We are thrilled that your family is interested in McLean Little League! Below are answers to many of the Frequently Asked Questions about McLean Little League.
Why should my child play Little League?
Little League offers physical activity, skill development and fun! MLL also teaches sportsmanship and team building skills. The MLL complex provides a community gathering place for players and families.
How many divisions are there at MLL and what are they?
MLL offers:
- three (3) divisions of baseball and softball play for children ages 5- to 12-years-old.
- a Challenger division, an adapted baseball league for kids ages 5-18 with different needs.
- Intermediate baseball for 13-year-olds and senior softball league for players 13- to 16-years-olds.
When are practices and games?
Typically, developmental league and lower level minor league teams practice once a week for one hour-and-a-half and play one or occasionally two games per week that are one to two hours long, depending on the level of play. Most developmental and lower level minor league games are held on Saturdays. Major league teams practice two times per week and play two games per week.
Is my 8-, 9- or 10-year old too old to play for the first time?
No! This is one of the most common questions parents have. Each season, we have kids of all ages play for the first time. All coaches are committed to helping develop new players. We even have some coaches who say coaching older kids new to little league is their favorite part of coaching.. In the last two seasons, both 11- and 12-year old's played for the first time!
When does Softball begin?
T-Ball and Rookie Ball are co-ed. Beginning with the transition level, the play splits into baseball and softball. Occasionally, a girl will chose to play baseball, but, generally, girls generally play softball and boy play baseball.
What is the Developmental League?
The developmental league includes: T-ball, Rookie Ball and Transition Ball which are designed to gradually help players develop. T-Ball and Rookie are co-ed. The style of play and rules vary at each level. For example, kids hit off of tee at the first level, but then progress to machine pitch and coach pitch at levels two and three. The developmental league players are ages five to ten, with most players between ages five and seven. For more information on Levels of Play, please click HERE.
What is the Minor League?
Minor league play has three levels, Single A, AA, and AAA, designed to continue developing and adding new skills and expanding rules at each level. SIngle A starts as coach pitch, but the second half of the season is kid pitch. AA is kids pitch, but after a kid pitcher throws four balls, coaches pitch to ensure batters have the opportunity to hit strikes. AAA adds walks and stealing to the game. At the Single A and AA levels, player rotate through all the fielding position but start to develop a few regular positions in AA.. By AAA, players typically play 1-3 positions based on the skills they have developed and their team’s needs. Single A players are generally ages 6-8; AA players are typically ages 8-10, with occasional 7-year-olds and 11-12-year-olds. AAA players are generally 9-11-year-olds. Players are assigned to teams based on skill evaluations and rankings in the spring and by friend requests, schools and prior teammates in the fall. For more information on Levels of Play, please click HERE.
What is the Major League?
Major league play is the highest level of play and most closely mimics the rules of high school and college baseball. Players are typically ages 10-12, although 9-year-olds occasionally play with special permission. Majors play has a minimum six hour weekly time commitment. While many kids play at the majors level, others choose to play AAA as 11-12-year old's, due to the lesser weekly time commitment and for more guaranteed playing time. For more information on Levels of Play, please click HERE.
What is the weekly time commitment?
For the developmental league and single A, the average weekly time commitment is two hours. For AA, the time commitment is approximately three hours. For AAA and the major league the average time commitment is six or more hours.
Where are practices and games held?
Most games are played at the MLL complex at 1836 Westmoreland Street. Practices are held on baseball/softball fields at local parks and elementary schools. Teams occasionally play games on those same fields.
Why do my neighbors keep saying that fall is a great time to try Little League for the first time?
Any time is a great time to start playing little league. Fall ball is a casual season when players can request to play on a team with specific friends and many teams consist of players from the same school. Many kids who play for little league for the first time when they are 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds start with fall ball.
What is Little League Age?
A player’s Little League Age is determined based on Little League International’s age criteria. Baseball and softball ages are calculated differently Baseball age is determined as a child’s age as of August 31 of the spring season being played: for example in the Spring of 2021 a child born on May 3, 2011 would be LL age 10. . Softball age is determined December 31 of the year prior to the season. For example, in the spring of 2021, a child born on May 3, 2011, would be LL age 9.
Does my child have to live in McLean to play for MLL?
To be eligible to play in MLL, a child must legally live within the boundaries or attend a school that is associated with MLL. Additional information regarding the MLL Boundaries can be found HERE.