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Eligibility
Eligibility
requirements for Little League Baseball are specified as to age and residency. For more information:
Age Chart (matrix version)
| Residential boundaries
Time Commitment
League
commissioners limit the maximum number of scheduled weekly "contacts" for practices and games.
Specific contact policy varies by player age.
Important:
Due to the time commitment necessary for ages 10 and up, it is strongly recommended that any
player wishing to participate at these levels not be involved any another sport that schedules
its practices and/or games during the same time as the baseball season. Teams at these levels
are formed with the assumption that all players will be reasonably free of scheduling conflicts,
and so as to not adversely effect the team, will be able to devote the necessary time to weekly
practices and games.
Leagues
League
details specify ages, format and the commissioner for
Spring 2008. Tryout dates will be announced
on the website. For detailed information about our leagues start here.
Equipment
As a rule,
Western Hills Baseball provides required headgear (batting helmets, catcher headgear), protective
catcher equipment, baseballs, caps and shirts. Players provide the following:
| Practice
attire |
Most coaches prefer that players wear baseball pants during practice.
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| Gloves
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If you are not familiar with sizing a baseball glove, you should go to a local merchant
for help. For younger players, try to find the largest glove the child can maneuver,
close and open. It helps if gloves are a little bit floppy for the younger players!
Gloves that appear proportionate to the player are almost never large enough. Remember,
the ball is regulation in size. This is hard to catch with a small glove!
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| Bats
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For players under 12 MUST be approved for Little League play. This will be printed/stamped
on the barrel. Seek the help of a local merchant in sizing a bat. You should never buy
a bat without sizing it for your player. Bats with a barrel larger than 2 1/4" may not
be used. Bats manufactured specifically for T-ball play may not be used in A league
(8s) or above. For Pony (13-14) and Colt/Palomino (15-18) the 2003 rule reads as follows:
Wooden, metal, graphite or ceramic bats manufactured specifically for baseball play
which are round and not more than two and three quarters inches in diameter (7 cm) at
the thickest part, nor more than 42 inches (106.7 cm) in length, are acceptable. The
rules posted at www.pony.org shall
be the rules governing bats.
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| Cleats
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Little League (age 12 and below) DOES NOT allow the use of steel cleats! Pony, Colt
and Palomino (ages 13 and up) are allowed to use steel cleats.
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Prospective Coaches
Western
Hills is the largest Little League affiliated organization in the greater Austin area and one
of the largest in the state of Texas. We organize approximately 30 teams in the Fall; 100 in
the Spring. Literally hundreds of parents and supporters of our league give their time and effort
to help us bring the experience of baseball to our children. We need and appreciate our coaches!
Fortunately,
we have a large pool of able volunteers willing to give their time. Unfortunately, not everyone
that wants to volunteer as a coach is selected to do so. Our board of directors reviews the
names of prospective coaches submitted by the commissioner of each league and votes to select
those to be invited to coach. Our coaches represent our league to the players and parents on
their team. Because of this, we feel it imperative that coaches:
- Complete
a background check form and submit to a background check as required by Little League Baseball.
This can be found in the 'forms' section of this website.
- Attend
and complete a clinic designed to orient them in policies, rules, league expectations and
baseball fundamentals. This orientation will be done during the draft or coaches meeting.
- Read,
sign and submit a coach orientation. The Coach Orientation referred to can be found in the
'forms' section of this website. This form will be reviewed during the draft. Coaches will
be expected sign and file this form at the draft.
- We
will provide several opportunities for new coaches to learn some techniques in teaching
fundamentals, organizing practices and baseball strategies. While not required, we find
most coaches enjoy the perspective of the speakers and come away from the session with at
least a few new ideas.
Once selected,
coaches serve at the request of the president of the league and can be removed under necessary
circumstances. Questions should be directed to the respective commissioner of each league.
  
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