Why Should I Become a Volunteer?

Little League Baseball and Softball is an organization designed to build good citizens. It is a program of leadership, preparing today's youth to be tomorrow's leaders. At the local level, Little League relies on a devoted legion of adult volunteers to help ensure that the organization remains structured and runs smoothly. Your local Little League program is always looking for responsible and enthusiastic individuals to support and coordinate Little League events and activities. As a volunteer, you should have a keen interest in the safety, well-being, and overall development of children. By reading further, you will discover that the benefits of volunteering are endless. You will also gain a better understanding of why you should become involved, who volunteers are, what you can do, and how you can sign up.

Who Can Volunteer?

Anyone can apply to become a volunteer. Whatever talents or skills you have, we can use them! Across the country, volunteers are grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, retirees, community leaders, former Little Leaguers, friends, neighbors, and more. Any community member who wishes to become a volunteer may apply.

All parents of children involved in Little League Baseball and Softball are strongly encouraged to volunteer. As a parent, volunteer, you have the opportunity to spend quality time with your child in a safe, fun-filled environment. Oftentimes, parent and child social lives parallel each other. Volunteering allows your life and your child's life to intersect on common ground, with shared interests and goals.

On rare occasions, Little League, through District Administrators and your local Board of Directors, may deny individuals the privilege of volunteering for reasons, past or present, that may be detrimental to the positive development of young people, other volunteers, and/or Little League International. When you apply to become a volunteer, you give LBLL the right to conduct necessary background checks.

How Do I Become A Volunteer?

Parents, take a minute to fill out the online volunteer form while registering your child.

Who We Need

• Team Personal: Team Managers, Assistant Coaches, Team Parents
• Board Positions: Field Managers, Equipment Managers, Accounting, Information Technology, Leadership, Social Media, Marketing, Content Producers, Scheduling

Manager – You run the team! In lower divisions you are able to request players on your team. You may also have an assistant coach and their player play with you. In Minors and above, players are drafted. You will still be able to have your player and your assistant coach’s player. LBLL provides all the tools and training you would need to jump in to coaching, and T-Ball (T-Ball manager practice tips) and Farm are great starting points! Here are some tips if you’re interested in making the leap from a coach to a manager.

Assistant Coaches – You help run practices. You don’t need to know or have baseball experience. Sometimes it’s as easy as helping setting up batting nets, or putting a ball on a tee, or rolling ground balls. You might even be called on to coach a base during a game, feed the pitching machine, or manage the dugout. Here are some tips for first time coaches.

Team Parent – You are the connection between the business and the baseball team. You disseminate info from the Auxiliary board to the team families, keeping the Manager in the loop. This may include helping with uniform sizing, fundraising, communicating key dates, coordinating picture day, etc.

Scorekeeper – From Farm on up, the home team is responsible for keeping score in the official book. Don’t know how to keep score? Not a problem, he have at least one class per season to teach. There are also a ton of YouTube videos that can teach if you can’t attend the class. Check out the links here

Pitch Counter – Once you hit Minor B, a parent or coach is responsible for logging pitches. Little League has a “Days Rest” available here so that this players who are growing and developing don’t overthrow their arms

Dugout/Stands Cleanup – Each team is required to clean around their respective stands and dugout. Each dugout has a broom and dustpan, and having this done while the manager/coaches/team have their talk sure takes a burden off the manager.

Announcer – Channel your inner Vin Sculley, grab the mic and announce the teams and who is at bat!

Field Maintenance – We have some of the nicest Little League fields in the area. That is because we have some of the best volunteers constantly working on the mounds, batter boxes, infield, etc. The home team is responsible for painting the lines before their game, and dragging the fields after their game. No prior experience necessary! We have a clinic and YouTube videos showing what we need to do to make sure our players have the absolute best experience possible!

Snack Shack – Our Long Beach famous “Seventh Inning Stretch” Snack Bar is run by volunteers like you! Complete two 2-1/2 hour shifts and you’ll get your volunteer fee refunded! What’ll it be? Fountain drink? Candy? Ice Cream? Nachos? Or maybe something from the grill?

Grillmaster – We pull out the grill and make hot and juicy hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers! We provide everything you need to bring smiles to those enjoying a baseball game at Stearns. Pull a shift on the grill, and this also will count towards your volunteer hours.

Board of Directors – We’re all volunteers! From President to Division VPs to Auxiliary and Member At Large, we all have a role in bringing baseball to Stearns Champions Park. Interested? We hold elections and information sessions towards the end of the Spring season culminating in elections on Closing Day. Everyone serves a one year term and we meet once a month (we aim for second Wednesday of the month) to go over league business. Check out more information on all the position available here.

Special Events – We run several special events throughout the season, including the Hit-A-Thon fundraiser, Movie-Night, Merchandise Sales, Mother’s Day Cook-Off and Closing Day. We are always looking for an extra hand, and if you aren’t quite warmed up to a full Board position, this is a great way to gain some experience and see how we operate. Please contact Auxiliary Chair for more information.

Thank you for volunteering

~ Long Beach Little League is run completely by volunteers ~
~ By giving your time and energy you help LBLL thrive ~

The following information is what is needed to be a volunteer both legally and safely for the 2022 season.

1. All volunteers need to get registered ASAP on the LBLL website for any positions being volunteered for.
2. All volunteers need to complete the JDP background check through Little League International. Volunteer Registration
3. Volunteers that will be putting in at least 32 hours during 2022 (including all Managers, Coaches, Team Parents, and many Umpires, Scorekeepers, Field Maintenance Volunteers, and Snack Bar Volunteers) need to have an up-to-date LiveScan and a supplemental child abuse and neglect training. LiveScan through LBLL will take place during tryouts, January 8th and 9th. Child Abuse and Neglect Training for volunteers can be completed free of charge and a completion certificate downloaded at: https://mandatedreporterca.com/training/volunteers
4. All managers and coaches are required to do online CDC concussion training free of charge and a completion certificate downloaded. Other volunteers can do this as well, but it is not required. https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/coach.html

The above steps are required to keep LBLL in compliance with both Little League International and California law.

Effective January 1, 2022, per California AB 506, 2 persons who have completed both a Live Scan and child abuse and neglect reporting training to be present while conducting any LBLL activities with youth. A single volunteer cannot be alone with players at any time while performing LBLL volunteering duties. This includes the beginning or end of practice or individual coaching sessions.

Please be advised that Long Beach Little League obtains criminal background checks for all volunteer managers, coaches, board members, assistant coaches, umpires and any other persons, volunteers and/or hired workers who provide regular services to or who have repetitive access to, or contact with, players or teams. The background checks are done through First Advantage and the results include state and federal criminal arrest records, and registered sex offender information. JDP.com does not provide notification of subsequent arrest after the background check is completed, therefore background checks are completed annually. For additional information about Long Beach Little League's background check policy, please contact Long Beach Little League. Additional information on Little League Background checks can also be found at www.littleleague.org.

Pursuant to California State Law, Article 3 (commencing with Section 11100) of Chapter 1 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code, criminal history information is used internally. Confidential criminal history information is not disclosed to the public.