NOLL/SOLL

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Bat-a-Thon
Challenger
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FAQ Sheet
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Bat-a-thon

What is the Bat-a-thon

Boundaries

What are the boundaries?

What are the exact boundaries?

Can't we just see a picture?

Why are they so complicated?

What if I live on one side of the boundary and my friend lives on the other?

But we really want to play together?

General Information

How old does my child have to be in order to be eligible to play Little League?

What levels of play are provided in NOLL/SOLL?

Can girls play in Little League?

Are there any volunteer opportunities?

What do I do if I want to be manager or coach? What if I've never managed or coached before?

What equipment / apparel do I need to get for my child?

How do I get notified of general league information?

How do I sponsor a team?

Practices and Games

When do practices and games begin?

How many times/week are games and practices?

What equipment does my child need to play?

Who keeps score of the games?

When does the baseball season end?

Who umpires the games? How can I become an umpire?

What about postseason play?

Registration

Why does registration occur so far in advance?

How do I know if I am eligible to play with NOLL/SOLL?

Can I play with specific friends or for a specific manager?

I have two or more kids - can they play on the same team?

What do I need to do before registering my player?

What if I missed the registration dates? Can my child still play?

Does my 12-year-old have to play in Majors?

What if I can't afford to register my child? Is financial assistance available?

Team Formation

My child has never played before. What level should he/she be placed?

What are tryouts? Does my child need to try out?

What is a draft and how does it work?

When will I know what team my child will be on?

How are managers selected?

Q: What is the Bat-a-thon
A: The Bat-a-thon is NOLL/SOLL's primary fundraiser; we use it to raise the funds necessary to support all of NOLL/SOLL's activities. Complete details can be found at the Bat-a-thon FAQ

Q: What are the boundaries?
A: Families who live in the cities of Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville or Berkeley South of Virginia Street are eligible to play in NOLL/SOLL

Q: What are the exact boundaries?
A: The Northern boundary of NOLL is Virginia Street. The boundary between NOLL and SOLL starts at the Eastern boundary of Oakland and follows Shepherd Canyon west to Moraga, Moraga North and West to Piedmont Ave; Piedmont Ave South and West to 580, 580 South to High St and High St West to the Estuary

Q: Can't we just see a picture?
A: Sorry, should have thought of that earlier:
South Oakland
North Oakland

Q: Why are they so complicated?
A: It all has to do with rules set forth by Williamsport (the headquarters of National Little League). The rules involve landmarks and street size for establishing boundaries and balancing the number of residences in individual leagues.

Q: What if I live on one side of the boundary and my friend lives on the other?
A: Then you won't get to play on the same competitive team, but when your teams play each other, you'll be able to earn bragging rights at school!

Q: But we really want to play together?
A: At the Farm levels (TBall and Coach Pitch) we blur the boundaries and put kids together with buddies and classmates. Once we get into competitive baseball, tho, there are no exceptions. NOLL and SOLL are as different as NOLL and AlbanyLL or SOLL and AlamedaLL

Q: How old does my child have to be in order to be eligible to play Little League?
A: If your child is league-age 5-18 (league-age is calculated as of April 30 of the competition year), then they are eligible to play with us.

Q: What levels of play are provided in NOLL/SOLL?
A: Please click here for more info on levels of play offered

Q: Can girls play in Little League?
A: Yes! NOLL/SOLL is for both boys and girls. We encourage girls to signup and be a part of the fun!

Q: Are there any volunteer opportunities?
A: Absolutely! NOLL/SOLL is run entirely by volunteers and every family is expected to volunteer for a league-level job such as coaching, umpiring, maintaining fields or fundraising. At the team level, you can volunteer to manage, coach, be a team parent, or be the scorekeeper for your team.

Q: What do I do if I want to be manager or coach? What if I've never managed or coached before?
A: During registration, there will be a volunteer application process available for you submit your name as a candidate to manage or coach. Please Register Online to apply as a volunteer. Don't worry if you've never coached before. If you have a good understanding of the game and the skills involved, the league provides excellent training that will help you get started.

Q: What equipment / apparel do I need to get for my child?
A: At minimum, your child will need a baseball glove and cleats. Boys also will need to wear an athletic supporter with a hard cup. Most children will also require uniform pants, belt and (non-metal) cleats, which the league does not provide. The league will supply a team shirt/jersey and hat. The league provides each team with several bats, several batting helmets, and catcher's gear. Players can bring their own bats, helmets and catcher's equipment if they choose, but are not required to furnish these items themselves.

Q: How do I get notified of general league information?
A: General league information is provided on this website and emailed directly to players and parents.

Q: How do I sponsor a team?
A: Contact us with your interest and we'll get in touch.

Q: When do practices and games begin?
A: Practices can begin as early as February for the higher levels with games beginning in March after the cities and school districts open access to the fields.

Q: How many times/week are games and practices?
A: The length of each practice and the number of practices and games increases with each level. Typically TBall, Peanuts, SingleA and AA teams have one practice and game per week for 1 - 1.5 hours. AAA teams may play 2 games some weeks. At the Majors level, there could be as many as 2 practices and 2 games per week at 2 hours or more each. The team manager will provide the practice and game schedules for each team.

Q: What equipment does my child need to play?
A: At minimum, your child will need a baseball glove and boys also will need to wear an athletic supporter with a hard cup. The league will supply a team shirt and hat. Most children will also require uniform pants, belt, and (non-metal) cleats, which the league does not provide. The league provides each team with several bats, several batting helmets, and catcher's gear. Players can bring their own bats, helmets and catcher's equipment if they choose, but are not required to furnish these items themselves.

Q: Who keeps score of the games?
A: Each team at levels AA and above are required to have a scorekeeper who is familiar with keeping score. There are typically one or more parents from each team who volunteer to keep score. Generally, the home and visitor scorekeepers consult during the game to score consistently. The visiting team scorebook is the official scorebook. If there are any questions by the umpire or others on the status of the game, the visiting scorebook is used. Score is not kept in levels below AA and a scorekeeper is not required.

Q: When does the baseball season end?
A: The regular season typically ends in early June, coinciding with the end of the school year. Post-season play continues for All-Star players and Tournament of Champions teams into July (typically on a single or double elimination tournament basis).

Q: Who umpires the games? How can I become an umpire?
A: For AA and above, the games are umpired by anyone interested that is age 12 or older, including adults. The umpires are trained prior to league play and depending on years of experience and skill are assigned to the various levels. Umpires are not paid for this work, altho Youth Umpires are eligible for a travel stipend. Fans should not be communicating (good or bad) about umpire calls. It is the responsibility of the managers on each team to communicate with the umpires if there is an issue. At the farm level, parents and coaches manage the games. At the TBall level, umpires are not needed since the coaches are on the field and fill in as umpires. Volunteers are a key in making this a successful program. If you are 12 or older and interested in being an umpire please contact the Chief Umpire.

Q: What about postseason play?
A: We have a dedicated postseason primer here

Q: Why does registration occur so far in advance?
A: There is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into properly setting up all the divisions and reserving fields. Tryouts in many divisions have to take place, then rosters have to be set, uniforms/equipment have to be ordered and schedules have to be made. Many other things go on behind the scenes to make the Little League experience a great one for everyone involved. It is a lot of work, and the board members do all this on a volunteer basis - nobody gets paid!

Q: How do I know if I am eligible to play with NOLL/SOLL?
A: In order to play in NOLL/SOLL, your address must reside within our boundary as defined by Williamsport.

Q: Can I play with specific friends or for a specific manager?
A: For Farm teams (TBall, Peanuts and SingleA), we try to accomodate your requst. For AA and up, players participate in a draft by attending a tryout. This allows coaches to draft teams that are relatively equivalent in player experience and skill, leading to a beter overall experience for the kids. The draft selection process does not allow for these requests.

Q: I have two or more kids - can they play on the same team?
A: We will make every effort to keep siblings on the same team. However, it may not always be possible because of the age structure or differences in player abilities. Please talk with the Player Agent, who may be able to help you with your specific situation.

Q: What do I need to do before registering my player?
A: Before registering your player, please
* Determine your child's league age
* Verify you live in the NOLL/SOLL boundary
* Have your child's medical and insurance information handy

Q: What if I missed the registration dates? Can my child still play?
A: Unfortunately, once registration is closed, the league does not accept any more registrations. The number of teams that will be formed is based on the number of players that register and this needs to be frozen at some point. Once the number of teams is determined for each level, the league begins the manager selection process, reserves the fields, orders any necessary equipment and uniforms for that number of teams and sets all the schedules. It is not feasible to go back and add more teams later because of the amount of planning and lead time required. Fortunately, there are several sessions that provide ample opportunity for everyone to register!

Q: Does my 12-year-old have to play in Majors?
A: One of the agenda items voted on by District Administrators at the 24th Little League International Congress, was a regulation requiring that all league age 12-year-olds must be placed onto a Major Division team. The purpose of the new regulation is to ensure that local leagues are using the Minor Division as a training ground and not keeping capable 12-year-olds from moving up. For those 12-year-olds who may lack the skills to play at the Major Division level, exceptions can only be made with written approval from the District Administrator, and only if approved at the local league level by the Board of Directors and the parent of the candidate. (Note: 12-year-olds are prohibited from pitching in the Minor Division.)

Q: What if I can't afford to register my child? Is financial assistance available?
A: NOLL/SOLL's policy is that no child will ever be turned away from our program due to a financial hardship. Please email us with your request and we will work with you to find the correct payment level.

Q: My child has never played before. What level should he/she be placed?
A: Tryouts give managers an opportunity to evaluate and assess each player's skill level and are required for AA and above. Tryouts consist of a series of drills including fielding, throwing, hitting and running. Tryouts are necessary for league placement and to aid managers in drafting teams with equitable talent.

All players league age 9 and up, and 8 yr olds wanting to play AA are required to attend at least one tryout session. Failure to attend a tryout will cause the player to be ineligible for the draft. No refund will be made of registration fees for players not attending a tryout. Players are only required to attend one tryout but may attend a second tryout if they prefer. Property Players (returning Majors, Juniors or Seniors players) are exempt from tryouts.

Q: What are tryouts? Does my child need to try out?
A: It is our goal that players are drafted or placed into the appropriate division based primarily on their skill level although there are age restrictions as well. Every player that has registered will be placed on a team; there are no "cuts"!

Q: What is a draft and how does it work?
A: The draft is a process where the goal is to attain parity among teams for AA, AAA and Majors divisions. Based on player tryouts and evaluations, the managers do their best to select players in the order of judged skill and ability. In AA and AAA, managers draw lots to see who will have the first, second, third, etc., choice in the draft. In the Major division, where players return to their prior year's team, draft selections in each round of the draft are made in the inverse order of the prior year's regular season finish in the standings.

Pursuant to Little League rules, the player selection draft is conducted in secrecy: Players shall never be told the position in which they were drafted. Discussion of what occurs in the draft room is strictly prohibited.

Q: When will I know what team my child will be on?
A: The league generally has tryouts completed by the end of January with the draft typically occurring a week or two later. Immediatley after the draft is complete, managers for all levels will notify each player of their team.

Q: How are managers selected?
A: Candidates to manage regular season teams are interviewed and selected by a vote of the Board of Directors. Generally, the Board is seeking candidates who will uphold our league mission statement and promote a positive environment of fun, sportsmanship and skill development.