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Parents FAQ

New to Westbury LL? Here are some basics to help get you started on what to expect

Q:  How do I sign up?

A:  Click here to go to the sign up site

 

Q:  My child has never played before. Is that OK?

A:  Absolutely.  Your child will improve and make new friends no matter their current skill level.

 

Q:  How will my child's division of play be determined?

A:  Your child's division is based on their baseball age as determined by the Little League Age Chart - NOT by their current age as of today.

 

Q:  My child's division is older than his/her actual age. Why?

A:  The division age is based on a Sept 1 through Aug 31 calendar.  For example, your child may be 8 right now and not turn 9 until the summer after the season is over, but their baseball age is 9 if their birthday is before Aug 31.

 

Q:  What's the difference between the different divisions?

A:  ***Note - this could be modified based on registration numbers*** Tadpole is tee-ball;  In Junior Machine Pitch, the players hit off of a pitching machine set at 28 mph from 28 ft away;  In Pee Wee, the players hit off of a machine set at 40 mph from 46 ft away;  In minors and majors, the kids pitch to each other;  Minors is for 9 & 10 yr olds and Majors is for 11 & 12 year olds (baseball age).

 

Q:  Can my child play in a division different from their baseball age?

A:  No.  There are only a few reasons why this will be permitted.  You must apply to the VP Baseball with your reasoning.  Very few "play down" requests will be permitted.  If a player wants to "play up", they must meet the Playing Up requirements in our Team Placement and Age Rules

 

Q:  Can I request that my child play with a particular player or coach?

A:  In Tadpole and Junior Machine Pitch, you may request a player or coach match.  We do our best to honor these, but can't guarantee it.  In all other divisions, the players are drafted through a player draft so player or coach combinations cannot be honored.

Note: During the fall season, there is no draft an the League tries to accommodate player or coach requests provided they do not adversely impact parity in a meaningful way.

Q:  Can I request certain practice times?

A:  For Tadpole and JMP, you may request them.  However, they are not guaranteed.  Furthermore, as the season goes on and games begin, practice times may vary based on game days and field availability.

 

Q:  What will happen at tryouts?

A:  At tryouts, each group of kids lines up and they take turns running through a series of drills.  The players will hit 3 balls from a machine, run to second base, field 2-3 ground balls and throw to first base, catch 2-3 fly balls (thrown for younger kids, hit or machine delivered for older kids).  After this 2-3 minutes of activity, your child is finished.

 

Q:  What equipment will my child need for tryouts?

A:  Weather appropriate athletic wear and athletic shoes, a helmet with faceguard and a glove.  A bat can be borrowed for tryouts if necessary.  

 

Q:  What does my registration fee cover?

A:  Registration fees are needed to support the league. Covered in this fee are a portion of administration fees, utilities, field utilization, field maintenance, uniform for the season.  Not included are: umpire fees (if applicable), additional fund raising, team sponsorships, etc.  Financial Aid - Little League is for Everyone! If your family would like more information on ways Westbury Little League can assist in offsetting the cost of registration fees, please email Registration@westburyll.com.  

 

Q:  Where will games be played?

A:  Most games will be played at Westbury LL.  Occasionally in the past WBLL has played inter-league with other nearby leagues.  At this time, no away games are planned for any division, but this could change as the leagues form and schedules are built.

 

Q:  When will I  know my player's team assignment?

A:  This will be determined after registration closes and teams are formed either by the selection committee or the draft, as applicable.  Coaches will make contact with you by the end of January.

 

Q:  When will I know my players practice nights?

A:  After teams form, practice time slots are determined.  We are not able to determine this ahead of time.

 

Q:  How often to teams meet / What is my time commitment?

A:  Tadpole & JMP have 2 'contacts' per week (contact = either a game or a practice);  these practices/games are typically 1-1.5 hrs.  PW and Minors have 3 'contacts' per week;  these practices are nominally 2 hrs each.  Majors has 4 per week and are nominally 2 hrs each.

 

Q:  What times are practices held during the week?

A:  Practice times are usually in slots (they can vary) and are typically 5:30 to 6:30 or 7 pm and then 7 pm to 8:30 pm.

 

Q:  What if my player has a significant restriction on practice days?

A:  You may note this in your registration.  We are unable to guarantee a practice time (or guarantee not to practice at a time), but we try and help families out where possible.

 

Q:  I have twins or siblings in the same division that I am registering.  Will they be on the same team?

A:  Yes, they will be on the same team unless you request for them to be on separate teams.

 

Q:  When is the season schedule released?

A:  The season schedule comes out as teams are formed.  The Schedule is usually available in early February for the Spring season.

 

Q:  What equipment does my child need for the season?

A:  You child needs a helmet with faceguard (except majors), athletic shoes (cleats are recommended, but not required), pants, and a glove.  Water bottles or water jugs are recommended.  A protective cup is advisable for all boys & required for those boys playing catcher. 

Most kids have personal bats, but it is not required.  There are usually bats that are shareable amongst players.  1 uniform set consisting of Hat, jersey, socks and belt are furnished as the uniform.  Pants will not be provided. Catchers gear is provided for each team. 

 

Q:  Is there additional equipment I should obtain?

A:  Many kids like to get batting gloves, equipment bags or backpacks and other baseball accessories, but these are not required.

 

Q:  Is there any old equipment available for trade / sale?

A:  WBLL is evaluating the possibility of having a league wide 'family swap meet' where people can trade and/or donate old equipment to families that are new and trying it out or don't yet have equipment or want to try different items.  Please check the website for more information on this if it materializes.

 

Q:  What size bat should I get for my player?

A:  Bats come in many sizes, weights, makes and models and price ranges.  The bat sizing chart at the sporting goods stores typically steer you to a larger than necessary bat.  However, this is not the case for everyone.  In general, a bat that is 25-26" is good for tee ball;  26-27" is good for JMP;  27"-28" is good for Pee Wee;  28-30" is good for Minors;  28-32" is good for Majors;  the bat length and weight is dependent on how strong your child is and how developed their swing is.  How much you spend on a bat is dependent on how good your player is.  If you are starting out, an expensive bat will not necessarily make the player better until his/her swing develops.

A good rule is if you don't know what size, try out some others at the first couple practices before investing in a bat.  Above all, ensure the bat you are utilizing has the USA Baseball Logo on it.  This is a requirement for it to be a legal bat in Little League.

 

Q:  How are all-stars selected for the end of the season?

A:  Westbury LL sponsors an all-star team for each age year from 7 through 12.  Players are selected by vote.  The voters are dependent on the age group. See the Westbury LL All-Star Rules for more information.

 

Q:  If my child is selected for All-Star play, what does that consist of?

A:  All-star play consists of the following:

For Pee Wee (7U and 8U), the teams are announced at closing ceremonies.  The teams typically play a tournament the weekend after the season ends, a tournament over Memorial Day weekend and the Blue Gray Tournament that starts covers the end of May and the first week of so of June.  Typically, the teams practice almost every day between the tournaments starting the Monday after closing ceremonies.

For 9U (9 yr old Minors), the team is announced at closing ceremonies.  The team typically plays a tournament over Memorial Day weekend and the District 16 All-Star Tournament the 1st/2nd week of June.  The team typically practices almost every day between the tournaments starting the Monday after closing ceremonies.

For 10U, 11U and 12U (10 yr old Minors, 11 yr old Majors, 12 yr old Majors), the teams play the District 16 All-Star tournament which starts in mid-June, the 11's start around 3rd week June and the 12's the last week of June (approximately).  If a team does well, they could stay alive in the tournament for a week to 10 days.  If any of these teams win the district, the team can advance to further rounds such as State, Regional or for 12's, the LL World Series.