When is registration?
Registration for the Spring Season typically starts on-line in early December and runs through mid-February. Registration for Fall Ball typically runs from July through August.
When are practices and games scheduled?
Practices for the Spring Season typically start mid-March. The Spring Season games kick off on the last Saturday of March and run into June with championships and All-Stars to follow through into early July. For most divisions, games are held on Saturdays, but the Majors and Upper Minors divisions also have weekday games.
Fall season: The Fall Ball season runs from late-August through October. Games are held on Saturdays, though some divisions will have makeup games during the week.
Do we play on Sundays?
No. Games are not played on Sundays. A make-up game can be re-scheduled for a Sunday with the approval of the two team managers. Teams may opt to have practices on Sundays, as most fields are available.
What is included with my registration?
Players receive a team jersey and a baseball cap.
What equipment do I need to provide?
The league provides team balls, bats, helmets, and other safety equipment. Players are required to provide their own glove, but many players choose to have their own helmet and bat. Cleats are recommended.
Why does Central Little League do background checks on all volunteers?
In order to protect the safety of our children we process all volunteers using a thorough background check (criminal and sex offender in all states) provided by Little League International.
Player Evaluations (Spring Season Only)
What: A Player Evaluation is a method for measuring the skill of a player. This allows each manager to assess each player’s potential and make an informed decision as he/she assembles the team during the draft process (Minors, Majors only).
When: Tryouts are also referred to as Player Evaluations, since every child that wants to participate in Little League is allowed to play. Player Evaluations for Minors and Majors are typically held at the end of February just after the registration period has ended.
What if I don't attend Player Evaluations?
Players that do not participate in tryouts are restricted to which division they may play. 8-year-olds will play in Coach Pitch, 9-11-year-olds will play in Upper Minors, 12-year-olds will play in Majors.
What if I, as a parent, want my player on a specific team?
Requests may be submitted for T-Ball, Coach Pitch, and Upper Minors. For the Majors division no requests are taken. All players are drafted.
What is the "Draft"? (Spring Season Only)
The draft process is a method in which the managers select their teams. There are specific rules mandated by Little League International that we must follow as part of our charter. During a division draft, each manager is given a list of eligible players from which to select. Selection is made in a "serpentine process" where Manager #1 picks a player, then Manager #2 and so on until the last manager has picked a player. This ends a "draft round" and the process reverses, with the last manager starting the next round. This continues until all teams have selected a predetermined number of players.
Why was my player not picked in a higher division? (Spring Season Only)
Each manager drafts his team from the list of eligible player candidates. The reason for the skills evaluation is for each manager to have a reasonable basis for making an informed choice as to which players to select. There is usually a large pool of talented players from which to choose. For example, in the Majors, each manager is required to draft as follows: First, all 12-year-old players are drafted. Second, any remaining players who played in Majors the previous year are drafted. If the division has 2 teams of 12 players for a total of 24 player positions, the total 12-year-old and returning players could exceed 12 players. This leaves only 12 positions to be filled by 11- or 10-year-old players, while there may be more than 50 - 60 10- and 11-year-old players to choose from.
Why can't players take warm-up swings outside of the dugout?
Over the years Little League has found that the likelihood for injuries to players is greatly reduced if players stay in the dugout.