Gallinas Valley Little League

3

Nov, 2021

What division should my child play?

If you child is 9 years old or older by 8/31/2023 they are placed in a division based on their skill level. All kids 9yrs (league age) and up must participate in a preseason skills assessment in January (aka "Tryouts") to help place them at the correct level. Kids younger than league age 9 can elect to participate in these skills assessments but aren't required.

If your child is 4-8years old (as of 8/31/2023) then you place your child in the division you feel they are best suited. Skill, friends, and safety are all factors you might consider, as well as the emotional coping aspect of the rules in each divisions, like when "outs" are recorded, or kids may strikeout.

Here are some very basic skill based guidelines, there is more info on each division under the "League Info" tab:

Intro-to-Tee-Ball: For 4 year olds only (4 as of 8/31/2023) this is an abbreviated Little League experience. No minimum skills are needed or expected.

Tee-Ball: No minimum skills are expected or required. Kids will learn to hit a ball off a tee, start to track the ball in the air to catch, and repeat consistent throwing mechanics with some success. They begin to understand rules of the game, and mostly have fun.

AA- Coach Pitch: Hitting: Kids should have a reasonable expectation that they will be able to hit a coach pitched ball by the end of the year. Catching: Kids are starting to make catches on their glove side. Throwing: Be able to throw the ball with some success. Ground balls may be successfully caught/fielded. Outs can be made.

AAA: Machine Pitch/Kid Pitch: Hitting: Kids should have a reasonable expectation that they will be successful hitting a ball pitched from the machine at roughly 40mph from mound distance. Catching/Fielding: Starting to catch the ball on the glove side consistently and on the backhand side occasionally. Throwing: distance and accuracy are improving with an ability to throw the distance of the bases by the end of the year (60 feet). Outs and strikeouts are recorded, score is not kept.

A note on "catching" a ball. Generally this skill starts to "click-in" at the age of 7. Prior to that we work on tracking the ball and a lot of luck.

Our typical layout from division to division is shown below. Where multiple ages span a division the middle age is the predominant age. Tee-Ball 5, AA 7, Machine Pitch 8. In this instance some 6 year olds may choose to stay in tee-ball and others may choose to go to AA Coach Pitch. Some of this can vary from year to year.

Minors: Players are placed in this division based on a skills assessment. Generally kids can throw a ball the length of the bases. Fielding: Consistently catch a ball thrown to either the glove hand side or backhand side. Hitting: Reasonable expectation that they will be successful hitting a kid pitched ball (adjusting to inconsistent pitches)

Majors: Players are placed in this division based on a skills assessment. Success at the minors level has normally been achieved. Any 12 year olds choosing to play little league will play in this division.

GALLINAS VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE

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3

Nov, 2021

What division should my child play?

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