SPRING BASEBALL FAQS
Before emailing the Registrar or DLL Board,
please take the time to read through these FAQs and hopefully the information you need is here!
When is registration for Spring Baseball 2024?
· Registration for Spring Ball 2024 opens Wednesday November 15th and closes Monday January 8, 2024.
· A late registration period will remain open after regular registration closes. A $50 non-refundable late fee will apply to all late registrations received. A waitlist may be created, however, once teams are formed we will not be able to accept further players.
What Divisions are offered in Spring Ball?
· The Spring 2024 Season will include play at the Challenger, Tee Ball, Farm, AA, AAA, Majors, 50/70, and Juniors divisions
· Players Little League Age Chart 4-14 are eligible to register (please see the chart and contact the DLL Board with any questions). In order for players to have fun and be successful, it is important they are in the division that is the best fit for not only their age but experience and skill level.
When is the Spring Ball season?
· Spring Ball kicks off in January with Managers meetings, skills assessments and drafts for the older divisions. Teams are announced early February and begin practices at that time. Games will likely begin Saturday March 2nand go through the week before Memorial Day.
When are games during Spring Ball?
· For Spring 2024 games will be scheduled throughout the week with games on weekday evenings as well as Saturdays. Usually there are no games played on Sundays during the Spring season. Players will have 1-2 games a week once the season officially starts.
When and where are practices held?
· Team managers (who volunteer to be the head coach of a team) choose their team's practice locations, days of the week, and times. Some practices may take place at the Davis Little League field complex on H Street, however during the spring season it is difficult to reserve the fields once games start, so practices will likely be scheduled at other parks and green spaces around Davis. Because of these realities there is no way to guarantee or predict the location or schedule of your team's practices ahead of being assigned your team. The best way to have input in this decision is to volunteer as a manager or assistant coach.
· Important Note: There are no set schedules in Davis Little League. Your team's manager, a parent volunteer, will set the schedule for their team based on their own availability and preferences, and practices do not necessarily take place within a specific region of the city corresponding with your player's home address. The DLL Board is unable to accommodate practice and game times/days of the week on a player-by-player basis and we are unable to move players due to scheduling conflicts. You are in no way guaranteed a specific schedule or practice location unless you take on the role of manager.
How old does my child have to play to participate in the Davis Little League
· The Spring Davis Little League Season is for players Little League ages 4-14. DLL adheres to the 2024 Little League Age Chart.
· PLEASE VERIFY YOUR CHILD'S LL AGE BEFORE REGISTERING. Your child's LL age can be different from their actual age as our age chart flips over to the new year in September of every year.
What level should my child play?
· CHALLENGER The Challenger division is our adaptive program for players with physical or intellectual challenges. This division is open to players 5-18, and up to 22 if still enrolled in school. Please reach out to [email protected] for players over 18 trying to register. In this division, Challenger athletes are paired with buddies to help keep them engaged, show them what to do next during a play, and most importantly keep them safe and enjoying themselves on the field. Challenger practices and games will take place on Saturdays at 11am.
· TEE BALL The jewel of Davis Little League, Tee Ball is where it all starts! Players aged 4-6 will get to learn the basics of the sport in a fun and relaxed environment. Each player will get an opportunity to hit off the tee and advance a single base. There are no outs and no scores, just a lot of cheering and laughter! With only 1 practice a week and 1 game each Saturday, Tee Ball is a wonderful way to meet new friends, get exercise, and begin to learn the incredible sport of baseball!
· FARM Division is for players who are at least 6 years old and have had a year of Tee Ball experience. In this division players are still learning the rules of the game, but unlike Tee Ball there are outs and coach pitch is introduced as opposed to working off a tee. Players will develop their throwing and batting skills and slowly work to more confidence with catching.
· AA Division is for players to first learn live pitching and some limited base stealing. The field size is somewhat larger than Farm and players become more familiar with positions. Plays are now being made on a consistent basis. Players not drafted to AAA may benefit from the skills development emphasized in AA. There are NO TRYOUTS and NO DRAFTS for AA players.
· AAA Division is the step from learning to pitch and steal in AA to seeing those skills flourish as players age up. It will also have players repeating the level to gain broader experience in preparation for Majors. Games are on the big fields w/lights and can be somewhat later in the evenings due to this field change. Skill levels increase as does the speed and pace of the game. At this level, players start to understand strategy as the game has fewer restrictions than lower levels.
· NOTE – ALL AAA registered players are required to attend skills assessments, regardless of experience. The DLL Board will work with coaches during the draft process to identify players who are not yet ready for the level of play at the AAA level and assign them to AA. Ultimately, we want balanced and fair teams and most importantly for players to be at the level of play that is right for their experience and current skill level
· Majors Division is for players with greater baseball experience. The skill level for Majors is significantly higher than AAA. Play is faster and pitching becomes more consistent, fast, and accurate. Strategy becomes an integral part of the game at this level and players need to be ready for this transition before they move up.
· NOTE - ALL Majors registered players are required to attend skills assessments, regardless of experience. ALL LL Age 12 players must apply for Majors. DLL Board will work with coaches following the skills assessment to identify players who would benefit from an additional year of AAA baseball and some players who register for Majors may be ultimately assigned to AAA. Ultimately, we want players to enjoy their season and play in the division that is best suited for their age, experience, and current skill level.
· 50/70 - This division is for players who have aged out of Majors. Players Little League Age 13 play in this division where the fields are bigger, the distance between bases and pitching distances are greater, and skill/strategic play increase. They play in leagues with other teams in our Little League district and home games are typically held at Civic Field or Playfields, where the field size matches this division. Away games are played in Vacaville, Woodland, Dixon, or Winters.
· Juniors – Players Little League age 14 play in this division. They play in leagues with other teams in our Little League district and home games are typically held at Civic Field or Playfields, where the field size matches this division. Away games are played in Vacaville, Woodland, Dixon, or Winters.
· Please carefully read the age/division breakdown using the following link - DLL Spring 2024 Age Recommendation
Can siblings be on the same team?
· Yes, if their age and skill level make it appropriate for them to be at the same division of play.
When are Skills Assessments and who are they for?
· Please note only AAA and Majors Divisions attend tryouts/skills assessments. At the AAA and Majors levels teams cannot be formed until after the skills assessment and subsequent draft, therefore the skills assessment will take place after registration closes and with enough time to form teams and have a week of practice before the season begins.
· Skills assessments for Spring 2024 will likely be Jan 20/21
· Players will be assigned a 30-minute time slot for evaluations. More information will be emailed to registered AAA and Majors players the week of assessments.
· All players will be assigned to a team, regardless of their tryout performance. Skills assessments are simply a way for managers to get a quick look at each player’s skills to help create more competitive, well-balanced teams at these levels. It is important ALL Majors and AAA players attend the skills assessment event.
· Occasionally we may hold skills assessments for the 50/70 and Juniors divisions. This depends on the number of registrants and managers to make teams. If you register your player for these divisions you will receive further information if skills assessments will be needed.
We live in Dixon or Winters. Can my child play in Davis?
· Both Dixon and Winters have their own Spring Little League season and residents of those cities can look to their hometown programs for participation in Spring Baseball.
We live in Woodland. Can my child play in Davis?
· Depends. If your child attends school in Davis, yes, they can register for DLL. If they go to school in Woodland, they must play for the Woodland Little League.
What if my home league is having a season and we would rather play Davis Little League?
· You may apply for a waiver from both league presidents which must be approved by the District 64 administrator. You can find a copy of the form here. Please submit your request to [email protected]
When will I be notified of my child's team placement?
· You should hear from your child's Manager the week before practices are scheduled to begin (likely first week of February)
Do you offer friend/coach requests?
· The simple answer is YES at the tee ball and farm divisions and NO for all levels above those.
AAA and Majors:
· Our AAA and Majors divisions are formed through a draft process where Managers select their team following a skills assessment which allows teams to be more competitive and well balanced, making the season more fun for everyone. There are no friend requests due to this.
· At the AAA and Majors divisions the Manager for a team is able to select one Assistant Coach which they will be paired with and their players will automatically be on their team. Every other player added to the team will be through the draft process.
AA:
· At the AA level we strive to form teams that are fair and well-balanced based on player's age and experience. We attempt to have a few players from the same school on teams together, however the goal of team sports is also to expand a child's social circle, giving them opportunities to meet new friends outside of their school/neighborhood, and learn from these new experiences. A major part of team sports is developing individuals into a team, and while we all value friendships and love our former coaches and teammates, growth comes from trying new things, playing with new friends, and learning from new coaches. For this reason, we do not accept friend requests at the AA level.
· Team Manager can select one Assistant Coach, however outside of that individual teams will be formed by Division Rep with the data we have from registration (age, experience, school) as well as previous coach evaluations and feedback.
· To reiterate, the only way to guarantee 2 friends play together is if their parents register as manager/assistant coach and agree to coach a team together. If you have questions about the obligations of a manager/assistant please see the volunteer page of the website for more information. The best managers and coaches are individuals who are positive, have a growth mindset and understand that ultimately DLL baseball is about community, exercise, friendship, and teamwork, and want to work to support and empower our players to further develop their skills each practice and game while never taking the fun out of the experience!
Farm:
· Farm teams are made by the DLL Division Rep who does their best to create teams with a balance of age/experience. Friend requests are honored, within reason.
· At the Farm level each Manager can choose two (2) assistant coaches.
Tee Ball:
· Tee Ball teams are formed by the DLL Division Rep. This introductory level welcomes all friend requests, within reason. At this division there are no scores kept, no outs called, and every team is a winner. The Team Manager is assigned assistant coaches per request. This is the BEST and EASIEST level to try your hand at coaching, no experience is necessary, only a positive attitude and eagerness to enjoy time with your little ones! Training and support will be available to ALL coaches!