HLL Divisons: Baseball · Softball · Challenger
| DIVISION LEVELS | LEAGUE AGE* |
HLL CONTACTS | |
| Baseball: Tee Ball | 4-6 | Rob Methven | |
| Baseball: Instructional/Machine | 7-8 | Steve Maloney | |
| Baseball: Minors | 9-10 | Ronnie Ramos | |
| Baseball: Majors | 11-12 | Matt Beneditti | |
| Baseball: 50/70 | 12-13 | Dick Meador | |
| Baseball: Juniors and Seniors and Big League |
13-14 15-16 17-18 |
Art Healey | |
| Softball: Instructional and Minors | 7-8 9-10 |
Mark Davis | |
| Softball: Majors and Juniors/Seniors | 10-12 13-16 |
Matt McNeil | |
| All Stars | ALL | Karen Michael | |
| Challenger | ALL | Rob Methven | |
*LEAGUE AGE DEFINITION: |
|||
| Click here for HLL Calendar | |||
| Questions? Contact the Division VP. | |||
Tee Ball Baseball is for boys and girls who want to learn the fundamentals of hitting and fielding. In Tee Ball, players hit a ball off a batting tee. The primary goals of Tee Ball are to instruct children in the fundamentals of baseball and to allow them to experience the value of teamwork. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players. No live pitching is permitted in this division. Starting in Spring 2011 we will be offering an advanced Tee Ball Division for 6 year olds. Check back over the winter for updates.
Instructional Baseball is exclusively machine pitch using the Louisville Slugger Ultimate Pitching Machine. Games are at two locations – on Friday evenings the children play at the Robious Complex and on Saturdays at Bon Air Elementary. Practices are either at Bon Air Elementary or Greenfield Elementary. This division is primarily instructional. A month of practices is followed by an 8-10 game grapefruit season, then a 10 game season where games lead to seeding in playoffs. Managers are required to give even playing time to each child with significant time in both infield and outfield. Little experience is required, and the goal is to teach baseball fundamentals while having fun.
Minor Baseball is for boys and girls with less experience and may be "machine pitch," "coach pitch" or "player pitch." Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players. The diamond is 60-foot and the pitching distance is 46 feet.
Major Baseball is for boys and girls, using a 60-foot diamond and a pitching distance of 46 feet. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players.
50/70 Baseball is for boys and girls, using a 70-foot diamond and a pitching distance of 50 feet. This is a new division that will be a trial division for the Fall season and full division in the Spring. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players.
Junior and Senior Baseball are for boys and girls using a conventional 90-foot diamond with a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players.
Big League Baseball is for 17 or 18 years old. Big League is a Summer League within District V Little League. Doubleheaders are played on Sunday afternoons and a single game is played during the week. Weekend practices begin in March. If a player cannot make every game due to work or other commitments, it is not a problem, you are still welcome to come out and join the team.
Little League Baseball Tournaments: HLL has the option to choose Tournament Teams (or "All Stars") from within these baseball divisions and the teams may enter the International Tournaments. The culmination of the International Tournaments are the Junior League Baseball World Series and the Senior League Baseball World Series, featuring teams from around the globe. All expenses for the teams advancing to the World Series (travel, meals and housing) are paid by Little League Baseball.
Instructional Softball is an instructional division for players aged 7 and 8 years. The purpose is to develop player’s skills and confidence so they will be ready to move up to the next division. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players. Instructional uses a 60-foot diamond and the pitching distance is 35 feet.
Minor Softball is for players aged 9 and 10 years. A goal of this division is to develop pitchers at an early age. Coaches are not permitted to pitch in this division. First year softball players, who are league age 10, must play in the Minor division. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players. Minors use a 60-foot diamond and the pitching distance is 35 feet. Only players aged 9 and 10 will be eligible for the District All Star team.
Major Softball is for players aged 10 to 12 years. All players aged 11 and 12 years will be placed on a team in the Major division. Any 10 year old who has completed one year of Minor softball or baseball is eligible to try out for the Major division. Majors use a 12" softball, a 60-foot diamond and a pitching distance of 40 feet. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players. Only players aged 11 and 12 years will be eligible for the 11 and 12 District All Star team. A 10 year old Majors player is only eligible to play for the 9 and 10 year old Districts All Star team.
Junior/Senior Softball is for players aged 13 to 16 years using a 60-foot diamond and a pitching distance of 40 feet. Rosters may be composed of between 12 and 15 players.
Little League Softball Tournaments: HLL has the option to choose Tournament Teams (or "All Stars") from within these softball divisions, and the teams may enter the International Tournaments. The culmination of the International Tournaments are the Girls Little League Softball World Series, the Junior League Softball World Series, and the Senior League Softball World Series, featuring teams from around the globe. All expenses for the teams advancing to the World Series (travel, meals and housing) are paid by Little League Softball.
The Challenger Division was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League Baseball to enable boys and girls with physical and mental disabilities, ages 5-18, to enjoy the game of baseball along with the millions of other children who participate in this sport worldwide.
Teams are set up according to abilities, rather than age, and can include as many as 15-20 players, who can participate in one of three levels: Tee-Ball, Coach-Pitch or Player Pitch.
Each player gets a chance at bat. The side is retired when the offense has batted through the roster, or when a pre-determined number of runs has been scored, or when three outs are recorded. Little League recommends that no score be kept during games. The Challenger players wear the same uniforms, shoulder patches and safety equipment as other Little League players.
One of the benefits of having a Challenger Division is that it uses "buddies" for the Challenger players. The buddies assist the Challenger players on the field but whenever possible, encourage the players to bat and make plays themselves. However, the buddy is always nearby to help when needed.
HLL provides the Challenger Program free of charge to participants.
Click here to view the Little League brochure about the Challenger Program, a new window will open.
If you have additional questions about the Challenger Program at HLL, or would like to register your child, or would like to volunteer as a "buddy," please email the Vice President of Challenger.
