Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the age determination date April 30th and is this a firm date?

Little League Baseball, Inc. (LLB) recently changed the age determination date from July 31st to April 30th. This is consistent across all US & Int'l. Little Leagues. The FTLL program starts at age 7 - your child MUST be 7 by April 30th (for 2006 we will make an exception and allow players who will be 7 in May, June or July) of the season that they are signing up for. For 2006, they must be 7 by July 31st, 2006 - hence their birth date must be on or before July 31st, 1999. Unfortunately we cannot make any exceptions to this rule even if your child has played T-ball prior. The Twp. Recreation Dept. T-ball program is available to players that are too young for the FTLL. Moving from the Rec. T-ball program to the FTLL is a natural progression when your child meets the age criteria.

We are aware that this may mean that your child will not be able to play with friends who are in the same grade but born before the cut-off date. This is due to the fact the LLB uses a cut-off date that is different than the school system which varies all over the world. Last season our program supported 14 full teams at 7 years old - we simply do not have the fields/facilities to consider accepting players born after the cut-off date. In addition, the program supports separate divisions for age 7, 8, 9 & 10 year olds. Allowing a child to play (if we could) prior to 7 would mean that they would need to repeat that division the following year. This is not a viable option. Please keep this is mind when considering registrations - we cannot make any exceptions to this rule.

Is the uniform included in the registration fee? What is it & when do I get it?

All players are provided with a uniform shirt, hat & socks which are coordinated with their team colors & logo's. Players need to provide their own gray baseball pants - you can buy them from the FTLL or anywhere you choose.

Pioneer 7 through Colonial 10 teams are named after Minor League affiliates (e.g. BlueClaws).
Minor/Majors (11-12) through Senior Majors (16) teams are named after Major League teams.

Parents were asked to specify sizes on the registration forms. This provides us with an indication of the sizes required in each age group. Since uniforms are ordered prior to team selections, we purchase a selection of shirts to match the most commonly requested sizes. Each team in an age group will be provided with the same selection. When the uniforms are distributed, the Manager will attempt to distribute the shirts to the best of their ability based on the needs of each player. Everyone should make sure that the shirts are fairly distributed based on the size & not a favorite number, etc. Any problems with uniforms should be immediately reported back through the manager & league director so that they can be addressed in a timely fashion.

Players will receive uniforms prior to their first game.

What else do I need?

All players will need a glove (suitable for the size of the player), a protective cup (strongly recommended for males), and rubber cleats (metal are allowed for Senior Leagues). Rubber cleats will help on the damp mornings when the grass is wet.

The FTLL will provide batting helmets, baseballs & a complete set of catching equipment to each team.

Baseball bats are not provided by the FTLL. Many players have their own bat and some are willing to lend them to others to use.

Where are the games played & when?

All games are played at Michael J Tighe Park (formerly Liberty Oak Park) off of Georgia Road. Practices are held at date/times/facilities based on the Managers discretion.

Games are played weeknights (usually 2 time slots an evening 5:30/5:45 PM or 7:30 PM [under the lights] - younger divisions play the earlier games) and on weekends - Saturdays/Sundays (depends on the division and field availability). Weekend games take place all day. Schedules will be made available once we are able to finalize field availability with the Recreation Commission. We cannot forecast actual game dates at this time.

The practices will begin around March 15th. The season usually begins early April - the actual date will be shared once finalized.

When is the Opening Day Ceremony?

The Opening Day Ceremony has historically been held on the first Saturday of the regular season (weather permitting). The exact date will be provided as soon it is finalized.

If you have any further questions please e-mail us by clicking here.. -  info@ftll.org