Baseball

RWLL’s Baseball program is for kids in grades K and up. Placement is grade-based for Tee Ball, Tee Shirt and Rookies, and is age-based for our International, Minors, Majors, Intermediate and Juniors/Seniors levels. RWLL Baseball levels are as follows:

Tee Ball – Kindergarten

Tee Ball is the 5/6-year-old program that focuses on learning the fundamentals of the game of baseball, including throwing, catching, and hitting. These fundamentals are taught during weekday practices and are emphasized during non-competitive (i.e., games do not have a “winner”) Saturday scrimmages/games. Hitting is done from a tee so that the kids can learn proper swing mechanics. Teams are put together by a Tee Ball Commissioner and are generally community based, rather than strictly school based. The Commissioner may attempt to put 2 or 3 players from each school on a team, for example.

Field Locations – Wayne and Ithan Elementary Schools

Ball Size – Baseball (soft)

Tee Shirt - 1^st Grade

This 6/7-year-old and under program builds upon the fundamentals learned in the Tee Ball program and begins to stress teamwork and game dynamics, in addition to baseball fundamentals. Players hit from the tee for first portion of the season, and then coach pitching is integrated. Teams are put together by the Tee Shirt Commissioner and are community based, rather than strictly school based. The Commissioner may attempt to put 2 or 3 players from each school on a team, for example.

Field Locations – Wayne and Ithan Elementary Schools

Ball Size – Official Little League Baseball (hard)

Rookie - 2^nd Grade

This 7/8-year-old program is a pre-competitive level of baseball. The season starts with coach pitching, and then progresses to kid pitch. Teams are put together by the Rookie Commissioner and are community based, rather than strictly school based. The Commissioner may attempt to put 2 or 3 players from each school on a team, for example.

Field Locations – Donna Lane Field Complex

Ball Size -- Official Little League Baseball (hard)

Pitching Distance – 46 feet

Base Distance – 60 feet

International

This 9/10-year-old baseball division is RWLL’s first competitive division, i.e., each game has a “winner”. This division follows Little League International rules and age requirements. Teams are created by coaches during a draft process run by the International Director, and the goal of team structuring is to maintain competitive balance. Scores and records are kept, and there are playoffs and a championship game. All games are kid pitch.

During RWLL’s Memorial Day Classic, several players from each team are selected by their teammates to represent their respective team in the Classic Day Internationals Game. This age group is also eligible for District 27 post-season play, which occurs after our in-house program ends, typically starting in mid to late June. RWLL typically fields two teams in a single “district tournament”, which require a separate sign up and a try-out.

Field Locations – Donna Lane Field Complex

SEASON & SCHEDULE: Season lasts from mid-March through early June. Practices 1-2 times a week in March (weather permitting). Practices transition to 1-2 games per week following Opening Day in early April. Regular season and playoffs conclude early June.

Ball Size – Official Little League Baseball (hard)

Pitching Distance – 46 feet

Base Distance – 60 feet

Minors

This 10/11-year-old group plays based on Little League International rule and age requirements, and is a competitive baseball division. Teams are created by coaches during a draft process run by the Minors Director, and the goal of team structuring is to maintain competitive balance. Scores and records are kept, and there are playoffs and a championship game. All games are kid pitch.

During RWLL’s Memorial Day Classic, several players from each team are selected by their teammates to represent their respective team in the Classic Day Minors Game. This age group is also eligible for District 27 post-season play, which occurs after our in-house program ends, typically starting in mid to late June. RWLL typically fields teams in two separate district tournaments, and these teams generally require a separate sign up and a try-out.

Field Locations – Encke Park

Ball Size – Official Little League Baseball (hard)

Pitching Distance – 46 feet

Base Distance – 60 feet

Majors

This 11/12-year-old division plays based on Little League International rule and age requirements, and is a competitive baseball division. Teams are created by coaches during a draft process run by the Majors Director, and the goal of team structuring is to maintain competitive balance. Scores and records are kept, and there are playoffs and a championship game. All games are kid pitch.

During RWLL’s Memorial Day Classic, several players from each team are selected by their teammates to represent their respective team in the Classic Day Majors Game. This age group is also eligible for District 27 post-season play, which occurs after our in-house program ends, typically starting in mid to late June. RWLL typically fields teams in two separate district tournaments, and these teams generally require a separate sign up and a try-out.

Field Locations – Encke Park

Ball Size – Official Little League Baseball (hard)

Pitching Distance – 46 feet

Base Distance – 60 feet

Intermediates

This 11-13-year-old division plays based on Little League International rule and age requirements. Teams play an intra-district 27 schedule against other District 27 Intermediate teams. Scores and records are kept, and there are playoffs and a championship game. All games are kid pitch. PLEASE NOTE, to be eligible for Intermediate division play in the Spring season, all 11 and 12 year olds must also play in our Majors division.

The Intermediates division is an introduction to a larger field size between the Little League field size and the adult field size. This is a competitive division providing a transition for players moving from Little League to the more advanced levels of competitive baseball.

RWLL enters teams into post-season “district tournament” play after the close of the intra-district season, based on sufficiency of player interest. These district tournament teams require a separate sign-up, and may require a tryout. PLEASE NOTE, all 13 year old Intermediate players are eligible for our Intermediate district tournament team(s), but our 11 and 12 year old Intermediate players are eligible for the Intermediate district tournament team(s) only if those 11 and 12 year old players have previously tried out for, but not been selected for, our 11 or 12 year old district tournament teams (see above description for Majors division district tournament teams).

Field Locations – Encke Park

Pitching Distance – 50 feet

Base Distance – 70 feet

Juniors and Seniors

These 13-16 year-old divisions play based on Little League International rule and age requirements. Teams play an intra-District 27 schedule against other District 27 Juniors or Seniors teams. Scores and records are kept. All games are kid pitch.

The Juniors and Seniors divisions are competitive baseball levels, and are played on a full size adult baseball field.

Field Locations – Odorisio Park

Pitching Distance – 60 feet, 6 inches

Base Distance – 90 feet

Equipment - All Levels

RWLL Provides Team Equipment for our Tee Ball through Seniors divisions, including player jerseys and hats, baseballs, and catchers equipment (if level requires it).

RWLL asks that players provide baseball pants, baseball glove, and appropriate baseball shoes. In the event the foregoing are not available to any player due to financial or other hardship, RWLL asks that the player’s guardian contact the RWLL Registrar.