The Skills and program outline below are designed for development in Baseball & Softball
TEE-BALL (CO-ED)
Participation: 4, 5 & 6 Year Olds (Optional for second year 6 year-olds)
League Concept:
A non-competitive co-ed program with an emphasis on fun and teaching the fundamental skills and rules of baseball. Coaches are instructed not to keep score. Basic skills and rules are introduced, although not in great depth but rather in a manner to promote the fun aspects of baseball and to take great steps to insure that the child achieves success on a small scale, whereby skills can gradually be introduced and mastered in future years. A soft-texture ball is used for safety and players hit off of "tee" for the first half of the season before being introduced to pitches from a coach. Base running on overthrows is restricted. All kids play an equal amount of time and players are encouraged to play all positions in the field. Teams will play 6-inning games twice a week. The season starts mid-May and finishes up in mid-July.
Skills Developed
* Create a fun environment and build player confidence
* Learning basic pre-game stretching exercises.
* Learning Safety
* Introduce basic level game rules.
* Learning position locations and fielding basics
* Introduce basic hitting stance.
Coach Pitch & Intro to Player Pitch
Participation: 6 thru 8 Year Olds (6 year olds that played Tee-Ball last year are eligible)
League Concept:
A non-competitive program in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere with an emphasis placed on learning and developing fundamental skills, teamwork, good sportsmanship, and responsibility to the team. Game scores are not kept in Bantam. Coaches pitch to their own players during the first half of the season and all players bat. Coaches develop pitchers during practices in the first half of the season and those players who are capable, pitch in games during the second half of the season. Base running on overthrows and wild pitches are restricted. All kids once again play an equal amount of time and coaches are again expected to play all players in all positions regardless of their individual skill levels. The objective is to expand the player's understanding of game rules, basic position recognition and to introduce base running concepts throughout the season. Teams will play 6-inning games twice a week. The league begins game play in mid-May and finishes up mid-July.
Skills Developed
* Learning the importance of physical fitness.
* Introduction to pitching and catching fundamentals.
* Learning proper throwing techniques.
* Learning defensive position requirements.
MINOR LEAGUE
Participation: 8 thru 10 Year Olds (Optional for any 9 or 10 year old to tryout, Optional for any 11 year old, All 11 year olds not selected to Major)
Parents of a 11 or 12 year old that feels their child is not ready to play Major League may sign up their child for Minor League.
League Concept:
A Little League sanctioned recreational league consisting of 8 thru 10 year old players that are not chosen for Major League or who choose not to try out for Major League and want to play in a less competitive environment. 8 year old players signing up for Minor League may try out for, but are not guaranteed to be drafted into the Minor League. All new players must participate in an evaluation in order to be assigned to a team. Players pitch and develop a higher level of skills with emphasis on development over competitiveness. The overwhelming requirement is to prepare the players for Major League level competition. Base running must be controlled by the defenses and runners will not be required to stop unless the defense so dictates. Pitching and catching skills need to be improved at this level with the emphasis put on development over competitiveness. It is the coach's role to make realistic evaluations as to where a player is best able to achieve success, both at the Minor level as well as beyond, and work to improve position specific skill requirements. Fair and equitable but not equal playing time for all participants shall be expected. However, all players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. League standings are kept with a single elimination playoff at the conclusion of the season. Kids playing in Minor League are eligible to try-out for an All Star team. Teams will play 6 inning games twice a week. The Minor League game season will begin the first week of May and will finish up the third week of June. All Stars take place after the regular season ends.
Skills Developed
* Identify and focus on individual position strength of players.
* Introduction to situation defense and decision making skills
* Stressing pitch locations and control.
* Enhancement of hitting and bunting skills.
* Mental aspect of hitting
* Enhancement of base running, base stealing, and sliding skills.
MAJOR LEAGUE
Participation: 10 thru 12 Year Olds (All 12 year olds and/or returning Major League players, Optional for any 10 or 11 year old to try out)
League Concept:
A Little League sanctioned competitive league for advanced skill players. All 12 year old players WILL play in this league unless requested otherwise. All 10 and 11 year old candidates wanting to be considered must try out and be selected to play in this league. The objectives at this level are to assist the players in refining and mastering the skills that have been presented thus far. An emphasis is placed on individual development as well as team success, while accomplishments and player positioning is determined by where they best help the team to be successful. However, since many players have limited exposure to more than a single position, coaches should take the opportunity to allow players to learn multiple positions. We continue to encourage a fair and equitable apportionment of playing time; however playing time is not necessarily equal and will be earned by the player's ability, attitude, and effort and will not either increased or decreased solely as a result of age. Once again, all players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. Managers determine batting order and field position according to skill, safety, and contribution to overall team success. While developing a winning attitude becomes an important part of the more advanced player's baseball growth, we need to be reminded that the majority of players at this age, will not become high school varsity or college players. Therefore, the overwhelming objective is to foster an environment players can achieve successes, however small, and to prepare each player for advancement to the next level of play. Standings are kept and the season concludes with a league championship game. Kids playing in Major League are eligible to try out for an all-star team. Teams play 7 inning games as many as 3 times a week. The Major League game season will begin the first week of May and will finish up the third week of June. All Stars take place after the regular season ends.
Skills Developed:
* Developing positive and confident player attitudes.
* Playing in a competitive environment.
* Mastering mental aspects of pitching and pitch control.
* Learning how & when to throw off speed pitches.
* Mastering catching skills
* Mastering specific defensive abilities.
* Mastering situation defense and decision making skills
* Mastering situational and mental aspects of hitting.
INTERMEDIATE, JUNIOR & SENIOR LEAGUE
Participation: All 13 to 15 Years Old
*INTERMEDIATE IS PLAYED ON A 50/70 DIAMOND (11-13 YEARS OLD) for baseball / Softball NA
*JUNIOR & SENIOR LEAGUE IS PLAYED ON A TRIDITIONAL 60/90 DIAMOND for baseball/ 43/60 for Softball
League Concept:
A Little League sanctioned competitive, yet recreational league that creates an environment whereby players can adjust to a larger, regulation size diamond. At this time, the player is introduced to a variety of new rules and requirements. Players should be allowed to adjust at their own pace and in a protected environment but managers and coaches should set high standards of achievement. It is here that some very successful Little League players may have difficulties with the positions that they previously believed they had mastered. Our objective is to help with this transition while insuring that the confidence that the player possessed in Little League is preserved. Player abilities are now easier to analyze, and those players that previously were thought to be among the best, may now be replaced by
other players whose development was slower than others. It is our role to fairly analyze these skills and abilities free from previously preconceived notions. All players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. Standings are kept and the season concludes with a league playoff. An All-Star team will be selected from kids playing in Junior League and play in the District Little League Tournament. Teams will play 7 inning games twice a week. The Junior League season typically begins mid-May and finishes up mid-July.
Skills Developed:
* Introduction to regulation size field
* Pitchers: Adapting to regulation size pitch distance and mastering pitch control.
* Catchers: Learning how to call a game
* Defense: Learning defensive responsibilities and positioning on a regulation size field.
* Hitting: Pitch recognition and mastering bat control; protecting runners and squeeze plays
* Base running: Learning aggressive base running plays and techniques.