Assessments
Players ages 7 -12 (Rookies to Majors) will be assessed in February and the division sizes will be formed based on registration numbers, player assessment results, and coaching resources. There is no assessment required for players aged 4 – 6 (BlastBall and T-Ball).
During assessments all players will be able to showcase their fielding, hitting and throwing/pitching skills in preparation for the team formation process.
Players will be assigned teams and divisions as per the division descriptions in late February/early March.
Why are assessments required?
In order to make the divisions fun and safe, SVLL strives to have balanced regular season teams where all teams play against other SVLL teams during the regular season. Mandatory pre-season assessments are done so that we have the best chance at creating balanced teams.
We understand and recognize that the majority of players may not have touched a baseball since our season last year. Every single player will be placed on a balanced team with a supportive coach.
What if my player can't make it to an assessment?
We try to provide a variety of dates and times to accommodate family schedules. Please reach out to your division coordinator if you cannot make any of the pre-scheduled assessment dates and times.
Assessment process
- All evaluations will be completed at 2696 Nootka Street (location of T21 Performance) by a group of SVLL coaches and volunteers.
- All players must sign up in advance (link to be sent out to registered players prior to the assessment dates).
- Players must sign up in their designated division (for example: do not sign up your 11 year old in the Minors’ section) even if you think your player should play in a different division. Requests for players to be moved to another division will be considered but any such moves will be primarily based on demonstrated skill level.
- If you have multiple children registered, we apologize but we cannot accommodate players at different levels to be assessed at the same time.
- We ask that players and parents do not show up early for their assessment due to space limitations.
- We ask that parents wait in their vehicles or come back once the assessments are complete as the holding space is very small.
Players must wear the following:
- Runners (NO cleats).
- Baseball pants or athletic pants.
- Shirt they can hit and throw easily in.
- Jock/Jill (groin protection)
Players must BRING the following:
- Personal batting helmet
- Personal glove
BlastBall | 4 Year Old's
BlastBall introduces kids to the game of baseball. The focus of this level is to promote fun and enjoyment in an entirely non-competitive environment. Steps are taken to introduce skills that can gradually be built upon and mastered in future years.
Who can play?
Boys and girls “league age” 4 years old who have never played organized baseball before.
The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
What equipment is required?
- Running shoes (or cleats)
- Athletic pants or shorts
- All players receive a hat and t-shirt that is provided by our generous sponsors to keep.
- A baseball glove and helmet are optional
Note: the league provide bats and balls for use during BlastBall games.
Parent expectations
- Parent participation on the field is mandatory for this age group.
Schedule
- 1 x 30-minute game each weekend.
- All games are at Memorial South Park.
Can my child be on the same team as their friend?
- Special requests will be considered. Upon registration, please indicate your special request in the "Special Requests / Comments" field.
T-Ball | 5 - 6 Year Old's
T-Ball further introduces kids to the game of baseball. The focus of this level remains to promote fun and enjoyment in a completely non-competitive environment. Although players are encouraged to get outs defensively, all players still bat through the line up each inning and base runners put out continue to run the bases for the first half of the season. Players will become comfortable hitting off a baseball tee and, in some cases, players may hit soft-toss coach pitches.
Who can play?
Boys and girls “league age” 5 and 6 years-old who have never played organized baseball before.
The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
What equipment is required?
- Baseball glove
- Helmet
- Running shoes (or cleats)
- Baseball pants or athletic pants
- All players receive a hat and t-shirt that is provided by our generous sponsors to keep.
Note: the league has bats that can be used by those that do not have one.
Parent expectations
- Parents are often expected to help during warmup as players learn to catch and throw.
Schedule
- 1 x 1 hour game per week. Games are held on the weekend.
- 1 x 1 hour practice every week. Practices are held during the week.
- Game and practices are held at Memorial South Park.
Can my child be on the same team as their friend?
- Special requests will be considered. Upon registration, please indicate your special request in the "Special Requests / Comments" field.
Rookies Overview | 7 - 8 Year Old's
The Rookies division is divided into Junior Rookies and Senior Rookies. The allocation of players to Junior versus Senior Rookies is not necessarily based on age. Skill level will be a primary driver of player placement.
Players in this division are required to attend an evaluation process (fielding, throwing and batting) in order to balance teams and ensure players are placed in the appropriate Rookies tier based on ability, skill level and safety considerations. The number of teams in each division will be determined by the registration numbers and level of play.
Postseason play is available in the summer and all Rookies aged players (league aged 7 and 8 year olds) are eligible to tryout.
What equipment is required?
- Baseball glove
- Helmet
- Baseball cleats
- Baseball pants
- Jock/jill (groin protection)
- All players receive a hat, belt and socks to keep and a jersey that must be returned at the end of the season.
Note: the league has bats that can be used by those that do not have one.
Parent Expectations
- Parents are expected to meet their league volunteer requirements throughout the year. At this level, this consists of coaching, field prep and basic scorekeeping (number of outs and runs each inning).
- Your coach will be asking for one team parent volunteer to assist with managing the team.
- Volunteer at any tournaments hosted by South Vancouver Little League if your team is participating.
Schedule
- Typically 2 x 1.5 hour games and 1 practice each week. Players will be expected to show up at least 30 minutes before scheduled game times to properly warm up.
- Games are typically held on weekends. Practices are on weeknights. These days/times are subject to change depending on final registration numbers.
- Game and practices are held at Memorial South Park.
Junior Rookies | 7 - 8 Year Old's
For many players, this will be their first season playing on a full Little League Diamond with 60 foot base paths. This level continues to function in a less-competitive environment where the goal is to promote fun and skill development first. This level uses coach pitch soft-toss, there are no “strike-outs” and no scores are kept during the season. Coaches are expected to play all players in all positions regardless of their individual skill levels. Our objective is to expand the player's understanding of game rules, basic position recognition and to introduce base running concepts.
Who can play?
- Boys and girls “league age” 7 or 8 years old (and 6 or 9 year-olds pending player evaluations).
- The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
- Players are required to register in the division corresponding to their birthdate. Players will eventually be placed into the division and tier best corresponding to their skill level during the assessment and team formation process.
Can my child be on the same team as their friend?
- We do our best to accommodate special requests in junior rookies. Upon registration, please indicate your special request in the "Special Requests / Comments" field. Note that special requests should only list a single player that your child would like to be teamed up with (rather than requesting a group of players).
Senior Rookies | 7 - 8 Year Old's
At this level of baseball, there is a higher level of competition and a pitching machine is used. All players will continue to play a variety of positions throughout the season. The emphasis is placed on teaching and advancing a player’s baseball skills and knowledge of the game through various drills.
Who can play?
- Boys and girls “league age” 7 or 8 years old (and 9 year-olds pending player evaluations).
- The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
- Players are required to register in the division corresponding to their birthdate. Players will eventually be placed into the division and tier best corresponding to their skill level during the assessment and team formation process.
Can my child be on the same team as their friend?
- Special requests may be considered, but the primary consideration will be ensuring balanced teams. Upon registration, please indicate your special request in the "Special Requests / Comments" field. Note that special requests should only list a single player that your child would like to be teamed up with (rather than requesting a group of players).
Minors | 9-10 Year Old's
The players placed in this division will be primarily 9 and 10 years old, with potentially some 8-year-old, 11-year-old and 12-year-old players (pending player evaluations).
Players in this division are required to attend an evaluation process (fielding, throwing/pitching and batting) in order to balance teams and ensure players are placed in the appropriate division based on ability, skill level and safety considerations. Minors teams will be formed by way of a player draft.
A full competitive game of baseball is played (up to 6 innings, but no new inning more than 1:45 after the scheduled start time). Pitching and catching skills are introduced and/or improved at this level. Stealing bases is introduced. Fair and equitable playing time for all players is to be maintained. All games will have umpires, and parents are all expected to keep proper scores and pitch counts.
Team standings will be recorded and used to seed teams during playoffs at the end of the regular season.
Tryouts for postseason teams for Minors are open to only players “league aged” 9 and 10. Players “league aged” 11 and 12 must try out for the Majors postseason team. Players “league aged” 8 must try out for the Rookies postseason team.
Who can play?
- Boys and girls “league age” 9 and 10 (8, 11 & 12 years old pending player evaluations).
- The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
- Players are required to register in the division corresponding to their birthdate. Players will eventually be placed into the division and tier best corresponding to their skill level during the assessment and team formation process.
What equipment is required?
- Baseball glove
- Helmet
- Baseball cleats
- Baseball pants
- Jock/jill (groin protection)
- All players receive a hat, belt and socks to keep and a jersey that must be returned at the end of the season.
Note: the league has bats that can be used by those that do not have one.
Schedule
- Typically 2 games, 1 practice, and 1 bullpen/cage session per week. Players will be expected to show up 60 minutes before scheduled game times to properly warm up.
- All games are played at Memorial South Park.
Parent Expectations
- Parents are expected to meet their league volunteer requirements throughout the year which include coaching, field prep and take-down, scoreboard operation, score keeping, concession and grilling duties.
- Your coach will be asking for one team parent volunteer to assist with managing the team.
- Scorekeeping/pitch counts (using GameChanger)
- Volunteer at any tournaments hosted by South Vancouver Little League if your team is participating.
Can requests for certain coaches or friend requests be made?
- Significant efforts are made to balance teams. Special requests are discouraged, however, if teams can be balanced appropriately, requests may be considered prior to the start of the season and are at the complete discretion of the Minors Division Coordinator and two team coaches impacted by the request.
Majors Overview | 10-12 Year Old's
The Majors division is divided into Major A and B tiers. Players in this division are required to attend an evaluation process (fielding, throwing/pitching and batting) in order to balance teams and ensure players are placed in the appropriate division based on ability, skill level and safety considerations. The number of teams in each tier will be determined by the registration numbers and level of play. Majors teams will be formed by way of a player draft. Players who aren’t selected for a Major A team will be considered for Major B. Players in turn not selected for a Majors B team will have a spot reserved for them in the Minors division where they can continue to hone their skills.
It is important to note that being on a Majors B team does not automatically qualify you for a Majors A spot the following year. Similarly, having made a Majors A team in the year prior does not guarantee a Majors A spot for that player the following year.
Tryouts for postseason teams for Majors are open to all players from both Majors A and B as well any league aged 11- or 12-year-old players from the Minors division. Players aged 9 and 10 may only try out for the Minors All-Star team.
Team standings will be recorded and used to seed teams during playoffs at the end of the regular season.
Who can play?
- Boys and girls “league age” 10, 11 & 12 years old.
- The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.
- Players are required to register in the division corresponding to their birthdate. Players will eventually be placed into the division and tier best corresponding to their skill level during the assessment and team formation process.
What equipment is required?
- Baseball glove
- Helmet
- Baseball cleats
- Baseball pants
- Jock/jill (groin protection)
- All players receive a hat, belt and socks to keep and a jersey that must be returned at the end of the season.
Note: the league has bats that can be used by those that do not have one.
Parent Expectations
- Parents are expected to meet their league volunteer requirements throughout the year which include coaching, field prep and take-down, scoreboard operation, score keeping, concession and grilling duties.
- Your coach will be asking for one team parent volunteer to assist with managing the team.
- Scorekeeping/pitch counts (using GameChanger)
- Volunteer at any tournaments hosted by South Vancouver Little League if your team is participating.
Can requests for certain coaches or friend requests be made?
- Special requests are not accommodatedas teams are selected by a formal draft process given the league’s desire to balance teams.
- If you have extenuatingcircumstances, please contact our Majors Coordinator in advance of tryouts. Accommodations may be considered through avenues such as placing players in the Majors B or Minors division.
Majors A | 11 & 12 Year Olds
Our objectives at this level are to assist the players in refining and mastering the skills that have been presented thus far. An emphasis is placed on accomplishment and player positioning is becoming more defined. This division will feature our most competitive atmosphere and will be open to our highest skilled 11 and 12 year-old players (pending evaluations). Occasionally, players aged 10 that can compete at this level may be considered.
In Majors A, players will begin to narrow their focus on a few positions where the majority of their game time will be played. There is still fair and equitable playing time at the Major A level but this does not mean equal innings in the infield/outfield and there is no guarantee that players will pitch or catch in games.
It is expected that players attend all scheduled games and practices. If commitments are too high for player or family circumstances, please contact the Majors Coordinator to ask for consideration of placement within Majors B prior to the draft process.
Schedule
- Typically 2 games, 1 practice and 1 cage/bullpen session per week. Players will be expected to show up 60 minutes before scheduled game times to properly warm up.
- Pending field scheduling and coach preference, teams may play interlock games with other leagues, which could involve travel to other parks for these games.
MINORS AND MAJORS DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
SVLL may choose to form Development Teams that will select a development group of the top players from the Minors and Majors divisions for interlock games with other Little League Associations throughout the Lower Mainland.
Invites for this development team will be sent by the development team coach based on the pre-season assessments, end of season player evaluations from the previous year, and consultation with Minors and Majors coaches.
Development teams will have either an additional practice or play an additional game per week. Players on the development team rotate between practice and playing each week, in addition to their Minors or Majors house team commitments. Rosters for the weekly game are determined by the development team coach.
Players who are invited and accept a space on a development team will be charged an additional fee determined during the season.
POSTSEASON/ALL-STAR BASEBALL
The post season features a competitive environment for the top players in the league. Athletes are selected based on their performance in tryouts for their respective age groups. This season emphasizes a higher level of play where players can expect more challenging competition and opportunities for skill development. Coaches will focus on advanced techniques and strategies allowing participants to refine their skills and abilities. This is an opportunity for dedicated players to elevate their game and engage with others that share the same passion for baseball.
All-Star teams are formed for Majors (11-12 year olds), Minors (9-10 year olds), Rookies (7-8 year olds) and T-Ball (5-6 year olds). There will be “Selects” teams for players that are “league aged” 7, 9 and 11. Teams formed are dependent on coach availability and interest.
Details on the All-Star baseball process will be sent out by the league in May.
A player must have played the regular season with SVLL and meet all age, residency and minimum play requirements. Players who are selected for All-Star or Select teams will be charged an additional fee determined during the season.
