LITTLE LEAGUE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LEAGUE HAS APPROVED AND IMPLEMENTED A CHARGE FOR SUCH REQUESTS. THIS POLICY ALLOWS FOR FULL REFUNDS (LESS PROCESSING CHARGES) PRIOR TO OUR DRAFT DATES AND CHARGES 50% OF THE REGISTRATION FEE AFTER TEAM FORMATION BUT BEFORE THE SEASON STARTS. AFTER THE SEASON STARTS, REFUNDS WILL NOT BE GRANTED UNLESS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
All refunds are at the sole discretion of the MALL Board of Directors. Credit Card Chargebacks will not be allowed. All refunds will be processed by check. In some instances, refunds may not be processed until after the end of the baseball season.
Q17.
How will charges show up on our credit card statement?
Answer:
The charge will show up on your credit card statement as a charge to "Blue Sombrero". This is the company that hosts our web site and allows us to offer on-line registration. They provide us with the ability to accept secure credit card transactions and integrate the information from registration directly into our database applications.
Q18.
What if I am having trouble registering or don't understand all of the registration steps?
Answer:
First, you must register as a User on the www.mallball.org or www.mallball.net website. After registering as a User, you should then be able to register your child to play baseball.