FAQ’s

What is Little League?

Little League is a youth baseball and softball organization that was founded in 1939. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing organized youth sports programs. Little League is known for its focus on teaching sportsmanship, teamwork, and character development, in addition to baseball and softball skills. It operates on a local, national, and international level, with millions of children participating in its programs around the world.

What are the boundaries for LPPLL? 

A copy of the boundary map can be found here. Children who attend a school within these boundaries are also eligible to register – you must submit a completed copy of the School Enrollment Form at the time of registration. Please note, this does not include TK or Preschool. 

What is my child’s league age? What does that mean?

League age (sometimes called “baseball age”) is the age your child is by a certain cut-off date. The cut-off date for baseball is August 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 for softball. The easiest way to determine your child’s league age is to review the Little League Age Charts (both baseball and softball) which can be found here.  

What are the baseball divisions and the age levels associated with them? (Softball further down)

The following are the baseball levels typically provided at LPPLL and the league age of the participants (baseball age is the age the player will be on August 31st of the season):

Are players guaranteed to play in their age group assigned by the Little League age chart for their program (softball or baseball)?

Although a player may be “age level” in a specific division, because of team numbers and safety considerations, they may be placed in a lower division to help them hone their skills. With the exception of Tee Ball, Rookies, and Juniors for baseball, and 8 & Under (8U) for softball, the draft for each division determines where a player plays. 

What if you have two different divisions that you can choose from when registering? Tee Ball and Rookie? Rookie and AA? What about Softball or Baseball?

Tee Ball is typically for players who have never played baseball or softball and need basic instruction on the game. Rookie is for 6-year-olds with a basic understanding of the game. If your child has already completed one year of Tee Ball, you may consider them ready to move up to Rookie ball. If your child has shown a heightened skill level but has not played Tee Ball, then the Rookie Division may be a good fit for them too. The primary difference is that Rookie is a coach pitch division.  

Rookie is an instructional year introducing baseball fundamentals. The Rookie Division has the ability to request managers/coaches, while AA is the first year of drafted teams and player assessments. AA is the first year that introduces player pitch. If your child has shown a heightened skill level and the confidence to face player pitch, they may be ready to move up to AA. 

Players who are eligible for softball are also eligible for baseball. Please see Question 6 as well as review the Softball section of these FAQs for further information. 

Can girls play in the baseball program?

Yes! Girls are welcome to play baseball at all levels. We have recently brought our softball program back to LPPLL which has multiple programs available. Please review the Softball section of these FAQs for more details. If your child is interested in playing Tee Ball, registration would be under the baseball program in the system. In addition to our Softball program, girls who are interested in playing in the baseball program, at any division level, are welcome. 

Do players try out?

Baseball players registered for the AA division will attend assessments mid to late January/early February and are typically held one day on the weekend at Dooley Field. Baseball players registered for the AAA or Majors division will attend tryouts mid to late January/early February and are typically held two days on Saturdays at Dooley Field. Softball players registered for the 10 & Under or the 12 & Under division will attend assessments in February and are typically on one day on the weekend (location TBD). 

Assessments/tryouts is focused on assessing players’ skills which informs coaches in determining the most appropriate level each player should play at with consideration to safety and overall player experience. For the baseball program, it also provides all team managers/coaches the ability to draft the most equal teams. The softball program does not hold a player draft at this time. It is important to note AAA and Majors divisions are considered more tryouts than assessments due to the higher level of experience and skill needed to play the game. While there are tryouts, all players will be placed on a team, even if it is a different division than that the player tried out for. There are NO CUTS. Any adjustments to registration fees will be addressed after teams are formed. 

My child would like to assess their skills and play in a higher division. What’s next? 

Younger players who want to play in a higher and more advanced division may request to do so, however, the player would be required to participate in the assessment/tryouts for that division. For the safety, comfort, development, and overall experience of our players we work to make sure all players are playing at the appropriate level and to accomplish this, we host tryouts/assessments. There will not be any division adjustments to higher divisions prior to them attending the applicable assessment/tryout. It is important that your player attends the assessment/tryout dates, but particularly so if they would like to be considered for playing in a division higher than their league age typically determines. This is applicable for both baseball and softball programs. 

Please register for the division your player is currently eligible for. Then you may send an email to request your player participate in the higher division’s assessment/tryout. For baseball requests, please send email to info@lppll.com and for softball requests, please send email to AlanJDonato@gmail.com. Any adjustments to registration fees necessary due to moving divisions will be addressed after assessments/tryouts. 

Can I request a manager?

In Tee Ball and Rookie for baseball and 8 & Under for softball only, players/families can request a manager. We will do our best, but we cannot guarantee placement as we must account for the amount of teams and even distribution.

When do we find out about our team?

Team rosters are announced immediately following the draft for each baseball division which typically occurs in February. Team managers will contact each family to welcome them to the team. The baseball program drafts directly relate to the development of its team rosters; Majors teams are drafted first, then AAA, then AA. The Rookie and Tee Ball teams are set up after these drafts. Softball teams are expected to be announced in February. 

When do practices start and where are they held? 

Practices typically start in February and are set by individual teams. Depending on division, our teams practice at city or school fields in our area. Locations are selected by managers and are shared when each team sets their practice schedules. 

My child has physical or developmental disabilities. Are there opportunities to play?

Yes, the Challenger Division of Little League is a very fun and successful program for players up to the age of 18 (or through age 22 if still in high school.) Please contact info@lppll.com to learn more about our Sacramento District 7 Challenger teams.

Do I need to pay a volunteer fee? 

All families will need to pay the $100 volunteer family. This is per family, not per child. In the rare case that you are charged two fees because you have players in both softball and baseball, please reach out to info@lppll.com to get this resolved and a refund of one of the fees will be provided. Families are eligible for a refund of this volunteer fee by completing eight hours of volunteer shifts. Volunteer opportunities are regularly announced and primarily include working league events as well as Snack Shack shifts! 

Is there a multiplayer discount? 

Yes, there is a one-time $50 sibling discount. Unfortunately, our platform through Little League keeps the Softball and Baseball programs separate so you may not be automatically given the $50 2^nd player discount. Please reach out to info@lppll.com to get this rectified. 

Are there ways to save money?

Yes! There are several ways families can save money!

1. Registering your child in the month of November gives you an early bird discount of $25 per player, so don’t forget to register early! 
2. You can volunteer eight hours and receive a refund for your volunteer fee. Volunteer opportunities are regularly announced through team parents, league emails, and on the league Facebook page. Opportunities include working league events, assisting with Dooley Champion Series, and of course, the infamous Snack Shack shifts! 
3. We also work to provide an opportunity for a free Gear Swap during assessments/tryouts in January and/or February at Dooley Fields. This is where league families donate used and outgrown baseball gear and some clothing. All league players and their families are invited to come pick up gear for the season – and you do not have to give to get. Further details will be announced. 

Is financial assistance available?

Yes! We want to provide every eligible player the opportunity to experience Little League and especially LPPLL! In some circumstances, fees may be reduced or waived, or paid in installments. When registering online you can complete the Financial Assistance Application form. All applications are confidential. For further questions, please contact info@lppll.com. 

Where does my money go?

LPPLL’s top expenses are Dooley Field maintenance, equipment purchases, uniforms, field rental/permit fees, umpires for older divisions, and dues to Little League International to maintain our charter. We also pay extra attention to our game fields at Land Park where we maintain upkeep and field integrity which includes home plates and pitching mounds. There is also regular maintenance and enhancements to maintain the extraordinary quality at Dooley Field such as our home plates, pitching mounds, dugouts, field scoreboards, bull pens, batting cage, grandstands, and more! 

How do I stay informed?

Keep an eye out for emails from LPPLL! Also, make sure to follow us on Facebook where some updates will be posted as well. Our page can be found here. 

SOFTBALL PROGRAM  

What are the softball divisions and the age levels associated with them?

• 8 & Under Division (coach pitch) will be open for those players who will be 6, 7 or 8 years old as of December 31, 2023.    
• Our 10 & Under Division (player pitch) will be open for those players who will be 9 and 10 years old as of December 31, 2023.
• Our 12 & Under Division will be open for players who will be 11 or 12 years old as of December 31, 2023.

What if my daughter is older but has never played before?

LPPLL has always allowed children to play in a lower division if they are older but wish to play in a younger division because they are new to softball/baseball or are not comfortable in a more advanced division. That does not require any assessment for the 8 & Under Division, but please email Alan Donato if this applies to your child. Note – if your child would play for 12 & Under Division but would prefer to play in a 10 & Under Division, they would still participate in an assessment as both divisions are holding assessments.

Where does softball play?

Our home softball fields are at Land Park #4, Curtis Park, and Reichmuth Park. We will also be playing some games at Dooley Field this year.

What equipment will my softball player need?

Softball players will need to buy softball pants, a belt, socks, cleats, a glove, and a helmet. LPPLL does not offer team helmets out of concern for lice. Team bats are provided but players are encouraged to also purchase their own bats.  For the upper divisions, sliding shorts and fielding masks are also encouraged.  Fielding masks are required for pitchers and will be provided for each team in case a player does not have one.  Please note – specific pants, belts, and sock colors will be shared once teams are built.

What size balls do the softball players use?

8 & Under uses 10-inch balls, 10 & Under uses 11-inch balls, and 12 & Under uses 12-inch balls.

When does softball start?

Softball and baseball will have the same opening day and season duration. We are currently planning for March 16, 2024 as Opening Day.

Will there be travel for softball?

Our goal is to have enough teams to play our regular season within our own league (at least 4 teams per division), so there will be no traveling to other leagues for games.  We may have an inter-league tournament and post-season All Stars for the upper divisions, but that will not affect regular season play.  

Can I request that my daughter be on a team with her friends?

To encourage participation, this year we will again be accepting for consideration your preferences regarding your child’s fellow teammates and coaches, so if you have preferences in this regard, please email Alan Donato.

What if my daughter doesn’t know anyone playing?

We are in the business of making core memories and building lifelong friendships.  Many of our coaches and board members played at LPPLL and know what a special place this is.  We want nothing more than your player to experience the same.  

What are the goals for our softball program?

Having fun, player development, learning good sportsmanship, and playing good softball are our primary goals.  We strive to instill in our players a genuine love for the game and a knowledge of how to play softball in a fundamentally sound way.