FNLL is a Frederick, Maryland-based chartered member of Little League International and provides a program of instructional and competitive baseball for kids ages 4 to 16 with several divisions that accommodate age and skill levels. Our goal is to not just to create competitive baseball players, but also teach life lessons, community commitment, and citizenship through the great sport of baseball.
We are a part of Maryland District 2 Little League, and our league consists of players from schools that include; Yellow Springs Elem., Monocacy Elem., North Frederick Elem., Glade Elem., Walkersville Elem., Liberty Elem, Monocacy Middle, TJ Middle, Walkersville Middle, Heather Ridge School, The Banner School, St. John’s Reg. Catholic, Monocacy Valley Montessori, Frederick Classical Charter, and Frederick County Day Montessori.
Established in 1951, Frederick National is steeped in a legacy that is one of the oldest, most respected, and successful leagues in the entire state of Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can we sign up?
Spring registrations start around the end of the calendar year and go through the beginning of February.
Fall registration typically starts after the Spring season concludes in July and can run through August.
How often are practices and games?
- T-Ball practices 1 to 2 times per week with games on Saturdays and an occasional game during the week. (total commitment: 2 days per week)
- Machine or Coach pitch and Minors practice 1 to 2 times per week with games 1 to 2 times per week on both Saturdays and during the week. . (total commitment: 2-3 days per week)
- Majors practice 2- 5 days a week before the season begins and then 1-2 days a week during the season. Games are 2-3 days a week mostly during weekdays, makeups are on Saturdays. . (total commitment: 3-5 days per week)
How long is the season?
Spring starts in mid March and runs through the end of the FCPS school year. Postseason play is as follows:
- Majors district tournaments generally start the weekend after school gets out and run for 2-3 weeks
- Minors and Coach Pitch city tournaments are generally the week after school gets out
- All-Stars need to be available for practices and games beginning mid June. Teams must win to advance.
- the 8-10 and 9-11YO teams culminate in the State tournaments held in mid July
- all other levels have the chance to make it all the way to the Little League World Series in mid to late August
Fall ball starts the week that the FCPS school year starts and runs through October. There is no post season play in the fall.
Where are the fields located? Our playing fields include:
- Staley Stadium- located on Staley Ave behind YMCA - our main field for games and Majors practices.
- Practice Fields: Riverwalk, Staley Park, Staley Stadium
- Games can be played throughout Frederick County as we often schedule with other leagues in Little League, District 2.
- Information about all fields are located on About Us/Locations
What does the registration fee include?
Shirt, hat, fees and dues to District 2 and Little League International, equipment, operations, insurance, facilities upkeep, etc.
What do I need to get? The league has some donated items from the list below that you may have.
Each player needs to bring a water bottle to practice and games.
Everyone should have their own glove. Here’s some help on getting the right size: Baseball Sizing Guide, Softball Sizing Guide
Baseball Bats are to be wooden or have the USAbat logo and be no bigger than 2 ⅝” in diameter. We often see young players struggling to use bats that are too big. Kids don’t grow into bats. Bats that are too big destroy form and reduce a player’s confidence. It is perfectly ok to use a T-ball bat so long as it meets the criteria above. Here’s a resource to help you find the right size: Sizing Guide.
Softball Bats are to be wooden or metal. If metal they can be no longer than 33" and no bigger than 2 1/4” in diameter. Visit the Softball Bats link for full details on the legality of wooden bats. Here’s a resource to help you find the right size: Sizing Guide.
It is not recommended to share helmets as this can spread lice among other things. For that reason, it’s highly recommended that you get your own helmet. Helmets must have the NOCSAE seal.
Catching Gear is provided by the league.
Cleats are recommended. Soccer cleats work fine. Metal cleats are not allowed.
Gray baseball or softball pants are recommended for all divisions other than Majors. Majors players should consult with their coach before buying pants.
Belts and stirrups/socks are optional. If you are purchasing either of these items, please do so to match the jersey color.
Protective Cups are required for male catchers. We recommend all males in the Majors, Minors, and Machine or Coach Pitch division wear a cup.
Softball Face-masks both defensive and helmet cages are optional, but strongly recommended
If your player wears glasses, we strongly recommend sports glasses or goggles
What are Evaluations?
Players will be given the opportunity to run through various baseball drills. Please know that this isn't Tryouts; no one gets cut. Our goal is to match a players skill level with the appropriate opportunity and help our coaches formulate their teams.
What's the draft?
During Evaluations, Coaches will be evaluating the players and then the Majors draft will occur shortly after. Once the Majors draft is completed, players that have been drafted to a Majors Team will be notified by the Manager of that team. Any player in this age group that was not drafted to a Majors Team will then be drafted to a Minors Team. Players in Machine or Coach Pitch and Tee Ball are not drafted, but rather placed on teams.
How are All-Stars picked and what is expected of them?
As of the 2015 season, Majors All Stars are chosen by team member voting for the first 9 players. Managers have discretion for the last 3 picks. Minors All Stars are chosen by manager nominations. All-Star players are expected to be available from mid-June to mid-July for practices and games. Potential for further if the teams continue winning.
Does everyone get a trophy?
No. We have boxes of participation trophies that were never picked up. It's wasteful and expensive.
What is Fall Ball?
This is a developmental program for the off season. It typically begins in late August and runs through the end of October. This is a great time to move a player up a division.
What is Intermediate (50/70) and Juniors/Seniors?
These are opportunities for players to have a chance to play more baseball within our District.
50/70 is for 11-13 year-olds and refer to greater distances between pitchers mound and bases then Little League. This helps prepare players for play when they age up to Juniors/Seniors. Juniors/Seniors is for 13-16 year olds and is played on 90' fields.
Why can't we keep the same coach and teammates from season to season?
Little League won't turn a player away based on ability to play or pay. For that reason our registration numbers and the number of volunteer coaches we're able to pull together varies every season. This variability for the most part is the reason why we mix teams up. We're trying to give every team and every kid a level playing field. We're also cautious about institutionalizing the idea that coaches can keep their teams and that families can choose their coach. This isn't our model and we've found that when this is introduced even a little bit at the youngest levels it becomes an expectation. That is what you pay for in a Travel Ball program. More on Travel Ball below...
What does FNLL do to work with Travel Ball Programs?
There are two critical factors to keep in mind when playing both Little League and Travel Ball at the same time. One is monitoring pitch counts and the other is scheduling. We take player safety very seriously and will monitor pitch counts taking into account all pitches across both systems with whatever information we're able to gather. As far as the schedule, we generally do not schedule any Majors games on the weekend so that weekends are free for Travel Ball activities.
What about Travel Ball?
Many of our families have gone the Travel Ball route. We've had success dual rostering kids that play for the Frederick Bulls. Most other travel programs in this area strongly discourage dual rostering.
We realize that many families want something more than what Little League offers. We've partnered with the Frederick Bulls to offer a Tournament team to bridge the gap. These teams allow you to have the best of both worlds. When we're able to offer Tournament Teams, we'll post them on Social Media and through our newsletter. They will be fully operated outside of Little League, but with have significant input from our Board.
Tournament teams cost a few hundred dollars a year. Travel Ball generally costs at least a thousand and can cost thousands. In both cases, players tend to stick together from year to year and be very close in age. There are Try Outs and your player will have to make the cut to play on the team. Since those teams stay together as much as they can, already formed teams may only be looking for a few players each year. Tryouts for these teams are generally mid July.
If you are looking to make the full jump to Travel Ball, you may want to check out the following:
Frederick Bulls
Hustlers
Mid Atlantic Red Sox
Be prepared, if you are going to play Tournament or Travel Ball, have the appropriate bat. USA bat's won't cut it at this level. In most cases, you'll need a USSSA bat.
How do I report an injury that occurred in the course of play?
At the start of every season we send all families our various policies and governing documents as well as some information about what to do when things go wrong. Injuries that occur in and around our games and practices may be reported online, here.
How do I report abuse?
This has never been a question we've been asked, but we take abuse awareness seriously. All volunteers undergo an annual background check and abuse awareness. We have zero tolerance for any kind of abuse. Please report abuse and if needed also contact local law enforcement. To better know how to recognize abuse in your child, please visit the USA Baseball Abuse Awareness for Minors Course resource. The USA Baseball Abuse Awareness course is designed to help youth athletes understand how to recognize and respond to misconduct and abuse in a way that is appropriate for their age group. We recommend that both parents and players take the course.