News and Announcements
Introducing Sebastopol Little League
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INTRODUCING SEBASTOPOL LITTLE LEAGUE |
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This handbook is intended to provide you with information on how our league is run and how you can help. There is far more to running a league than can be conveyed in these few pages, but we hope that this handbook answers your basic questions and gives you the information you need to find the answers that aren’t here. |
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• LITTLE LEAGUE We are part of District 35 in the Western Region. Regional headquarters is in San Bernardino, CA. Our Little League ID number is #04053511. |
| • SLL HISTORY Sebastopol Little League was organized in 1957. The first game was between the Dodgers and Giants. They played Polley Field. The home team pitcher was Pete Pellini, . The visiting team pitcher was Skip Marshman. Among the more famous graduates of our league are: Jason Lane: After honing his skills learned on the SLL diamonds, Jason went to El Molino High, SRJC and earned All-America honors at USC. He made his Major league debut in 2002. This year, he started in right field for the Astros in the 2005 World Series against the Chicago White Sox. Jason homered to center field in the 4th inning of the record setting 14-inning Game 3 which the White Sox eventually won, 7-5. John Wetteland: Had a 12 year Major League career, from 1989 through 2000, playing for the Dodgers, Expos, Yankees and Rangers. His career highlight was in 1996 where he earned four saves to lead the Yankees to the World Series Championship and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player! John was a 3-time Major League All-Star and his career totals include an earned run average of 2.93 and 330 saves. Not bad for a kid who started out playing at Park Side and Polley Fields. |
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PARENT HANDBOOK - Q & A |
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Who can play? Any boy or girl who is a no younger than a league age 5 or older than a league age 18 and who lives within the SLL boundary is eligible to play. League age is the age the player will be prior to midnight of April 30th of the playing season. Players must live within the boundaries agreed to by their league or receive a residence waiver. There are specific criteria for receiving a waiver. Check with the player agent. |
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How is Sebastopol Little League organized? Sebastopol Little League is divided into eight divisions based primarily on age and partially on playing ability. T-Ball consists of 4-6 year olds and all batting is done from a tee. Minor A consists of 6 year olds (who already played T-Ball), 7 and 8 year olds. Coach Pitch. Minor AA consists of 7, 8 and 9 year olds. Pitching is done by players and coaches. Minor AAA consists of 9 through 11 year olds. Majors consists of 10 through 12 year olds. Juniors consists of 13 and 14 year olds. In addition to playing against the Sebastopol teams, Juniors play games against adjacent league within District 35. Seniors consists of 14 through 16 year olds. Seniors play games against teams throughout District 35. |
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In which division will my child play? The division in which a child plays depends on their age, their performance at tryouts, and any other factors that a manager uses in making their decisions during team selections. |
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How much will my child get to play? Minimum playing time rules requirements are listed in the local rules.
SLL takes minimum play seriously. If you believe that your child has not received their minimum time, check with the team manager immediately. If your child has not received their minimum time and for some reason the manager refuses to let them play, let the player agent for your division know. |
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How are teams selected? Teams in different divisions are selected in different manners. T-Ball teams are formed based on school and residence information provided on the registration form. Minor A and Minor AA, and Minor AAA are selected by draft.
Majors, Juniors, and Seniors teams are selected by draft and options as outlined in the Little League Operating Manual. |
| Can I make requests for coaches or teammates?
Requests for either teammates or coaches can be made at registration by talking to the player agent. All requests are considered; however, there is no guarantee that any request will be honored. The chance of a request being honored depends mostly on the division in which a child plays. Requests are more likely in Minor AA and younger, less likely in Minor AAA and older. However it is never guaranteed that a request will be honored regardless of the child’s division. |
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Does my child have to tryout? Tryouts are an important part of the team selection process. Little League rules require all players except T-Ball (5 year olds and 6 year olds who did not play T-Ball last year), and returning Majors, Juniors and Seniors to attend tryouts. During tryouts, players are hit ground balls and fly balls and make throws. They take some turns at bat and run bases. Additionally, 12 year olds are given an opportunity to pitch and catch.
Most children look forward to tryouts, but some are apprehensive. Encourage them to do their best, but don’t worry about how they do. Performance is not the sole criteria used by coaches to make their decision at drafts. Most coaches give high ratings to players that show a positive attitude and put forth a good effort. The best you can do is play some catch and hit some balls with your child before tryouts. That way, they will be ready. |
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When will we find out which team our child is on? You should here within one week of the last draft date of a division for which your child is eligible. If you haven’t heard by then, contact the player agent. |
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Does the league have insurance?
SLL carries both accident and liability insurance through Little League Baseball, Inc. The accident insurance is an excess insurance (with a $50 deductible), which means that Little League covers costs not covered by your primary insurance. It covers everything if you have no primary insurance. |
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Where is Lost and Found? If an item is found at a field with a concession stand, the item is left in the concession stand. If an item is found at a field without a concession stand, the item is put into the equipment room at the field. Unclaimed lost items are sent to a non-profit. |
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What is the league policy on refunds? Occasionally players who have registered are unable to play due to injury, moving from the area, or whatever.
If the player notifies the league that they wish to withdraw prior to practice beginning, they will receive a full refund. After practice begins, a deduction of $25 is made. After opening day, no refunds are given. |
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Do I have to buy equipment? SLL provides a jersey and cap for each player and game equipment for each team. Players are responsible for providing their mitt, pants, and socks. Your manager will tell you what color pants and socks to buy. Most teams like to wear pants with belts. Majors and older players return their jersey at the end of the season, Minor AAA and younger players keep their jersey.
Other than the mitt and uniform, the most common item that players like to have is cleats. Cleats must be either plastic or rubber for Majors and younger. Juniors and older can wear metal cleats. Although Little League rules only require the catcher to wear a hard cup, it is a good idea to get your child used to wearing one everytime they step on a ballfield. Other items that some players like to have are personal bats, batting gloves, bat bags and anti-sting gloves. |
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Who’s that I see working in the Concession Stand? The short answer is "everyone". Teams from Minor AAA and older are asked to work the concession stands two times during the season, and once during the post season tournaments. Anyone can volunteer moreoften. You can choose to pay $30 a buy-out your shift if you perfer. Please contact your team parent ASAP to make arrangements.
Although T-Ball, Minor A, and Minor AA players do not benefit directly from the concession stands (because they don’t have one at their fields), we ask everyone to work in the concession stands because it is a fundraiser for the league. Without the revenue from concessions, it would be necessary to raise registration fees at all levels. |
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Who cleans up the fields? We all do. Trash bags are available in either the equipment shed or at the snack bar. Team Parents should make sure that all adults and players clean up trash in the stands and the dugouts. |
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Are there any awards? There are numerous team awards and participation awards handed out at the end of the season. Awards are different in the different divisions. T-Ball and Minor A players receive participation awards. There are no team awards.
In the past Minor AA, and older received team awards for 1st and 2nd place for both the regular season and the in-house tournament. This year there will be some type of team awards, but they may not be the same as in the past. There are no participation awards for these divisions. No awards are given in the Seniors or Big League divisions. |
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How do the post season tournaments work? Please look at the local rules and the tournement selection process and team information is outlined. |
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When do all stars practice and play?
All star teams are selected in mid-June and usually begin practice within a few days of being selected. Tournaments begin around the July 4th holiday and can last anywhere from three days (if they lose their first two games) to six weeks (if they advance to a World Series). Local tournaments almost always end within three weeks. |
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How are all-star teams selected?
The selection process is outlined in the local rules. |
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10 TIPS FOR PARENTS |
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A good experience for the players begins with us: the parents. It is up to us to make baseball more enjoyable while we teach skills and provide life lessons. But remember, no matter how much we love the game, we do it for the kids. These thoughts can make for a better experience for the kids and parents. We believe that these ideas will help to make the next few months more fun for your children, more enjoyable for you and a lot easier on those people who volunteer their time and skills. |
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1. Work with your child. There really is little more satisfying than going out at least a few evenings a week and playing ball with your kids. This gives them quality time with you and helps them improve their skills. Someday your child will look back fondly on the spring evenings spent playing catch with mom and dad. |
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2. Get involved. The program is run entirely by volunteers and we can use all the help we can get. Anything you do helps all the kids. At our ages, most of our new friends are the parents of our children’s friends and teammates. The more you help out, the more people you meet, and we can always use more friends. Working the concession stand is a great way to help and meet people, after all what’s a baseball game without a hot dog? If you love the game, but can’t be available often enough to coach, umpiring is a great way to help. In addition to making baseball a more satisfying experience for you, you’ll be able to teach your child things that others look for in a game. If you don’t think you’re qualified, don’t worry, Little League provides all the training that anyone needs and you can be calling "safe or out" before you know it. All you need to be an umpire is an open mind and a deaf ear. |
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3. Show up for games AND practices. In today’s busy world it’s difficult to juggle schedules, but this is your child. The more involved you are, the more interested your child will be in improving their skills. It’s only a couple times a week for a few months. If you can’t make it to practices, then don’t criticize the manager’s or coach’s decisions during a game. |
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4. Respect the rules. This is one of the most important things that the players should be learning. If you don’t agree with a call keep it to yourself, at the least, complain quietly. If there’s a team rule that you disagree with take it up with the manager or a league official on your own time, not during a game with everybody listening. |
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5. Speak up if you are unhappy with your manager. One of the most frustrating things for a board member is to have a parent come to us after the season and complain about a manager. Your issue can’t be addressed if the manager doesn’t know that it exists. Don’t assume that they know you are unhappy; talk to them. The managers and coaches put in lots of time and effort and want every child to have a positive experience. If you talk to the manager and are still unhappy, talk to the division rep or player agent. |
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6. Don’t create pressure. Although many children (and parents for that matter) dream of becoming professional athletes, the reality is that they are children and deserve to enjoy the game as children. Don’t expect more than they can deliver. Give positive encouragement to all players on both teams. |
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7. Losing is a normal part of competition; help your child learn to accept it. No one likes to lose, but the nature of a team sport is that one team will win and one will lose. Teach your child that the final score is not the most important thing. Far more important is their improvement and their sportsmanship. One of life’s ironic truisms is that we learn more from failure than success. Learn from the losses, discuss how your child can improve for next time, but never place blame. |
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8. Have Fun! Baseball is a game and should be a positive experience for everyone involved: players, coaches, umpires and parents. Winning is nice, but losing is inevitable. If you can’t enjoy the game without winning, you are missing some of the best things about baseball. A good at bat or a great defensive play will stay in your memory far longer than the score of any game. |
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9. Don’t panic if your child is injured. Although baseball is not a contact sport, there are occasions when players collide or other non-contact injuries occur. We are all concerned about our children’s well being, but if your child suffers an injury, remember, kids are able to sustain a lot more than adults are and most coaches are familiar with the usual baseball injuries. Let the coaches handle the situation. They don’t need to deal with a frantic parent along with an injured child. |
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10. The program only gets better if you help. We can’t stress this enough: VOLUNTEER… we need you. One of the biggest irritants that we have is those who will not give their time, but are quick to criticize. If you can’t be part of the solution, don’t be part of the problem. If you think that something needs to be changed, get involved and help change it. |
SEBASTOPOL FALL BASEBALL
INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE -2012
Signups Begin in June
Teams form & play begins in August
Space is limited so sign up soon to ensure your spot on a team!
It's never too early to start thinking about playing baseball in the fall.
Coaches needed in all divisions so come out and help!
· Levels of play
o Minors 9-10 year olds (2011 league age 8-9)
o Majors 11-12 year olds (2011 league age 10-11)
o Juniors 13-14 year olds (2011 league age 12-13)
League age is determined by player’s age on or before 4/30/2013, or this season’s age plus 1
· Season
o Games are played August- End of October
o 12 game season (played Fridays, Saturdays and/or Sundays)
o Practices held during the week with an emphasis on core fundamentals
o Games played in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa area
o Most teams play at least one night game under the lights
o Practice begins early August
· Fees
o Minors and Majors $75 per player
o Juniors $75 per player
o Make checks payable to Sebastopol Little League
· How to Signup
o Fill out the signup form located on this site
o Fill out a current Medical Release Form (online website)
o Send signup form, Medical Release Form and tuition to:
· Sebastopol Little League, PO Box 804, Sebastopol, CA 95473
· Who to Contact
o Send message to Coach
| Tracey Condit 707-827-3489 |
| traceycondit@gmail.com |
http://www.eteamz.com/SebastopolLittleLeague/files/Medical_Release_Form.pdf
http://www.eteamz.com/SebastopolLittleLeague/files/SLLRegistrationform.pdf
