GENERAL PROGRAM AND ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION  

What programs are offered by RVLL?  
RVLL offers five levels of Spring baseball for boys and girls between ages 7 and 16:

• Rookies - Mostly 7 and 8 year olds play in an instructional league with typically 5 to 8 teams, machine pitching, no strikeouts, a continuous batting order, minimum play requirements and no game scores kept. There is a competitive playoff at the end of the season. Practices and games are held at the Ross field.
• Minors – Mostly 9 and 10 year olds play in an instructional league with typically 5 to 8 teams, kids pitching, a continuous batting order, minimum play requirements and game scores kept. There is a competitive playoff at the end of the season, with the winning team representing RVLL in a Tournament of Champions. Practices and games are usually held at the Bacich Elementary School Minors field.
• Majors – Mostly 11 and 12 year olds play in a competitive league with typically 4 to 6 teams, kids pitching, a regular batting order, minimum play requirements and game scores kept. There is a competitive playoff at the end of the season, with the winning team representing RVLL in a Tournament of Champions. Practices and games are usually held at the Bacich Elementary School Majors field.
• Juniors – Mostly 13 and 14 year olds play in a competitive league with typically 2 to 3 teams, kids pitching, a regular batting order, minimum play requirements, a full-size high school diamond and game scores kept. Practices and games are usually held at Redwood High School and other local fields.

RVLL also offers a low-key Fall Ball program during September and October for players who anticipate playing the Minors, Majors and Juniors the following Spring. Practices and games are held at the same locations as the Spring leagues.

What territory does Ross Valley Little League encompass? What if a player's family lives outside of this area?  
RVLL’s official territory encompasses the towns of Greenbrae, Kentfield and Ross.

If an athlete's primary residence is outside of RVLL’s territory, your athlete should play with the local Little League organization. For example, athletes living in San Anselmo, Fairfax or towns west of Fairfax should play with San Anselmo Baseball Association or West Marin Little League. Athletes living in San Rafael should play with San Rafael Little League, and athletes living in Larkspur or Corte Madera should play with Twin Cities Little League.

If you live outside our territory but feel you have a legitimate reason for playing in RVLL, please contact us as soon as possible, because (with a valid reason) you will need to get a waiver from your local Little League organization to play with us.

What are the age and grade-level cutoffs for RVLL?  
Boys and girls who meet the following age and grade-level criteria are eligible to play in Spring 2008:

• Rookies must be 7 or 8 years old by May 1, 2008 AND be in 1st or 2nd grade
• Minors must be 8 years old by May 1, 2008 AND be in at least 3rd grade
• Majors must be under age 13 on May 1, 2008
• Juniors must be under age 15 on May 1, 2008
• Seniors are 15 or older on May 1, 2008

Does RVLL also offer softball for girls?  
No. Ross Valley Little League offers baseball only. A good resource for girls youth softball in Marin is Marin Girls Softball.

Can girls play RVLL baseball?  
Girls are welcome and encouraged to play, as some have done in the recent past.

Is Ross Valley Little League instructional or competitive?  
Both. Most Rookies are first-year athletes, and this division is very much geared toward learning the basics of the game. We currently use a pitching machine in games, batters do not strike out, everyone plays roughly an equal amount, and no score is kept during the regular season. Minors is also considered an instructional division with minimum play requirements and other rules to keep it fun, but at this level the players pitch and the score is kept. Majors and above are considered competitive divisions. However, there is a lot of emphasis on skill development in practices and games, and there are minimum play requirements.

Are there player tryouts? Are there cuts?  
Tryouts are mandatory for all divisions except Rookies, but all registrants who meet league qualifications and attend tryouts are guaranteed a spot on a team.

Because there are strict equal player requirements for the Majors division, there may be more players trying out for Majors than there are spots on the teams. In this case a draft is held, and players who are not drafted onto a Majors team are given an opportunity to play on a Minors team. This is generally a more appropriate baseball experience for players who are not drafted.

Based on the tryout results, the league may recommend that a 12-year old who is eligible for and tries out for Majors play in the Minors if the league feels the player would have a much better experience in Minors. This is done in concert with and with written approval from the player’s parent(s).

For the Spring 2008 season, tryouts for new and returning Minors and Majors players will be held on Saturday, February 2nd at Hall Middle School Field. Tryout times and instructions will be communicated after registration is complete.

How are players assigned to teams?  
Rookies are assigned to teams by the Rookie Commissioner and Managers. Because there are no tryouts and most players are first-year players, Rookie league rules allow for fun and educational games that generate competitive energy, but without the stress of named winners and losers. A draft is run by the Player Agent and Commissioners for each of the other divisions, Juniors, Majors and Minors. Tryout performance notes are shared among all the Managers prior to the draft. Each Manager is free to draft a team based on his or her observations and from the overall results of the tryouts.

Occasionally a skilled younger player will try out for an older division (ex: a 10-year old trying out for Majors). If the younger player is drafted into the higher division, then he or she is allowed to “play up”. Just because a younger player tries out for an older division does not guarantee that the player will gain a spot in the older division. If not drafted, he or she will be allowed to play in the League based on age and grade at a minimum.

In some cases, the league may recommend that a 12-year old who is eligible for and tries out for Majors play in the Minors if the league feels the player would have a much better experience in Minors, or presents a potential situation where the league feels it could cause the player physical injury. This is done only in concert with and with written approval from the player’s parent(s), the RVLL Board and the District III administrator.

PLAYER REGISTRATION  

When is Registration for the Spring 2008 season?  
Regular Registration will open around November 30, 2007 and will close on December 22, 2007. We encourage all families to sign up their players early to allow the RVLL volunteer Board appropriate time to determine Managers and prepare for tryouts and drafts.

Late Registration will be available from December 23, 2007 until January 11, 2008. Players attempting to register after January 11, 2008 will not be guaranteed a spot on a team.

How do I register my son or daughter for the Spring 2008 season?  
Complete instructions for registering are provided on the Registration page of this website.
Registration Page

What are the Registration Fees for Spring 2008?  
Regular Registration Fees for 2008 are…

• Rookies - $175
• Minors - $225
• Majors - $225
• Juniors - $275 (season begins later)
• Seniors - $275 (season starts in the summer)

Late Registration Fee for 2008 is the Regular Registration Fee plus $50.

Do I have to register and pay online?  
Yes. Registering online helps us handle sign-ups in the most efficient way possible. Otherwise, registration becomes a huge task for a group of unpaid volunteers. Similarly, online payment is the most efficient way for us to match your registration with your payment.

Is there a waiting list?  
No. If your child is registered by the registration deadline and is eligible based on age and grade, he or she will be drafted or assigned to a team in an appropriate division. The number of teams in each division is determined each year by the Board based on the number of players, available coaching resources and other factors to maximize learning and fun for the players while ensuring smooth league operation.

Whom do I notify if my athlete is unable to participate in baseball for the current season?  
If your plans have changed and your athlete cannot participate in baseball, please let us know as soon as possible by sending an email to the Player Agent with the first and last name of your athlete.

Can I get a refund after paying the registration fee if I decide my son or daughter is unable to participate?  
Ross Valley Little League's policy is:

• All but $50.00 of the registration fee will be refunded if an athlete drops prior to February 1st. (There will be no refund of any Administrative Handling Fee).
• No refunds will be given if an athlete drops after February 1st. By February 1st, we have organized our Managers and ordered all equipment for the season.

Does Ross Valley Little League offer scholarships for athletes who cannot pay the full registration fee?  
Ross Valley Little League does offer scholarships for the 2008 season. If anyone is interested in learning more about this benefit please contact George Bongiorno, RVLL President.

What documents will I need to send in before the start of practice?  
In addition to your completed online Registration, the following documents are required to be submitted to Ross Valley Little League before the start of practice:

• Medical Release Form
• League Champions and All-Stars Only: Any player whose team wins the Minors, Majors or Juniors League Championship and who thereby gets to play in the Tournament of Champions, and/or is selected to play on an RVLL All-Star team, will be required to show proof of birth via an original copy of a Birth Certificate.

THE BASEBALL SEASON  

What is the schedule for the Spring 2008 Season?  
Regular Registration ends Saturday, December 22, 2007
Late Registration ends Friday, January 11, 2008
Tryouts for Majors and Minors Saturday, February 2
Practices Begin (estimated) Saturday, March 1
Opening Day Saturday, March 15
Closing Day Saturday, June 14

What can I do to prepare my child for a successful season?  
The best thing you can do is make sure your child understands the basics of baseball -- the rules, objectives of the game and the fact it’s a team sport.

We have many multi-sport athletes in the program, but baseball uses different muscles than most winter sports, and so some pre-conditioning helps the players get more out of the early practices when there is a greater emphasis on repetition and attention to basic skills. It helps greatly if players have spent some time throwing and catching a baseball, and perhaps fielding some grounders and pop flies, in the off-season, especially in the month before practice begins.

For new players, using a tennis ball or other soft ball for backyard play is an excellent way of reducing the fear of being hit and yet still develops footwork and hand-eye coordination. For older players, a couple of trips to a batting cage or field can help the player reconnect with his or her hitting rhythm.

You should make sure your player breaks in his or her baseball cleats and glove during the month before practice begins. If not properly broken in these items can cause irritation and soreness when used intensively and repetitively in practices. RVLL offers a Fall Ball program in September and October. This is a low-key and fun league with one Saturday practice and one Sunday game each week. This is a great way to stay sharp with baseball skills and have a lot of fun playing games in a low-pressure atmosphere. Online registration for Fall Ball takes place in August.

There are also baseball camps available in Marin during June and July. These camps are optional and are not run by RVLL. RVLL will teach all players the skills they will need to play baseball and their particular positions.

What other resources are available for learning more about baseball?  
There are many resources about baseball on the Internet and at bookstores. Here are a few:

• Little League Online is the official website of Little League Baseball.
• Little League Online also has a Parent Orientation Program available on their website.
• The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Youth Baseball is a good starting guide to baseball fundamentals.
• The Wikipedia entry for Baseball, with links to other websites, can be found here.

What equipment is provided by RVLL? What must a parent provide?  
Before Opening Day, the league will provide each player with the following:

• One team hat (for player to keep)
• One team game jersey (must be returned at end of season)

In addition, the league provides to each team:

• Bats (aluminum)
• Practice and game balls (soft baseballs for Rookies)
• Batting helmets
• Catcher’s gear including mitt
• First Aid kit

Players are expected to provide their own:

• Practice pants
• Practice jersey
• Practice socks
• Athletic supporter (hard or soft cup)
• Baseball cleats (no metal cleats)
• Baseball mitt
• Game pants (Coach will specify color)
• Game socks (Coach will specify color)
• Game belt (Coach will specify color)

Equipment not provided by RVLL can be purchased at the following stores:

• T&B Sports, (415) 453-2433, 1345 4th Street, San Rafael, CA, 94901
• Big 5, (415) 924-3221, 110 Nellen Ave., Corte Madera, CA 94925
• Sports Authority, (415) 892-2060, 212 Vintage Way, Novato, CA 94945

What is the practice schedule for the 2008 season?  
Practices will begin approximately 2 weeks prior to Opening Day, and players are generally contacted by their Coaches about one week in advance of the first practice. There are usually three pre-season practices per week. Once the season begins, there are typically two games and one or two practices per week, but this may vary slightly from week to week.

What is the game schedule for the 2008 season?  
The game schedule will be published before the season begins and will be available on the RVLL website once finalized. You should receive an electronic and/or hard copy of the schedule from your Coach. During the season you can also view the schedule for any team by clicking here and selecting your team of choice.

How much playing time will my child receive?  
Rookies and Minors operate with a focus on teaching players the fundamentals of the game. The batting order is continuous, and field playing time should be roughly equal over the course of a season. However, equal playing time is often impossible to achieve in a single game, and so Managers are instructed to make sure that they focus on fundamentals during each practice and game. The emphasis during games isn’t so much on winning as it is on making sure the players learn the fundamentals of the game so they are prepared to play in the Majors (age 11 and 12) League. Positions are rotated as much as possible, especially at the Rookie level, but Coaches have discretion and will attempt to place players where they can be successful based on their skill level and overall capabilities to catch, throw, etc. during games.

For Majors and above, each player must play a minimum of two full innings in the field and have one at-bat per game. Parents should be aware that some players will play only the minimum amount for many games during the season and should be prepared to support their children in a positive manner for their important contributions to practices, games and team spirit as they build their own personal skills.

POST-SEASON OPPORTUNITIES  

Are there playoffs after the season?  
Yes. There is a double-elimination playoff tournament at the end of the season for all divisions, including Rookies. The tournament draw is determined based on regular season records, or in the case of Rookies, by the Rookie Commissioner.

Division champions in Minors, Majors and Juniors advance to the Tournament of Champions against other Bay Area league champions in our district. The TOC usually takes place in the second or third week in June.

The 2008 Majors TOC games will take place on June 17, 19, 21 and 24.

Does RVLL sponsor All-Star teams?  
Yes. RVLL sponsors All-Star teams in the 9-10 year old and the 11-12 year old divisions. All-Star team eligibility is based strictly on age, and thus some players will change divisions for All-Star play. Each division typically selects 12 to 20 top players as All-Stars. Players are selected to the All-Star team by a combination of player balloting and consensus of regular season Managers. After initial practices a “traveling squad” of 12 or 13 is selected to play in the games, but alternates are encouraged to continue practicing with the team, because if a player drops off the traveling squad due to injury or schedule conflict he may be replaced permanently by an alternate.

All-Star practices usually commence in mid-June. Tournament play (typically a minimum of 6 games) begins around the first of July, runs for about two weeks, and may continue if the team advances by winning successive tournaments. It is very important to plan your family vacation around this schedule if you want your player to participate and be eligible to play in this Little League Tournament.

PARENT PARTICIPATION AND BEHAVIOR  

How can parents volunteer to help out their child's Little League team?  
Parent participation is crucial to the overall success of the season. We need the assistance of participants' parents in a wide variety of activities ranging from coaching to taking on a Board role or helping out with Opening and Closing Day ceremonies.

At Registration, you will be asked to volunteer for one of these roles, or you may elect to buy out your volunteer obligation by paying a $50 fee, but honestly we’d rather you volunteer as many hands make light work!

Below is a brief description of the volunteer opportunities available to fulfill your Registration obligation in lieu of the $50 buy-out:

• Board Member – RVLL currently has 17 Board members, each of whom plays an active role in the running of the program. For a complete list of Board members and their roles, please see the bottom of the Contact page. All Board positions are full for the 2007-2008 baseball year, and thus Board membership is not available as a volunteer option for the Spring 2008 season. If you are interested in joining the Board for the 2008-2009 year, please contact George Bongiorno, President.
• Manager – Each team has one Manager, who is the head coach of the team and oversees all team administration. This is an exciting opportunity to have a direct and positive impact on your players. Managers are selected from volunteer applicants based on experience and other criteria by the President, Player Agent and Commissioners for each level, with final approval by the Board. If you would like to Manage, please indicate this on your Registration Form and please also send an e-mail to Ozzie Ayscue, Player Agent at the earliest possible date so that your application can be fully considered. Note that if you are not selected to be a Manager or Assistant Coach you may be asked to select a different volunteer role in lieu of the buy-out.
• Assistant Coach – Each team has two Assistant Coaches, who assist the Manager with practices, games and other matters. This is a great opportunity to work directly with the players, learn more about baseball and share your knowledge with the players. Managers are selected from volunteer applicants based on experience and other criteria by the President, Player Agent, Commissioners and Managers for each level, with final approval by the Board. If you would like to coach, please indicate this on your Registration Form and please also send an e-mail to Ozzie Ayscue, Player Agent at the earliest possible date so that your application can be fully considered. Note that if you are not selected to be a Manager or Assistant Coach you may be asked to select a different volunteer role in lieu of the buy-out.
• Snack Shack – Volunteers are needed to help oversee the operation of the Snack Shack, which is located next to the Bacich Elementary School Majors field and is open during games. Volunteers may be involved in scheduling workers for the Shack and may also work behind the counter on occasion or perform other duties.
• Opening Day – Volunteers are needed to prepare for and execute Opening Day ceremonies, which typically consists of a parade from Ross to Bacich and player introductions at the Bacich Majors field.
• Closing Day - Volunteers are needed to prepare for and execute Closing Day ceremonies, which typically consists of an awards ceremony for League Champions and Runners-up, and announcement of All-Star selections. This takes place at the Bacich Majors field.
• Team Parent – Each team has one Team Parent to assist the Manager by organizing game volunteers for keeping score, pitch count, providing water for player, etc. and organizing non-game activities such as pizza parties, get-togethers, end-of-season party, coaches’ gifts, player favors, etc.

Please note that during the season, parents are often also needed to help Managers and Team Parents with game tasks such as keeping score or pitch count or providing water for the players, and non-game tasks such as pizza parties, get-togethers, fund-raisers, etc. While these smaller but important tasks do not waive the buy-out fee, your help is needed and very very much appreciated.

Do you have guidelines for parental behavior?  
Everyone involved in Ross Valley Little League is an unpaid volunteer. Our Coaches contribute hundreds of hours over the course of a season. Everyone involved in Ross Valley Little League is doing this for the benefit of the athletes in our program. Please keep this in mind when you are interacting with Coaches and Board members from any of the Little League organizations.

For specific guidelines on parental behavior, especially on game day, please read the following Little League Code of Conduct. All parents are expected to adhere to these principles.

What fundraising activities can I participate in this year?  
Ross Valley Little League offers League and Team Sponsorship opportunities to businesses and individuals in the community. Sponsorships help us continue to improve our programs and give you added visibility in the community. Please contact Bryan Dorfler if you would like to sponsor a team or know of an organization that can. If you would like to make a gift to RVLL, you can mail a donation check to:

Ross Valley Little League
336 Bon Air Center, PO Box 281
Greenbrae, CA 94904

Thank you for your support!

REGION AND DISTRICT INFORMATION  

What Little League Region are we in and which District? What other leagues are in our District? Do RVLL teams play against teams from other leagues?  
Ross Valley Little League is in the Little League Baseball Western Region, California District 3. Leagues in District 3 as of December 2007 are:

• Dixie Terra Linda LL
• Mill Valley LL
• Novato American LL
• Novato North LL
• Novato South LL
• Ross Valley LL
• San Francisco American LL
• San Francisco National LL
• San Rafael LL
• Sausalito-Marin City LL
• Tiburon Peninsula LL
• Twin Cities LL
• West Marin LL

From time to time, RVLL may schedule interleague games during the regular season. In 2007, for example, each Ross Valley Majors team played a five-game series against teams from West Marin Little League.

RVLL also competes against teams from other local leagues in the Tournament of Champions and All-Star Tournaments that take place after our League Championships.

WEBSITE AND REGISTRATION TECHNICAL ISSUES  

I'm having problems with the RVLL web site. What can I do?  
If you are having problems with the Ross Valley Little League web site, here are a few things you can do:

• Make sure you are running the latest web browser for your platform. This is important, not only from the perspective of accurately rendering our website, but also for your security surfing the Internet. Many spyware and virus programs exploit security holes in old web browsers. You should be running one of the following web browsers:
  • Windows 98, 2000, Me, and XP: Internet Explorer 7 or Mozilla Firefox 2
  • Mac OS X: The latest version of Safari for your OS X version
  • Linux: Mozilla Firefox 2
• Make sure you have JavaScript enabled in your web browser. Most browsers have JavaScript enabled by default.
• If you are making an online payment to Ross Valley, make sure you have cookies enabled in your web browser.
• If you are still having problems with our web site, please contact our Webmaster.

I'm having problems paying my child's registration fees with the PayPal web site. What can I do?  
If you are entering a credit card number, please make sure you do not enter any spaces or dashes. Also make sure you are precisely entering the number from your card and correct expiration date and verification code. If you have a PayPal account and it is not working, try to pay by using a credit card instead of your PayPal account.

I don't have an Internet connection at home. How can I register my child?  
If you don't have a suitable computer for registering online, please find a computer-savvy friend who can help you register your child via their computer. Another option is to go to the local public library; most now offer computer access to the Internet.