FAQ for Southwest Ada Little League
When are the seasons? When does registration open for them? Spring Season - Practices start mid-March, first game the first week of April, and the last game is around Memorial day weekend. Registration opens in December and closes the first part of February. Keep an eye out, it pays to register early with the Early Bird Discount!
Fall Season - Practices start mid-August and the last game is the last week of October. Registration opens mid-July and closes in August.
My kid has never played before. Can they participate?
Absolutely!! The league is full of kids that have never played softball or baseball before. It’s a great place to try it out.
Which division should I register my child for?
Tee Ball is designed for boys and girls league age 4-6. We use the baseball league age for this division.
Prep Minor (Machine Pitch) is designed for boys league age 7-8, league age 6 year olds with prior tee ball experience, and league age 9 year olds who don't actually turn 9 until after the season is over.
Rookie Softball (Coach Pitch) is designed for girls league age 7-8, league age 6 year olds with prior league experience.
All other divisions for baseball and softball are drafted. All players must attend one day of assessments and they will be placed in the division appropriate to their skill level during the draft. When you sign up for a drafted division, your child may assess at higher or lower level and may have to move up or drop down a division of play.
Can my kid play up?
We like to stick to the guidelines above, believing kids play best with kids their own age. We will not be putting 7 year olds with 10 and 11 year olds. If your child is right on the line between divisions you may ask the board for consideration to move your child up.
Can my daughter sign up for a baseball division?
Sure. Although, we have one of the best softball programs in the state!
What are assessments?
Assessments are for drafted players at the minors divisions and up for both softball and baseball. Players are run through a series of activity stations to assess their skill level. The purpose is to get players playing with others at the same approximate skill level and age. Most importantly, this helps ensure our teams are equally matched which is one of our highest priorities.
My child wants to play with a friend, is this allowed?
At Tee Ball, Prep Minor, and Rookies we do our best to honor buddy requests. In the drafted divisions (minors and up) teams are based on skill, so we do not take buddy requests.
I want my child to play for a certain coach, is this allowed?
At Tee Ball, Prep Minor, and Rookies we will try and honor coach requests. Keep in mind we can only honor these requests to the point that there is room on the roster. In drafted divisions (minors and up) we try to keep teams balanced, so we do not honor coach requests.
I don't want my child playing for a certain coach, is this allowed?
For all divisions we will honor this type of request, unless there is only one or two teams in the division. With one team, there's nothing we can do. With two teams, it becomes a backdoor coach request that will need to be approved by the Board.
I have 3 kids, can a couple of them be on the same team?
Maybe. Twins will always stay together, even in drafted divisions as a “package deal”. For siblings of different ages, we can honor these requests for undrafted divisions (Tee, Prep and Rookies) as long as they are both the proper age for the division. You can make the request for siblings of different ages in drafted divisions as long as they access at the appropriate division level.
I’ve got a big family, is there a discount?
Yes! For two players, there is a $10 discount. For 3 players, a $25 discount. For 4 or more players there is a $50 discount. (Spring season)
What else do I have to provide for my player?
Every player will need a glove, baseball pants, colored socks and belt. For minors and up, plastic cleats are recommended. Helmets and bats are optional. Each coach will be provided with some for team use. Male players are required to have a protective cup. See the "Gear" tab for more details.
What's the time commitment?
It varies by level and increases as children get older. The youngest Tee Ballers will have 1 - 3 activities per week. The oldest Little Leaguers will have 4 activities per week lasting multiple hours. Activities consist of practices and games.
Do we play on Sundays?
No.
When are games?
Games will be every Saturday and typically one game during the work week. Typically those are Tuesday or Thursday for the lower division. Once you hit the upper divisions the teams start to travel and the district develops the schedule due the nature of interleague games.
Baseball season is months away, why are we signing up now?
We have a very large league which requires a lot of coordination. We have to know how many players we have at each division to know how many coaches we need. Coach training starts in February so they can be ready in March. We can negotiate better deals for uniforms and gear if we know how many teams we are trying to outfit. Having numerous late registrants requires us to scramble finding last minute coaches and buying uniforms at full retail. We impose a late fee to pay for expedited uniforms and encourage everyone to get signed up as soon as possible.
Why do we have to volunteer when we’re paying you for a service?
SWADALL is not a service provider or a business. We are a volunteer organization of parents who come together to provide the opportunity for our children to play baseball and softball. The playing fees cover the costs of what it takes to put on the season like: uniforms, baseball/softballs, lawn mowing services, weed abatement and fertilization, dirt for the infield, nets, batting cages, catchers gear, ect. Almost all of the volunteering we’re asking you to do is at your child’s games and practices when you have to be at the fields anyway. We do offer the option of paying an opt-out fee, although we’d prefer you grab an umpire mask or rake and help us make every child’s experience better!
How is Fall Ball different?
Fall ball was designed to be less competitive than spring ball. Its a great time to try baseball for the first time, or get some extra reps in and hone a skill you learned in spring ball. Its less of a time commitment. Most games are played on Saturday, but sometimes a weeknight game is needed. Practices will vary, but most coaches find they need less practices in the fall.