1.       What is the structure of Tri-City Little League?

a.       Tri-City Little League (TCLL) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization affiliated with Little League baseball since its inception in 1960. The league is managed by a Board of Directors that administer the league in accordance with the league constitution, which is voted on and approved by the league membership. Any parent within the league is eligible for membership. The Board of Directors is elected annually at our annual meeting in late-summer or early-fall..We typically have teams in eight divisions: T-Ball, Farm, Minor A, Minor AA, Minor AAA, Major, 50/70, & Junior. 

b.       TCLL is a member of District 11 Little League, comprised of teams from the Sierra Foothills including: Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Bear River, Penn Valley, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Foresthill, Mid-Placer (Newcastle) & Sierra Foothills.

2.       When will we find out what team my child is on?

a.       In most years we hope to have teams assembled by February 1. In the levels of AA and above, teams are assembled by a player draft following tryouts and we could be delayed by weather. We typically are assembling teams at the Minor-A and below levels at the same time as tryouts and drafts.

3.       Who will contact me regarding my child’s placement on a team?

a.       The team manager (head coach) will contact you by email at the email address of the account used to sign your child up.

4.       When does the season start, when does it end?

a.       In a best-case scenario, practices will begin February 1. Games will begin by mid-March. The regular seasons will end by Memorial Day weekend and we will not have games over Memorial Day weekend. Playoffs for AA and up will begin on the Tuesday following Memorial Day and will typically be completed by the following Wednesday. Immediately after that is the District 11 Tournament of Champions (TOC) for certain teams in the AAA and above levels. All-Stars for selected players ages 8 and up begins with practices about mid-June; tournaments begin late-June and could take most the summer if the team is fortunate enough to win tournaments and advance  

5.       When is opening day?

a.       This can vary from year-to-year, but is often on the first Saturday of the season (early-March). The ceremony consists of an introduction of all teams and managers, the playing of the national anthem, recognition of local officials and our fundraising raffle prize drawing.

6.       What is the Raffle fee for?

a.       At some point during the season we hold a raffle event as a fundraiser. We will raffle off items during the opening evening ceremonies.

7.       Where are practices and games held?

a.       For the most part, all practices and games are held at our fields on 3rd Street. Exceptions include: Practices for Minor-A are often held at elementary school fields in the area. Practices for T-Ball, Farm, AA, and AAA could be held at school facilities depending on the availability of our fields. Games in the AA and up levels could be held at other little league locations in our area if we engage in an inter-league scheduling plan with other leagues.

8.        When are practices and games held?

a.       Minor-A and below can expect two, possibly three events per week. AA and above can expect three events per week. Practices occur on weekdays starting potentially as early as 4pm and running through sunset. (Majors and above utilize fields with lights and may frequently have games or practices running to 9pm. AA will rarely utilize a field with lights. AAA will occasionally utilize a lighted field.) On Saturdays, expect a two-hour practice or game every week somewhere in the range of 8am to 6pm. Weekday games for Majors and up will begin at 6pm.  Minor AAA will begin at 5:30pm.

9.       Can I request a specific coach or specific teammates for my child?

a.       Yes and no. For Minor-A and below, when registering, in the coach request field and in the player request field, please feel free to write requested names. For AA and above, providing a request is not applicable because teams are created by a draft.

10.     What division (playing level) should my child play in? What are the differences of each division?

a.       First, please understand a few of our rules. Players may not skip a division from year-to-year. Each division has a minimum and maximum age. Exceptions are made, but rarely, and typically only for safety reasons. We do encourage all players to move up one division each year unless they were still struggling to adapt at the end of the prior season.

b.       Minimum and maximum ages are: T-Ball age 4-5. Farm age 5-6. Minor A age 6-9. AA age 7-10. AAA age 8-11. Major age 10-12. 50/70 age 13. Juniors age 13-14.

c.       T-Ball players only hit off a tee.

d.       Farm players hit vs coach-pitch. After three strikes in an at bat, Farm players hit off a tee.

e.       Minor-A is coach-pitch only.

f.        Minor-AA is player pitch but hitters can not walk, so it becomes coach-pitch after ball four.

g.       Minor-AAA is only player-pitch.

h.       Majors generally operates from the same rules as AAA, but is more competitive and has less of a minimum play time rule.

i.         AA/AAA/Majors play on a diamond that is 46' from the pitching rubber to home plate, and 60' between bases.

j.         50/70 is 50' and 70'. 50/70 is the first division in which base-runners can lead-off.

k.       Juniors plays on a regulation baseball diamond of 60.5' and 90'.

11.     If I sign my child up for the AA/AAA/Majors offering, how will I know what level they’ll play in?

a.       This will be sorted out by the draft process following tryouts. All 12 year olds must play within the Major Division unless specifically requested by a parent to remain in the Minor Division AND approved by the District 11 Administrator due to a safety issue. 11 year olds not selected to play in the Major Division must be selected by a Minor AAA manager. 10 year olds not selected to play Minor AAA Division must be selected by a Minor AA manager. Players aged 7-9 not selected to play in the Minor AA Division will be assigned to a team in the Minor A Division. Depending on the availability of managers, we typically attempt to have enough Major/AAA/AA teams to ensure most players are drafted.

12.     Which divisions have tryouts and do we have to attend? And, what’s the purpose of tryouts?

a.       For players in Minor-A and below, we do not have tryouts. All levels AA and up have a tryout process. Yes, all players in AA and above should attend the tryout weekend. Players who do not attend tryouts create unnecessary complexity in the draft process due to the fact that not all managers had a chance to evaluate that individual player. Players who do not attend tryouts are likely to be placed in a division below where they would otherwise probably belong. The purpose of tryouts is for managers to evaluate players before the drafts.

13.     What happens at tryouts?

a.       When the player arrives at the tryouts they will be directed to the registration table. Only players who are paid registrants through the TCLL website will be allowed to participate in the tryouts. The players will all be given an identification number to attach to the back of their shirt, and then directed to the warm-up area 30 minutes prior to their time slot. During the tryout, each player will be evaluated while performing the following drills:

                                                               i.      Catching long fly balls, typically 3 chances thrown by a coach or machine.

                                                             ii.      Long throw after catching the fly balls.

                                                           iii.      Relaying throws from one player to another.

                                                           iv.      Fielding ground balls and throwing to first base.

                                                             v.      Receiving throws at first base.

                                                           vi.      Batting (three coach-pitch or machine pitches) and running through first base.

b.       Each player rotates from positions 1) through 5) above until all players have had their opportunity.  Once all players have completed the first 5 drills, each player will have an opportunity to hit baseballs.

c.       Excluding checking in and warming up, the above drills will take about 20-25 minutes.

14.     Can I keep my child in a lower division and prevent them from being drafted to a higher division?

a.       Parents of players aged 8-11 can request to stay in the division the child played the previous season. You must inform us of this at or before tryouts. Parents of players aged 12 can request a Little League waiver to play in the Minor AAA division.  Each request must be approved by the TCLL Board of Directors and subsequently forwarded to the District 11 Administrator for final approval. Please be aware of the following conditions when approved to play in a lower division:

                                                               i.      Players will not be eligible for a future “call-up” to replace players in a higher division.

                                                             ii.      12 year olds are not eligible to pitch in the minor division

                                                           iii.      Players will not be eligible for any of our All-Star teams that year.

15.     What is a Call-up?

a.       Little League regulations require Major Division teams to play with the same number of players on each roster. In addition, TCLL applies this rule to its Minor AA and AAA Divisions. Should any Major, Minor AAA or Minor AA team lose a player during the season for any reason, a process has been put into place to replace players with players from a lower division. Players requested to move-up should see the promotion to the higher division as a positive experience. Players are not required to accept a call-up to a higher division. However, if a player declines a request to move-up, the player will be ineligible for future opportunities to move up to the higher division.

16.     What equipment and uniform needs will my child have for the season?

a.       All teams will be equipped with catcher’s gear, batting helmets and a bat. TCLL will supply all players with a baseball hat and jersey. Players should purchase baseball pants, belt, socks, cleats, glove, bat, and helmet as well as other accessories as needed. We recommend all boys purchase and wear a protective cup.

17.     Are there rules for minimum playing time?

a.       Yes, each division has a minimum play rule.

                                                               i.      50/70 and Junior Divisions:  In a 7-inning game, each player is required to play a minimum of 9 defensive outs and have one at-bat.

                                                             ii.      Major Division: In a 6-inning game, each player is required to play a minimum of 9 defensive outs and a minimum of one at-bat.

                                                           iii.      In AAA and below,  a continuous batting order is employed.

                                                           iv.      Minor AAA and AA Divisions: All players will play a minimum of 3 innings in a 4 or 5 inning game and 4 innings in a 6 inning game.  In addition, players must play a minimum of one inning at an infield position per game (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, and C).

                                                             v.      Minor A Division: All players will play an infield position (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, and C) for a minimum of two consecutive innings.

18.     Am I required to volunteer my time during the season?

a.       TCLL is an all-volunteer organization.  The league strives to have all families participate in making the season a great experience for all.  Please review the Volunteer Policy by navigating to League Information -> Downloads.

19.     Who do I contact if I have a problem that needs to be discussed?

TCLL wants to ensure that each family will have an opportunity to address any concern. The league asks that you first address concerns with your manager. If you would like to address concerns with a league official, your first point of contact should be the Player Agent of your respective division. In addition, a board member will be in attendance on each day that a game is scheduled. The Board Member on Duty will be identified at each snack bar. Please refer to our Board of Directors link under League Information as that may allow you to directly contact the league official most applicable to your conc       What is the structure of Tri-City Little League?

1.       Tri-City Little League (TCLL) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization affiliated with Little League baseball since its inception in 1960. The league is managed by a Board of Directors that administer the league in accordance with the league constitution, which is voted on and approved by the league membership. Any parent within the league is eligible for membership. The Board of Directors is elected annually at our annual meeting in late-summer or early-fall..We typically have teams in eight divisions: T-Ball, Farm, Minor A, Minor AA, Minor AAA, Major, 50/70, & Junior. 

2.       TCLL is a member of District 11 Little League, comprised of teams from the Sierra Foothills including: Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Bear River, Penn Valley, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Foresthill, Mid-Placer (Newcastle) & Sierra Foothills.

2.       When will we find out what team my child is on?

1.       In most years we hope to have teams assembled by February 1. In the levels of AA and above, teams are assembled by a player draft following tryouts and we could be delayed by weather. We typically are assembling teams at the Minor-A and below levels at the same time as tryouts and drafts.

3.       Who will contact me regarding my child’s placement on a team?

1.       The team manager (head coach) will contact you by email at the email address of the account used to sign your child up.

4.       When does the season start, when does it end?

1.       In a best-case scenario, practices will begin February 1. Games will begin by mid-March. The regular seasons will end by Memorial Day weekend and we will not have games over Memorial Day weekend. Playoffs for AA and up will begin on the Tuesday following Memorial Day and will typically be completed by the following Wednesday. Immediately after that is the District 11 Tournament of Champions (TOC) for certain teams in the AAA and above levels. All-Stars for selected players ages 8 and up begins with practices about mid-June; tournaments begin late-June and could take most the summer if the team is fortunate enough to win tournaments and advance  

5.       When is opening day?

1.       This can vary from year-to-year, but is often on the first Saturday of the season (early-March). The ceremony consists of an introduction of all teams and managers, the playing of the national anthem, recognition of local officials and our fundraising raffle prize drawing.

6.       What is the Raffle fee for?

1.       At some point during the season we hold a raffle event as a fundraiser. We will raffle off items during the opening evening ceremonies.

7.       Where are practices and games held?

1.       For the most part, all practices and games are held at our fields on 3rd Street. Exceptions include: Practices for Minor-A are often held at elementary school fields in the area. Practices for T-Ball, Farm, AA, and AAA could be held at school facilities depending on the availability of our fields. Games in the AA and up levels could be held at other little league locations in our area if we engage in an inter-league scheduling plan with other leagues.

8.        When are practices and games held?

1.       Minor-A and below can expect two, possibly three events per week. AA and above can expect three events per week. Practices occur on weekdays starting potentially as early as 4pm and running through sunset. (Majors and above utilize fields with lights and may frequently have games or practices running to 9pm. AA will rarely utilize a field with lights. AAA will occasionally utilize a lighted field.) On Saturdays, expect a two-hour practice or game every week somewhere in the range of 8am to 6pm. Weekday games for Majors and up will begin at 6pm.  Minor AAA will begin at 5:30pm.

9.       Can I request a specific coach or specific teammates for my child?

1.       Yes and no. For Minor-A and below, when registering, in the coach request field and in the player request field, please feel free to write requested names. For AA and above, providing a request is not applicable because teams are created by a draft.

10.     What division (playing level) should my child play in? What are the differences of each division?

1.       First, please understand a few of our rules. Players may not skip a division from year-to-year. Each division has a minimum and maximum age. Exceptions are made, but rarely, and typically only for safety reasons. We do encourage all players to move up one division each year unless they were still struggling to adapt at the end of the prior season.

2.       Minimum and maximum ages are: T-Ball age 4-5. Farm age 5-6. Minor A age 6-9. AA age 7-10. AAA age 8-11. Major age 10-12. 50/70 age 13. Juniors age 13-14.

3.       T-Ball players only hit off a tee.

4.       Farm players hit vs coach-pitch. After three strikes in an at bat, Farm players hit off a tee.

5.       Minor-A is coach-pitch only.

6.       Minor-AA is player pitch but hitters can not walk, so it becomes coach-pitch after ball four.

7.       Minor-AAA is only player-pitch.

8.       Majors generally operates from the same rules as AAA, but is more competitive and has less of a minimum play time rule.

9.       AA/AAA/Majors play on a diamond that is 46' from the pitching rubber to home plate, and 60' between bases.

10.   50/70 is 50' and 70'. 50/70 is the first division in which base-runners can lead-off.

11.   Juniors plays on a regulation baseball diamond of 60.5' and 90'.

11.     If I sign my child up for the AA/AAA/Majors offering, how will I know what level they’ll play in?

1.       This will be sorted out by the draft process following tryouts. All 12 year olds must play within the Major Division unless specifically requested by a parent to remain in the Minor Division AND approved by the District 11 Administrator due to a safety issue. 11 year olds not selected to play in the Major Division must be selected by a Minor AAA manager. 10 year olds not selected to play Minor AAA Division must be selected by a Minor AA manager. Players aged 7-9 not selected to play in the Minor AA Division will be assigned to a team in the Minor A Division. Depending on the availability of managers, we typically attempt to have enough Major/AAA/AA teams to ensure most players are drafted.

12.     Which divisions have tryouts and do we have to attend? And, what’s the purpose of tryouts?

1.       For players in Minor-A and below, we do not have tryouts. All levels AA and up have a tryout process. Yes, all players in AA and above should attend the tryout weekend. Players who do not attend tryouts create unnecessary complexity in the draft process due to the fact that not all managers had a chance to evaluate that individual player. Players who do not attend tryouts are likely to be placed in a division below where they would otherwise probably belong. The purpose of tryouts is for managers to evaluate players before the drafts.

13.     What happens at tryouts?

1.       When the player arrives at the tryouts they will be directed to the registration table. Only players who are paid registrants through the TCLL website will be allowed to participate in the tryouts. The players will all be given an identification number to attach to the back of their shirt, and then directed to the warm-up area 30 minutes prior to their time slot. During the tryout, each player will be evaluated while performing the following drills:

1.       Catching long fly balls, typically 3 chances thrown by a coach or machine.

2.       Long throw after catching the fly balls.

3.       Relaying throws from one player to another.

4.       Fielding ground balls and throwing to first base.

5.       Receiving throws at first base.

6.       Batting (three coach-pitch or machine pitches) and running through first base.

2.       Each player rotates from positions 1) through 5) above until all players have had their opportunity.  Once all players have completed the first 5 drills, each player will have an opportunity to hit baseballs.

3.       Excluding checking in and warming up, the above drills will take about 20-25 minutes.

14.     Can I keep my child in a lower division and prevent them from being drafted to a higher division?

1.       Parents of players aged 8-11 can request to stay in the division the child played the previous season. You must inform us of this at or before tryouts. Parents of players aged 12 can request a Little League waiver to play in the Minor AAA division.  Each request must be approved by the TCLL Board of Directors and subsequently forwarded to the District 11 Administrator for final approval. Please be aware of the following conditions when approved to play in a lower division:

1.       Players will not be eligible for a future “call-up” to replace players in a higher division.

2.       12 year olds are not eligible to pitch in the minor division

3.       Players will not be eligible for any of our All-Star teams that year.

15.     What is a Call-up?

1.       Little League regulations require Major Division teams to play with the same number of players on each roster. In addition, TCLL applies this rule to its Minor AA and AAA Divisions. Should any Major, Minor AAA or Minor AA team lose a player during the season for any reason, a process has been put into place to replace players with players from a lower division. Players requested to move-up should see the promotion to the higher division as a positive experience. Players are not required to accept a call-up to a higher division. However, if a player declines a request to move-up, the player will be ineligible for future opportunities to move up to the higher division.

16.     What equipment and uniform needs will my child have for the season?

1.       All teams will be equipped with catcher’s gear, batting helmets and a bat. TCLL will supply all players with a baseball hat and jersey. Players should purchase baseball pants, belt, socks, cleats, glove, bat, and helmet as well as other accessories as needed. We recommend all boys purchase and wear a protective cup.

17.     Are there rules for minimum playing time?

1.       Yes, each division has a minimum play rule.

1.       50/70 and Junior Divisions:  In a 7-inning game, each player is required to play a minimum of 9 defensive outs and have one at-bat.

2.       Major Division: In a 6-inning game, each player is required to play a minimum of 9 defensive outs and a minimum of one at-bat.

3.       In AAA and below,  a continuous batting order is employed.

4.       Minor AAA and AA Divisions: All players will play a minimum of 3 innings in a 4 or 5 inning game and 4 innings in a 6 inning game.  In addition, players must play a minimum of one inning at an infield position per game (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, and C).

5.       Minor A Division: All players will play an infield position (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, P, and C) for a minimum of two consecutive innings.

18.     Am I required to volunteer my time during the season?

1.       TCLL is an all-volunteer organization.  The league strives to have all families participate in making the season a great experience for all.  Please review the Volunteer Policy by navigating to League Information -> Downloads.

19.     Who do I contact if I have a problem that needs to be discussed?

TCLL wants to ensure that each family will have an opportunity to address any concern. The league asks that you first address concerns with your manager. If you would like to address concerns with a league official, your first point of contact should be the Player Agent of your respective division. In addition, a board member will be in attendance on each day that a game is scheduled. The Board Member on Duty will be identified at each snack bar. Please refer to our Board of Directors link under League Information as that may allow you to directly contact the league official most applicable to your concern.